It’s A Spiritual War part 4
Exodus 17:8-16
Joshua’s army defeated the Amalekites while the raised rod of God over the battle pictured the God’s presence and authority even in battle.
14 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.” Was this a special scroll or just a reminder that when the record was written to be sure to include this? The verse does indicate that Moses knew that Joshua would be his successor. God would see that the Amalekites eventually became extinct. Saul and David did inflict the final blows on the Amalekites almost 400 years later. (1Samuel 30:17[notes1] )
15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD is my banner, Altars of stone were built to worship the LORD after a significant encounter. We’ve seen that with Noah (Genesis 8:20[notes2] ) and with Abraham (Genesis 12:7-8[notes3] ), Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 26:25[notes4] ; 35:7[notes5] ).
The translation “banner” is probably incorrect in this verse. It later became used in that manner, but at this time the word was used of a signal pole around which an army would rally for instruction. The rod (nes) was something like a flagpole. Since the rod of God represented the authority of God, Moses was saying that the rod represented God. JHWH is my rallying rod. He is the One we Israelites gather around for our war briefing. He is where we go for our battle tactics and instructions.
16 saying, “A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” The translation here is also in question. NIV “for hands were lifted to the throne of the Lord” point one to think Moses meant it was his prayers that won the battle. That, however, is not the case. ESV has a better translation here, “A hand upon the throne of the LORD!” It can be understood in two different ways. One is that God’s hand is on His throne swearing by His throne that He will have war with Amalek for generations to come. Since Moses’ hand was mentioned it is more likely that it refers to Moses’ hands on the pole that symbolized the throne of God, the authority of God. The latter would point to the sovereignty of God in winning the battle. Moses’ hand was on the symbol of the throne, meaning God was right there with them.
The passage has revealed another name of God and therefore something of God we should remember. He is JHWH Nissi! Like Israel, we will face battles in life. God allows them. He guides us to them. He plans that we not face too much at one time. He uses them to train us to look to Him.
Here, in another test, they did look to God, to the authority that staff represented. You could say this was one of the great moments of the wilderness wandering, because they followed through on the last lesson. They learned to listen to God and look to Him. They believed that His authority could conquer their enemy. Whatever battle you are in right now, you can look to the authority of God. Lay hold of the throne. Believe God is more than able to see you through, and He will. Be sure to read tomorrow’s blog as we draw some amazing parallels that can help us in our battles today.
[notes1] 1 Samuel 30:17 (ESV)
17 And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled.
[notes2] Genesis 8:20 (ESV)
20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
[notes3] Genesis 12:7-8 (ESV)
7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD.
[notes4] Genesis 26:25 (ESV)
25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
[notes5] Genesis 35:7 (ESV)
7 and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.
July 31, 2010 | Posted by Paul
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