In this week's reading (Exodus 17:8-16), we find the Israelites attacked by the Amalekites. This is the only time in Exodus that the Israelites do battle. However, in later books there are many battles as God's people journey to the Promised Land and conquer it.
17:8 This story is also the first time that Moses' assistant Joshua is mentioned. Joshua led the Israelites into the fight. Later on, Joshua would succeed Moses as leader of the people. It was under his leadership that God's people entered into the land of Israel. Interestingly, Joshua and Jesus both had the same name: Yehoshua, meaning "Yahweh saves."
17:11 As we might expect, given the character of Exodus so far, this battle has a supernatural element. Whenever Moses held his hands up, the Israelites began to win the fight; whenever he lowered his hands, the Israelites started to lose. This leads to the powerful image of Aaron and Hur holding up Moses' arms when he became tired.
What was the significance of this miracle? We can be sure that it was the Lord who caused them to prevail, but why did this happen only when Moses' hands were raised? Was it simply to show what a powerful guy Moses was?
17:16 Here we get a clue of the meaning. Moses himself interpreted his action as "hands...lifted up to the throne of the Lord." This suggests that Moses raised his hands as an act of prayer, asking God for victory. Whenever Moses prayed, God honored his prayer by causing the Israelites to prevail. As the leader of the people, Moses had the special role of interceding for them. This foreshadowed the way in which Jesus would intercede on our behalf.
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