BARAK, IN THE HALL OF FAME
The Baseball Hall of Fame is in Cooperstown, New York. A winning candidate did not emerge from the Baseball Hall of Fame balloting conducted by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America for 2013. This is the eighth election when no one was selected for the Hall of fame. There were 569 ballots cast this year. A player must be voted for by 75 percent of the voters for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This year would have required 427 votes. Craig Biggio came closest with 388 votes or 68.2%. If you go to Titus, Alabama where my wife Janice grew up, you will see a sign that reads, “Welcome to Titus, Alabama, home of Joe Swell, Baseball Hall of Fame.” Joseph Wheeler Sewell was born there October 9, 1898. He was a Major League Baseball infielder for the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977. Sewell holds the record for the lowest strikeout rate in major league history, striking out on average only once every 63 at-bats, and the most consecutive games without a strikeout, at 115. In the Bible Barak was in the Hall of Fame, not the Baseball Hall of Fame; he was in a far better Hall of Fame. He was in “Faith’s Hall of Fame.” When God spoke of the faithful He included Barak who delivered Israel from the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan. "And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets." (Hebrews 11:32) Barak, together with Deborah, took a small army of ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun and gained great victory by the power of God. This great victory led Deborah and Barak to sing that great victory song. (Judges 5)
Barak’s primary concerns were for God’s Word to be obeyed and God’s name to be exalted. Barak grew up in a city of refuge and he learned that God was his only refuge. He was from Kedesh. " And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?” (Judges 4:6) When the children of Israel entered Canaan there were to select six "cities of refuge" to which one who had killed a person by accident could flee for safety. (Joshua 20-21) Barak grew up in a city of refuge. As a judge in Israel he would find his refuge and help in God. We too find God to be a place of refuge. "God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge." (Psalm 48:3)
Barak knew that with God he could win even if human odds were against him. Barak gathered his men against chariots of iron. "So Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth Hagoyim to the River Kishon." (Judges 4:16) Barak learned that the odds are always in your favor when you are on God's side. When the victory was won praise was given to God. "Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel." (Judges 5:3) Those who walk hand in hand with God will always be more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37)
Barak was an example of boldness to others. He knew that God had commanded him to go into this battle. Deborah, “sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?” (Judges 4:6) He was a great example of how people should be willing to follow God’s leadership. "And the hand of the children of Israel grew stronger and stronger against Jabin king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan." (Judges 4:24) Boldness for God on the part of Barak encouraged others to be bold. This led to victory and peace, "so the land had rest for forty years." (Judges 5:31) People working together with one another and with God always enjoy great victories.
Do you have a living faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? If so it is time to become a Christian now! To become a Christian you must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (John 8:24), repent of sins (Acts 17:30), confess Christ as Lord (Acts 8:37), and be baptized to be saved. (1 Peter 3:21) After baptism follow Jesus in faithfulness as He leads you home to heaven. (Revelation 2:10)
By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551,
Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA