We're Here! (Exodus 17.8-16)
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We’re Here!
We’re Here!
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.
Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some men for us and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.
But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the sun set.
And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a reminder in a book and recite it in the hearing of Joshua: I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”
And Moses built an altar and called it, The Lord is my banner.
He said, “A hand upon the banner of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
Intro:
Battles are something that we all face.......
And there are several scenarios of struggle that occur within battles.......
Some battles are prompted when our enemies pick a fight with us based on our weaknesses.
Some battles are fought with all of our might, but then fatigue sets in, and the enemy sees an edge and tries to steal the advantage.
(pause)
And regardless of the Battle scenarios we face.......
.......we must learn and develop our strength so that we know how to fight sucessfully.
(pause)
And this is where we find the Israelites in today’s text......
All up until this point, Israel has never had to fight!
(slight pause)
God did all of their fighting.........
Whenever somebody messed with Israel, God fought for them.
But now God changes it up......
....and says,
“Israel, I’m no longer going to fight for you”
But instead.......
“Now Israel, I’m going to fight through you”
(pause and expound)
And in their very first fight........
This Amalekite army that they are facing chooses to fight dirty!!
(pause)
Look at it.....
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.
As the Israelites are retreating in Rephidim.
The name of this place Rephidim means “a resting place”
(pause)
And I find it interesting that the Israelites are being attacked in a resting place.
(slight pause)
Because.......
.......nobody expects to go into a battle in the exact same place they were planning to rest.
(pause)
And according to the text........
....the Amalekites planned this sneak attack on Israel to target and come after the stragglers
........everybody who was weak, and worn out from the journey.
And so while they are.....
gathering themselves......
recovering and regrouping......
The Amalekites are hunting the weak.........
(pause)
Key question - What makes you think enemies won’t target stragglers?
Look at it......
Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some men for us and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
According to the text.....
Moses calls Joshua over and says,
“This is what we’re gonna do......
Pick out your squad that you want to go into battle with and go Handle this.......
(pause)
Key question - What are you delegating to deal with your threats/attacks?
(pause)
Moses also tells Joshua,
“We’re relying on your action.”
But.....
“We’re also relying on God’s power.”
So.....
While you’re down in the valley fighting......
I’m going to be standing over there on that hill so that yall can see me holding up the staff that Elohim gave me!
(pause)
Look at it.....
So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.
The text says something interesting started happening.....
The battle that Joshua was fighting in the valley was responsive to what Moses was doing on the hill.
(pause)
Moses is holding this staff.......
......and everytime his hands go down
.....the battle starts shifting in favor of the Amalekites
......and everytime Moses hands go up
........Israel starts winning
(pause)
And the reason this keeps happening.......
.....is because when the men fighting with Joshua look up and see Moses holding this staff up
......it represents “The Power of God”
(pause)
And so if Moses hands are down.......
.........they are in a battle
.......but they can’t see “The Power of God”
(pause)
And remember.......
.......this is the first time they had to fight
.......and the one thing they know is that if God aint with us we can’t win!
(pause)
And so......
Moses is doing his best to keep the staff raised.......
But......
.......fatigue starts setting in
.....and as much as he wants to keep his hands raised
......his muscles in his shoulders and arms are burning on fire
.......and his hands are starting to sweat, and get tired
(pause and expound)
Look at it now....
But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the sun set.
The bible says.....
Moses brother in law - Hur
Moses oldest brother - Aaron
.......notices what’s happening
......understand how important it is for Moses hands to be raised.
(pause)
And in my spiritual imagination.....
I see these brothers saying,
“We can’t just stand around and watch everybody struggle!”
Moses is struggling to keep his hands up
Joshua and the others are struggling to fight the Amalekites
And I see them saying.....
“There’s got to be something that we can do!”
(pause)
Watch this.......
Because Joshua didn’t choose them to go in the valley.....
And.....
Moses is responsible for holding the staff......
......and their initial responsibility was just to stand by and watch things happen
(pause)
But things have changed now......
And according to the text.......
These two brothers can’t just stand around and do nothing while their brother is struggling.....
So they moved closer to Moses.....
“Aaron you get on his right side”
“And I’ll get on his left side”
“Ok.....cool”
“Now slide this stone under him so he can sit down”
(pause)
The text says......
They “Propped” up his arms....
Freedom that means......
They did something to stop something from falling or slipping by placing something under or against it.....
And in my spiritual imagination I see them.....
Doing something to stop the struggling!
(pause)
And what I really hear them saying is......
“We’re Here!”
Moses.......
“We’re Here!”
(pause)
And watch this.......
Because....
Support stays in place until progress transitions into Victory...
It’s right there in the text.....(Paraphrase)
But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the sun set. And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.
“They stationed themselves there until Sunset”
…and here it is
“And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword”
(pause)
And now.......
.......when the fatigue that hit MOSES earlier
.....and the struggle that was influencing the battle earlier
Can’t do what it was doing before.....
(pause)
And I hear Aaron and Hur saying......
The reason things are different now is because.......
NOW.......
“We’re HERE!”
(pause)
Watch this....
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a reminder in a book and recite it in the hearing of Joshua: I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”
Yawheh tells Moses......
“You got to write this down for everybody and make sure Joshua hears it!”
In other words.....
Make sure everybody realizes what SUPPORT looks like in battle!
(pause)
Look at it.....
And Moses built an altar and called it, The Lord is my banner.
Freedom family.......
Moses names this altar
Jehovah - Nissi or The Lord is my banner.....
And a banner is something......
Elevated
Lifted high
so people can see it....
or see what its holding up.....
And in my spiritual imagination.....
I see Moses saying,
When Support shows up.......
......even when the enemy plans a sneak attack against us
God uses our SUPPORT to bring us the VICTORY!!
(pause)
And I wonder if there are any Aarons/Hurs in here today.....
......that are willing to say......
“We’re HERE!”
(pause)
And as long as we’re here......
......if we see somebody losing
....instead of standing around and doing nothing....
We start trying to figure out.....
....HOW CAN I help them WIN!?!?!??
(pause)
If you’re a SUPPORTER
Hit #We’reHERE!!
.........................EXPOUND/CLOSE........................