Exodus. Prayer And Dependency ~ Part 2 Chapter 17:8-16

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1 Exodus Prayer And Dependency ~ Part 2 Chapter 17:8-16 W e will be running into the Amaleks thoughout the Old Testament. Accordingly I wanted to give a little background on their history with Israel, at least through the Pentateuch. Because of Amalek s occupation on the border of Palestine, in Sinai and the Negeb, these tribes were in conflict with the Hebrews from the time of their wilderness wanderings until the early monarchy. Indeed, every encounter between Amalek and Israel recorded in the OT is marked by hostility. It is likely that the other sedentary peoples near ancient Israel (e.g., Egypt, Edom, Moab) had similar problems with the Amalekites, but information on these other lands is unavailable. The hostilities between Amalek and Israel began during the Hebrew sojourn in the Sinai. Exod 17:8 13 describes this first encounter, an apparently unprovoked attack upon Israel at Rephidim. It is possible that the Amalekites feared the Israelite incursion into the region of Kadesh (cf. Gen 14:7, where this place is linked with Amalek). Perhaps the Amalekites thought the Hebrews represented competition for water or would interfere with their trade routes. At any rate, Deut 25:17 18 says that the Amalekite attacks were merciless; this harassment led to great enmity between Israel and Amalek. The Amalekites were defeated (Exod 17:13), and they were placed under a permanent ban (17:14 16; Deut 25:17 19). Memory of Amalek s opposition to Israel was still alive in the days of Samuel and Saul (1 Sam 15:2 3). With the defeat of the Amalekites, Israel controlled Kadesh-barnea (cf. Num 10:11 21:3). When the Hebrew spies returned to Kadesh (13:26), they reported that the Amalekites, among other peoples, blocked Israel s ambition to enter and occupy Canaan (13:29). According to Num 14:25, the Lord warned Israel to avoid contact with Amalek and take a more circuitous route to the promised land. This warning was not heeded, the Hebrews attempted to enter the hill country of southern Canaan, and they were repelled by the Amalekites and Canaanites (14:44 45; Deut 1:44). The Israelites were pursued all the way to Hormah (Tel Masos?), a settlement that was probably in Amalekite hands during other periods. One of the most interesting references to the Amalekites from the period of the Israelite wilderness wanderings is found in Num 24:20, where Balaam makes what could be interpreted as the only positive statement about this people in the whole Bible. Also important is the fact that Balaam looked on Amalek, presumably from the top of Peor, that overlooks the desert (23:28), perhaps localizing the Amalekites to the S Jordan Valley. 1 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar (Genesis 14:7 ESV). Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God (Deut. 25:17 18 ESV). Thus says the LORD of hosts, I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and 1 Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, Amalek, Yale University, Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., New York, NY, 1992, Vol. 1, p. 170.

2 devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. (1 Sam. 15:2 3 ESV). And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land (Numbers 13:26 ESV). The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan (Numbers 13:29 ESV). Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea (Numbers 14:25 ESV). But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed out of the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah. Then the Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do and beat you down in Seir as far as Hormah (Numbers 14:44 45; Deuteronomy 1:44 ESV). Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction. (Numbers 24:20 ESV). So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert (Numbers 23:28 ESV). XIII The Rod of Moses A. The Rod and the Water Verses 1-7 B. The Rod and the Amalek Verses 8-16 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Introduction: As we ve seen the people of Israel were highly stressed. They were learning to trust God and it was a struggle. But He understood. He provided food, water, rest, and the doubts and provisions where ongoing. But, as we ve speculated, these people were suffering from the generational fallout from two hundred years of slavery. They were probably dealing with some PTSD from the last days of Pharaoh s increased hostility and punishment as he was confronted by Moses and Aaron, as well as the attack of his army as they fled Egypt. ) 158 (

3 Accordingly they were stressed, anxious, and fearful. This may explain why they were so read to climb all over Moses. And this also may explain why God responded with support and teaching, not discipline. He did this by reminding the people of Moses authority as His liaison. Moses rod was the symbol of that authority. Moses used that rod in his confrontations with Pharaoh. He used it to in the parting of the Red Sea to save Israel and to destroy Pharaoh s army. And, to reassure the people God has him again use it A. The Rod and the Water: and as we saw last time when the people, out of fear, began grumbling against Moses, or actually, as he pointed out against God. Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD (Exodus 16:8 ESV). But as we considered Israel s fear and grumbling, hopefully we can to understand that we can fall into the same trap. Which is why we continue to stress the importance of praising God and living in dependency on Him. do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6 7 ESV). Moses serves as an excellent example for leaders in times of stress. It wasn t that the ongoing challenges weren t stressful. It wasn t that he did feel at time like the job would be great if it wasn t for the people. But what he did with the stress was take it to God, looking to Him for both strength and direction. And so, God was ready to act! Moses actions, directed by the Lord, were intended to reinforce his position as God s servant and leader. So he went out before the people with the elders and the rod. So God directed Moses to a rock at Horeb. And when Moses smote it water poured out. Finally, we also saw the ways that the rock provides a perfect picture of the smitten Christ. For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1 4 ESV). This rock speaks of the spiritual provision of the Lord just as the Manna speaks of Christ as bread of heaven. Christ is often pictured in Scripture as the rock or the corner stone, ie.: For it stands in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, The stone that the ) 159 (

4 builders rejected has become the cornerstone, and A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do (1 Peter 2:6 8 ESV). Again, He is the rock upon which the church is built, And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18 ESV). We know Christ was smitten once for our sin. From that smiting flows all the blessings God has for us, past, present and future. The past tense of salvation is redemption. The present tense is sanctification. And the future tense is glorification. Also with the receiving of Christ we also receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Praise the Lord, blessed be His name. B. The Rod and the Amalek: Now circumstances were about to get worse. The Israelites were about to face a new enemy, the Amaleks. Whatever the Israelites were, they weren t warriors. And how do you go to war with women and children as part of the company? Just who were the Amaleks, besides a pain in the neck? These people were descendants of Esau and therefore would have been cousins of the Israelites. The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. (Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau s son; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz.) These are the sons of Adah, Esau s wife. (Genesis 36:11-12 ESV). The Amaleks were an aggressive people. From their center at Kadesh they sent raiding parties beyond their own borders and in this case, they chose to attack the Hebrews. Bush notes: it is implied that they came from some distance for this purpose, and consequently that Israel was not at this time encroaching upon their territories, and thus giving occasion for the attack. 2 The reasons for the attack may have tied to a historic hatred of the Hebrews because of Jacob taking Esau s birthright and the fact God s promises were being fulfilled. It may also be they heard of all the wealth the people took from Egypt and simply wanted to get their hands on it. Now think how the people must have felt at this point. They were not warriors. Remember, the Lord had sent them this way to avoid a battle earlier with the Philistines. When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt. (Exodus 13:17 ESV). But now the time had come to fight. Why the situation was different is not explained. I don t even want to speculate. One thing is clear though: the Hebrews certainly wouldn t be able to win any battle on their own. The source of their strength was the Lord. 2 Bush, George, Notes on Exodus, Klock & Klock Christian Publishers, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, 1981, p ) 160 (

5 Here we are introduced to Joshua. Moses put him in charge of enlisting an army. Moses was the physical representative of God. By his actions the people would be able to recognize God s involvement. Moses took the rod and as he held it up the battle went for Israel. As it fell so went the people s fate. As one depends on the Lord, victory comes. As one depends on oneself, defeat comes. Moses, being only human and an old example of one at that, couldn t support the rod for long. So Aaron and Hur sat him down and each held up one of his arms, supporting the rod. Jewish tradition says as Moses hands were lifted up in prayer Israel prevailed and as they fell so the battle went against the people. I think it is safe to say Moses was supporting the Hebrews with prayer since it is obvious there was no intrinsic power in the rod. It should be noted both prayer and action were needed. It was the prayers of Moses and the sword of Joshua that the Lord used to bring victory. Too often Christians act as if they simply have to pray and sit back waiting for the Lord to work. Can you think of any examples of situations where clearly both prayer and action are called for to see the Lord work in your life? As one might expect, Joshua and the armies of Israel prevail and God s power is vindicated. And the victory was complete. Why was God so harsh? Maybe the answer is found here Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God. Therefore when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget (Deut. 25:17 19 ESV). It should also be noted that Joshua was already being groomed as Moses successor. He would lead the people, not through the wilderness, but into battle. Here he was learning God was the one who wins wars. The battle was fought up on the hill by Moses with prayer and dependency on God. The battle wasn t won by the army down on the field. This was something that would be absolutely necessary for Joshua to understand when he became God s representative over the people. Dr. McGee draws a parallel here with a problem we face as believers. Esau is often used as a picture of the flesh and just as Israel could not defeat his descendants, the Amaleks, on their own but depended on the Lord, so we cannot overcome our own flesh with out the strength of the Lord. 3 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do (Galatians 5:17 ESV). 3 McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Volume 1, Genesis - Deuteronomy, Thomas Nelson Inc., Nashville, TN 1981, adapted from p ) 161 (

6 Finally, God instructed Moses to write down the account of the battle on a scroll for posterity. He was specifically commanded to read the account to Joshua for his benefit as he would be the future leader. There is also the prediction that the day will come when the Amalek would be utterly destroyed. (see above) Moses built an altar that was named The Lord is My banner. This may refer to the fact that as the rod was lifted it showed the Lord was in control because the people depended on Him. Moses then announced the on-going battle between the Lord and the Amalek. The reason for this I suspect was that the attack on Israel was an attack on God and so He would not let them go unpunished but would finally wipe them out. Conclusion: The main focus of this chapter has been the use of the rod as a picture of God s involvement with the nation. All that was provided was from God, be it water or victory over one s enemies. In the last case, the rod could be seen as an outward sign of inward praying. I want us to pull together some of the applications of the last weeks. We have been talking about prayer as focused on the Lord in the areas of praise and dependency. Now I want us to continue to focus on these same areas but with the recognition of the necessity of a life typified by prayer. Remember, as soon as Moses let the rod down the battle turned against the Hebrews. As soon as we let down in our prayer lives we frequently find ourselves getting in trouble. What are some different ways that we can remind ourselves to work on our prayer lives this week? For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4, 9, ESV) ) 162 (

7 Exodus Prayer And Dependency ~ Part 2 Chapter 17:1-16 XIII The Rod of Moses A. The Rod and the Water Verses 1-7 B. The Rod and the Amalek Verses 8-16 Introduction: (Genesis 14:7; Deuteronomy 25:17 18; 1 Samuel 15:2 3; Numbers 13:26, 14:25, 14:44 45; Deuteronomy 1:44; Numbers 24:20, 23:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) A. The Rod and the Water: (Exodus 16:8; Philippians 4:6 7 1 Corinthians 10:1 4; 1 Peter 2:6 8; Matthew 16:18) B. The Rod and the Amalek: (Genesis 36:11-12; Exodus 13:17; Deuteronomy 25:17 19; Galatians 5:17)

8 Conclusion: (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4, 9, 16 18) Personal Application: This week make a list of where you have seen the Lord work in your life as you have depended on Him. Prayer for the Week: Father I praise You for the blessings You have brought into my life. Amen.