02 Ex 17.8-16 Against the Amalekites

<p><b>Exodus 17:8-16 (ESV)&nbsp;</b>

⁸&nbsp;Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.

⁹&nbsp;So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”

¹⁰&nbsp;So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

¹¹&nbsp;Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.

¹²&nbsp;But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

¹³&nbsp;And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.&nbsp;

¹⁴&nbsp;Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

¹⁵&nbsp;And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner,

¹⁶&nbsp;saying, “A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”</p>

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<p>Notes:</p>

<ul>

<li>In leaving Egypt, God delivered the Israelites directly: plagues, and Red Sea destruction of Pharaoh's army.</li>

<li>Enroute to Sinai, at Rephidim, the Amalekites attacked Israel.</li>

<li>Gen 36: Amalekites were descendants of Esau, and lived Southwest of the Dead Sea.</li>

<li>Why did Amalek attack? &nbsp;The Bible doesn't say. &nbsp;Maybe for easy plunder. &nbsp;The Amalekites had to travel from their land to attack Israel at Rephidim. &nbsp;</li>

<li>During the battle there were two groups of Israelites: those in the valley fighting, and those on top of the hill interceding. &nbsp;Those fighting were chosen Israelites (vs 9), commanded by Joshua. &nbsp;Those on top of the hill were Moses, his brother Aaron, and Hur (maybe Aaron's brother-in-law).&nbsp;</li>

<li>The Biblical account of the battle focused not on the fighters but on the intercessors.</li>

<li>God caused Amalek to be defeated, "by the edge of the sword." &nbsp;In other battles God did or in the future would destroy Israel's enemies by direct Divine action (drowning, heilsorm, fratricide), but here He did it through people: some as fighters and some as intercessors.</li>

</ul>

<p>Applications:</p>

<ul>

<li>God determines the means and the method.</li>

<li>There are different roles in the spiritual battles.</li>

<li>Have a "prayer buddy." &nbsp;For Moses, they were Aaron and Hur.</li>

<li>Like Joshua who needed Moses' intercession, and Moses who needed Aaron's and Hur's help, you too will need help. &nbsp;Expect to need it, ask for it, and accept it.</li>

</ul>

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