So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword (Ex. 17:10-13).
The Israelites were now free of Egyptian oppression, but they were far from ‘home free.’ The land they traveled through was populated by all manners of people, from simple nomads and shepherds to organized armies. To many of the latter, the richly provisioned children of Israel presented a target too tempting to resist, leading to attacks and raids. In today’s reading, God has recorded the details of one such skirmish. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven (Ex. 17:14). From this record, two very clear lessons emerge.
The first is humbling in its simplicity. As Joshua led the men in battle on the field below, Moses stood on the hill above them, entreating with God (17:9). His raised hands contained the rod of God and signified his constant, unwavering prayer. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. The conflict was not being decided on the battlefield. The deciding factor was not the size of Amalek’s army nor the strength of the Israelites, but rather the earnestness of the prayer going up to God.
Whatever struggles we face in life, the principle remains the same. Our success hinges entirely on our connection to God. Through prayer, our strength is maintained, and our hope is renewed. Life’s battle can be won, but we are fully dependent on God for victory. If we try to fight it on our own, we will lose.
Maintaining our connection to God in the midst of extreme circumstances can be difficult, which leads us to the second lesson. God does not intend for us to have to go it alone. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him…and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands. When Moses reached the point of exhaustion, his friends and family stepped in and helped him to go on. With joint effort, the prayers to God continued unabated. This provides us with a prime example of why it is so important for us to surround ourselves with others who share in our love of God. It is not possible for us to be strong and focused 100% of the time, but when we are lovingly supported by our brothers and sisters in Christ, we don’t have to be. Our hands may grow tired, and our voice may grow weak, but when we are lifted up by those around us, our connection to God remains strong.
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up(Eccl. 4:9-10).
Thought for Today: Worldly metrics are not tuned to measure spiritual success; the poorest man may have the richest soul.
Christ Revealed:As the Rock and the Water that came forth from it (Ex. 17:6). They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed (accompanied) them: and that Rock was Christ (I Cor. 10:4; compare John 7:38).
Word Studies:17:2 did chide with = angrily criticized; tempt = test; 17:12 heavy = too tired from holding up his hands; stayed up = supported; 17:13 discomfited = defeated; 17:15 Jehovah-nissi = the Lord is my banner
Pray for Staff:Kevin Jennings • Government Officials: Sen. Thomas Carper(DE), Rep. Lloyd Smucker(PA) • Country: Panama (3,608,431) Central America • Major Language: Spanish • Religious Freedom • 85% Roman Catholic; 15% Protestant • Prayer Suggestion: Examine yourself. Has prosperity dulled your willingness to sacrifice (Hag. 1:4)?
Optional Reading Matthew 23