God works through people

God works through the actions of people to bring about His sovereign will; therefore, believers confidently participate in God’s work.

<Exodus 17:8-16>

A. An unprovoked attack on Israel. (8-9)

a) Amalek- A group called the Amalekites is first mentioned in Genesis 14:7.

However, the people that Moses is mentioning are likely descendants of Esau mentioned in Genesis 36:12.

b) Moses doesn’t give a reason why the Amalekites attacked Israel.

It may have been related to rivalry between Esau and his brother Jacob that you read about in Genesis.

Moses gives Joshua instructions to respond.

a) This is the first time we meet Joshua.

He would become a trusted assistant to Moses and would ultimately lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

b) Don’t imagine that Joshua is picking men from Israel’s army.

These are untrained and untested men who may have struggled with the same fears that the larger group had.

POINT: God is up to something here with this attack.

He’s going to teach Israel and us many things about Himself and how His will is going to be brought about.

i. God didn’t need to work through Moses and Israel’s actions to resolve this problem.

God could have brought a plague on Amalek, or simply took the life from their body.

B. Israel responds to the attack. (10-13)

Joshua took men to fight Amalek. (10a)

2. Moses exalted God for help. (10b-12)

a) Hur is likely the man mentioned in Exodus 24:14 who would help Aaron.

b) Moses held his hands up.

The Bible doesn’t tell us what the meaning or significance of this action is.

However given the outcome it seems to have had a twofold purpose.

i. Moses sought to exalt God by raising the staff in his hands.

God ordered the staff be taken with Moses to Egypt.

In an of itself it was only a staff but it had come to represent the power of God.

Moses may have done this as an acknowledgement of their need for God.

Proverbs 3:5–6 NASB95

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

God commands us to live our lives trusting Him.

ii. God is working through the actions of the people involved.

The principle of concurrence

Is one of three aspects that define divine providence.

Providence is the governing power of God that oversees His creation and works out His plans for it.

The three aspects that are included in divine providence are:

i. Preservation- God is continually active in preserving or holding together His creation at all times.

Colossians 1:17 NASB95

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

ii. Governance- God has a purpose for all that He does and all that He allows and He directs or governs everything to bring about His will.

Psalm 103:19 NASB95

The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.

iii. Concurrence- The idea that God works in cooperation with His creation to bring about His will.

Daniel 4:34–35 NASB95

“But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’

God doesn’t need to work this way, but He has chosen to bring about His will in this way.

The Amalekites attacking the Israelites is an example of God working with His creation to bring about His will.

The Israelites weren’t trained or qualified to fight this battle, but God used them.

The Amalekites’ reason for attacking the Israelites was for selfish gain, but God used it for His glory and the good of Israel.

Moses staff was just a piece of wood and there was nothing magical about Moses putting his hands up.

God used all these things to bring about His will.

Sometimes people misunderstand God’s providence and sovereignty to mean that our actions are meaningless.

God works through the actions of people to bring about His sovereign will; therefore, believers confidently participate in God’s work.

3. Joshua was victorious. (13)

C. God responds to the attack. (14-16)

God will destroy Amalek.

Moses gives us a little more insight into the nature of this attack.

Deuteronomy 25:17–19 NASB95

“Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God. “Therefore it shall come about when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget.

Two important things to remember about God:

a) God is just

Psalm 89:14 NASB95

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You.

b) God protects His people

2 Thessalonians 3:3 NASB95

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

Isreal continued to struggle with the Amalekites

King Saul was sent to destroy them in 1 Samuel 15.

King David won a great victory against them in 1 Samuel 30.

Esther 9:5-10 seems to indicate that they were finally destroyed after Haman attempted to kill the Jews.

2. Moses praised God.

The most significant example of God working through man to bring about His will is the crucifixion of Jesus.

Those people who crucified Jesus meant it for evil but God planned this before the foundation of the world.

Jesus death was for the glory of God.

Jesus resurrection means not only are Christians saved but we’ve been invited by God to participate in the eternal things that God is doing.

God works through the actions of people to bring about His sovereign will; therefore, believers confidently participate in God’s work.

Will you confidently use the gifts and opportunities God’s given you for His glory?