Is God among Us or Not?
Opening Prayer
Lord, all of us need support from those around us in order to wage war against our enemies in the spirit.
Read Exodus 17:1–16
The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”
Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”
3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
The Amalekites Defeated
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”
15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his
hands remained steady” (Exod. 17:12).
Think Further
The Israelites are doing as God commanded (1), but when they get to a
place with no water they grumble and doubt: “Is the Lord among us or not?” (7). Their incipient rebellion rises to the point where Moses informs God that they will soon stone him (4) and that they feel they were better off in Egypt (3). People have doubted God’s presence for less than being stuck in a desert with no water. The Lord is indeed among them, however, and he provides for their thirst in a miraculous way (6). Humans can sometimes be too quick to doubt God’s presence.
The people’s problems are not over, though, for the Amalekites arrive to attack. Once again, God works through Moses, who needs to hold up the staff of the Lord throughout the battle in order for the Israelites to win (9,11). It seems, however, as though Moses might not have anticipated how badly this would fatigue his arms (or perhaps he hoped for miraculous strength) because in verse 9 he mentions only himself as a participant in the fight. During the battle, Aaron and Hur must stand on either side of him and hold up his arms. Joshua and his choice soldiers fight down below, presumably to the best of their ability and win. Again, God is indeed among the Israelites,
and Moses builds an altar to thank him, and calls the altar Jehovah Nissi, “The Lord My Banner.”
We might wonder why, if the outcome hinges upon Moses holding up the staff, Joshua and his army need to fight at all. God, in his wisdom, tends to work through his people, often whole communities (and one might think of the church). Everyone has his or her part to play: the leader, the two who support the leader, the army general and finally the army.
Apply
Think of how many times God has delivered you in ways totally foreign to your way of thinking. Would you have done it this way?
Closing prayer
Father, thank You that You are among us and that, in Your grace, You work through us. Help me to serve You and not to covet the roles of others.
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