Trials Help Israel Understand Themselves
January 20, 2025
Commentary
As Israel followed the Lord, He led them through different experiences that revealed both their weaknesses and His strength. God often uses trials to teach His people to trust Him and depend on His grace. In this chapter, Israel faced two great tests—thirst and battle.
Water from the Rock (vv. 1–7): Once again, the people complained be-cause they had no water. They even threatened to stone Moses. But instead of reacting in anger or fear, Moses turned to God in prayer. The Lord told him to strike the rock at Horeb with his staff, and water flowed out for all the people to drink. God’s mercy and patience are clearly seen here. Even when His people complained, He still lovingly provided for their needs. The smitten rock is a beautiful picture of Christ, who was “struck” for us so that living water could continually flow into our lives (1 Cor. 10:4).
Warfare with the Enemy (vv. 8–16): For the first time, Israel had to fight. The Amalekites attacked them in the desert. Moses told Joshua to lead the soldiers while he stood on a nearby hill holding the rod of God. As long as Moses raised his hands, Israel won; when his hands grew tired and fell, the enemy gained strength. Aaron and Hur stood beside him helped Moses keep his hands steady until the battle was won. This shows how God works through His people when they stand together in prayer, faith, and teamwork.
After the victory, Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is my Banner, giving praise to God for the triumph. The lesson is clear: whether our trials are physical needs or spiritual battles, God is our provider and our strength when we depend on Him together.
Application
When I face trials, do I complain like Israel or turn to God in prayer like Mo-ses? God uses my challenges to reveal my heart and teach me to trust Him. When I feel weak, do I let others lift me up in prayer as Aaron and Hur did? How can I depend on God’s strength, not my own, in a struggle I’m facing today?
Exodus 17:1–16 (NET)
1 The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the wilderness of Sin according to the Lord’s instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So the people contended with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 3 But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world did you bring us up from Egypt—to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”
4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with this people?—a little more and they will stone me!” 5 The Lord said to Moses, “Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go. 6 I will be standing before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you will strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel.
7 He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
8 Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
10 So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him, and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses would raise his hands, then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest his hands, then Amalek prevailed. 12 When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down. 13 So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his army with the sword.
14 The Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua’s hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 Moses built an altar, and he called it “The Lord is my Banner,” 16 for he said, “For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord —that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
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