God’s warning and they want people to hear the truth. There is no need for anyone to let himself be hurt by the plagues. He can act on God’s warning. Jehovah’s witnesses are ready to help honest persons who want true, reliable news. Their preaching is not out of malice or faultfinding nor to get notoriety, but they love their neighbors. Hence, their diligence in calling personally on you.

Barak—Judge and Deliverer of Israel

WHO was Judge Barak? When did he live, and by what means did he deliver his people Israel? Judge Barak was Israel’s fourth judge and human deliverer after Joshua. He was a fearless fighter who led Israel to victory over tremendous odds, delivering Israel from the oppressive hand of King Jabin of Canaan, but his record is presented with true candor.

It is fitting that we consider what the Bible has to say about Judge Barak, for he is held out to us as a man of faith. Yes, he was one “who through faith defeated kingdoms in conflict, . . . became valiant in war, routed the armies of foreigners.” However, a check of books dealing with Bible characters and personalities reveals that the writers of Christendom have generally ignored him, focusing their attention on the woman prophetess of his time, Deborah. This trend is even seen in the matter of naming children: one frequently hears of a daughter’s being named Deborah but rarely of a son called Barak.—Heb. 11:32-34.

Even as Moses had warned in his farewell speech, after his death—more particularly after the death of Joshua and the older men of his time—his people fell away to the worship of false gods, and that time and time again. (Deut. 31:29; Judg. 2:17-19) It was at such a time when Israel had again apostatized from the pure worship of Jehovah, when “they proceeded to choose new gods,” that Jehovah permitted his people to suffer oppression under Jabin, the king of Canaan, and that for twenty years. This situation was so bad that the highways were deserted, the “pathways had no traffic,” and the Israelite “travelers of roadways would travel by roundabout pathways.”—Judg. 5:6, 8; 4:1, 2.a

Militarily, the situation seemed hopeless. On the side of their oppressor, King Jabin, there was a large army under General Sisera with a “panzer division,” as it were, of 900 chariots with iron scythes that could literally mow down foot soldiers. On the side of the Israelites, why, there was not even one lance or spear and one shield among 40,000. The contrast could hardly have been greater.—Judg. 5:8.

Even as is often the case, adversity caused the Israelites to come to their spiritual senses, and so we read of their repenting and crying to Jehovah for help. Being ever merciful, Jehovah heard and answered their pleas for help. The two