Trials That Helped Israel Understand Themselves Better
December 26, 2022
Commentary
As Israel followed the Lord, He took them through different experiences and trials which helped them understand themselves better, as well as the power and grace of God. There are two such experiences recorded in this chapter:
- Water from the rock (vv. 1-7) – Once more Israel complained of thirst. They were ready to stone Moses to death but God intervened. In answer to Moses prayer God commanded Moses to hit the rock with his rod. From Horeb’s smitten rock pure water gushed out. Moses illustrates what a trusting Christian should do in hours of trial, as he turned to the Lord in prayer and asked for guidance.
- Warfare with the enemy (vv. 8-16) – Up to now Israel has not had to fight; because the Lord fought for them. But now, the Lord fights through them to overcome the enemy. The Amalakites were descendants of Esau and nomads in the desert south of Canaan (I Sam. 5:7). In this crises Moses calls on Joshua to go out and meet this enemy (vv. 8-10). As long as Moses hands were above his head (which symbolized Israel’s total dependence on God) they were victorious (v. 11). However, he needed the assistance of Aaron and Hur (v. 12). That is how Joshua defeated the Amalekites (v. 13). Afterwards, the Lord told Moses to write an account of this victory and read it to Joshua (v. 14). Afterwards Moses built an altar and called it, “The Lord gives me victory (v. 15).” However the Lord will have to fight the Amalekites again in the future (v. 16).
Application
When I face trials in life I must have my hands (heart) lifted up in prayer in order to have victory.
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.”