Exodus 17:1-7
“And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.” (Exodus 17:1)
Rephidim is believed to be just southeast of Mt. Sinai, about three days journey east of Elim, as led by the pillar of cloud and fire, stopping when needed. When they got there, there was no water, not even the bitter water that had been at Marah.
“Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?” (Exodus 17:2)
The people demanded that Moses get them some water. Their focus was on Moses rather than on God. They were effectively idolizing Moses, and he recognized it, warning them they were tempting God. It is a trap we need to avoid in our own ministries.
“And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” (Exodus 17:3)
When Moses could not produce water on their demand, the people turned against him, accusing him of just bringing them out to the wilderness to let them die. It reminds us how tenuous adulation can be. They came to point of threatening his life if he didn’t produce their desired results.
“And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (Exodus 17:4-6)
God had deliberately brought Israel to the place to increase their trust in him. He instructed Moses to stand in the rock in Horeb and when he struck it, water would come out. Rephidim is in the foothills of Mt. Sinai, also called Mt. Horeb. The surrounding area was known as Horeb, meaning Desolation or drought. The area around Jebel Al Laws is known as Harob by the Arabs even today, again indicating our location is correct.
“And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?” (Exodus 17:7) Moses called the place Massah or ‘testing’ and Meribah or ‘conflict’ because of the experiences there. “Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.” (Exodus 17:8)
Moses had warned Israel they were tempting God by their blaming him for what was happening. Now the Amalekites attacked Israel. They are the descendants of one of Esau’s grandsons as we learn from Genesis 36:12. The Amalekites claimed most of the northern Arab Peninsula and Rephidim was on the southern edge of their territory.
“And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.” (Exodus 17:9-10)
Since the Egyptians had never allowed the Israelites to obtain military experience, Moses was the only person with any training in battle. Joshua was a young man, at least compared to Moses, but he had already earned the respect of the people. He was probablyabout forty at the time. Moses placed him in charge of the battle while he went to the top of the hill. In his hand he would carry the rod or walking stick God had used so many times to show his power, from turning into a snake to dividing the waters of the Red Sea and smiting the rock at Rephidim. He was accompanied by Aaron and his nephew Hur.
“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” (Exodus 17:11-13)
When Moses held his hand with the symbol of God’s power, Israel had the advantage but when he let it drop, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Holding up the rod quickly became a burden so Aaron and Hur brought a large rock for Moses to sit on while they supported his arms until sundown. As a result, the Amalekites were defeated. It demonstrated the Israelite’s need to depend on God’s power, rather than their own. Many have focused on Moses lifting his hands as a sign of prayer, apparently not realizing that he held the rod in his hand symbolizing the power of God.
May I suggest a slightly different application? Numerous verses point to Christ and his gospel as the power of God. For example, Romans 1:16 declares, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” As Jesus stated in John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
Aaron and Hur supporting Moses arms is symbolic of praying for those who preach, as II Thessalonians 3:1 directs. “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:” II Corinthians 1:11 furthers the concept. “Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” (Exodus 17:14)
The Amalekites were distant relatives of Israel and should have known what God had said. God promised that because of their attack they would one day be annihilated. In I Samuel 15:2-3, God commanded Saul to kill all the Amalekites because of this attack, but Saul refused and was later killed by one of those who escaped. Haman the Agagite in the book of Esther was a descendant of Agag, the Amalekite king Saul refused to kill.
“And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” (Exodus 17:15-16)
For the first time, Moses took the time to formally build an altar and worship God. He named it Jehovahnissi which means “Jehovah is my banner or standard.” Just as the American flag has great personal meaning as the symbol of the United states, God was the personal representative of the Nation of Israel. God had sworn to forever protect them from their enemies. In effect Moses was pledging allegiance to God.
“And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.” (Exodus 17:1)
Rephidim is believed to be just southeast of Mt. Sinai, about three days journey east of Elim, as led by the pillar of cloud and fire, stopping when needed. When they got there, there was no water, not even the bitter water that had been at Marah.
“Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?” (Exodus 17:2)
The people demanded that Moses get them some water. Their focus was on Moses rather than on God. They were effectively idolizing Moses, and he recognized it, warning them they were tempting God. It is a trap we need to avoid in our own ministries.
“And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” (Exodus 17:3)
When Moses could not produce water on their demand, the people turned against him, accusing him of just bringing them out to the wilderness to let them die. It reminds us how tenuous adulation can be. They came to point of threatening his life if he didn’t produce their desired results.
“And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (Exodus 17:4-6)
God had deliberately brought Israel to the place to increase their trust in him. He instructed Moses to stand in the rock in Horeb and when he struck it, water would come out. Rephidim is in the foothills of Mt. Sinai, also called Mt. Horeb. The surrounding area was known as Horeb, meaning Desolation or drought. The area around Jebel Al Laws is known as Harob by the Arabs even today, again indicating our location is correct.
“And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?” (Exodus 17:7) Moses called the place Massah or ‘testing’ and Meribah or ‘conflict’ because of the experiences there. “Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.” (Exodus 17:8)
Moses had warned Israel they were tempting God by their blaming him for what was happening. Now the Amalekites attacked Israel. They are the descendants of one of Esau’s grandsons as we learn from Genesis 36:12. The Amalekites claimed most of the northern Arab Peninsula and Rephidim was on the southern edge of their territory.
“And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.” (Exodus 17:9-10)
Since the Egyptians had never allowed the Israelites to obtain military experience, Moses was the only person with any training in battle. Joshua was a young man, at least compared to Moses, but he had already earned the respect of the people. He was probablyabout forty at the time. Moses placed him in charge of the battle while he went to the top of the hill. In his hand he would carry the rod or walking stick God had used so many times to show his power, from turning into a snake to dividing the waters of the Red Sea and smiting the rock at Rephidim. He was accompanied by Aaron and his nephew Hur.
“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” (Exodus 17:11-13)
When Moses held his hand with the symbol of God’s power, Israel had the advantage but when he let it drop, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Holding up the rod quickly became a burden so Aaron and Hur brought a large rock for Moses to sit on while they supported his arms until sundown. As a result, the Amalekites were defeated. It demonstrated the Israelite’s need to depend on God’s power, rather than their own. Many have focused on Moses lifting his hands as a sign of prayer, apparently not realizing that he held the rod in his hand symbolizing the power of God.
May I suggest a slightly different application? Numerous verses point to Christ and his gospel as the power of God. For example, Romans 1:16 declares, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” As Jesus stated in John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
Aaron and Hur supporting Moses arms is symbolic of praying for those who preach, as II Thessalonians 3:1 directs. “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:” II Corinthians 1:11 furthers the concept. “Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” (Exodus 17:14)
The Amalekites were distant relatives of Israel and should have known what God had said. God promised that because of their attack they would one day be annihilated. In I Samuel 15:2-3, God commanded Saul to kill all the Amalekites because of this attack, but Saul refused and was later killed by one of those who escaped. Haman the Agagite in the book of Esther was a descendant of Agag, the Amalekite king Saul refused to kill.
“And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” (Exodus 17:15-16)
For the first time, Moses took the time to formally build an altar and worship God. He named it Jehovahnissi which means “Jehovah is my banner or standard.” Just as the American flag has great personal meaning as the symbol of the United states, God was the personal representative of the Nation of Israel. God had sworn to forever protect them from their enemies. In effect Moses was pledging allegiance to God.
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