COC 24 Exodus 17_8-16 sermon
Christ in the Old Covenant
Exodus 17:8-16
We come to a short, somewhat simple, historical account that is actually packed with all kinds of important things. READ Exodus 17:8-16.
Israel has faced thirst and hunger and danger, and now they face their first actual battle. Keep in mind the larger context. God is bringing out this people to be His people; they have to learn to know Him and trust Him and love Him. He is developing their relationship with Himself. You see that God does not do this by removing all of the hard things in their lives, but by pouring His blessing upon them in the hard things.
You can expect God to do the same thing in your life. John 17:3 says that this is eternal life – to know God. You were created for that, but it was torn apart by sin. Now because of Christ God is once again developing our relationship with Himself. And He does it through trials and tests and surprises and battles.
Let’s talk about five new topics in this text.
1. The Amalekites.
In one sense, it seems pretty simple to understand the Amalekites. Jacob’s brother Esau had a grandson named Amalek. And so the Amalekites, like so many of Israel’s enemies, were their distant cousins through Esau. But the Bible never actually says that the Amalekites mentioned in the Old Testament are from Esau’s grandson. And before Esau was around, Genesis 14 mentions Amalekites. So God hasn’t given us all the details there to understand all of that, but God did tell us plenty about the character of the Amalekites.
First of all, Deuteronomy 25 tells us more about what actually happened at this incident recorded in Exodus 17. Listen to Deut. 25:17-18 Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, 18 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. So this attack in Exodus 17 was not a frontal assault on Israel’s army – it started with some cheap attacks on the sick and weak that were at the back of the procession.
A year later, one of the reasons Israel refused to enter the promised land was because they were afraid of the Amalekites. And then when Israel tried to go in without God’s blessing, the Amalekites helped drive them back.
Later, in the time of Gideon, the Amalekites would come and devastate the land, waiting until harvest time and then taking all of their produce and animals. Saul had to fight the Amalekites, and failed to obey God completely; David had to fight the Amalekites; it wasn’t until the time of Hezekiah that the Amalekites were more thoroughly destroyed. And even later, you remember Haman from the story of Esther – the Bible says that Haman was an Agagite, and Agag was probably the traditional name for the Amalekite ruler. In other words, Haman was likely an Amalekite. Even to this day some Jews use the term Amalekites to refer to their enemies.
So the Amalekites were a people who constantly opposed and oppressed God’s will in every way they possibly could.
Study list on the Amalekites: Genesis 36:2, 12; Numbers 13:29; Numbers 14:39-45; Numbers 24:20; Deuteronomy 25:17-19; Judges 3:13; Judges 6:3-5; Judges 10:12; I Samuel 14:48; I Samuel 15:2; I Samuel 28:18; I Samuel 30:18; I Chronicles 4:43; Psalm 83:7; Esther 3:1.
2. Joshua
Exodus 33:11 calls him Moses’s young assistant. God has led Israel to use a very wise plan for developing Israel’s next leader. Who could possibly step in to lead this entire nation after Moses? But God will prepare Joshua for decades as he serves alongside Moses.
Moses uses the same leadership development method that Jesus would use: Jesus chose twelve to be with Him. And Moses had Joshua, his young assistant, right there with Him as he led the nation of Israel.
Joshua has a very difficult job in this situation. You see that verse 9 says “Choose men for us.” And the middle of the verse tells us that the battle would be “tomorrow.” In other words, Joshua has one day to draft and prepare an army for battle. [God’s glory!]
3. Hur
We aren’t told much about Hur except that he and Aaron were clearly the next leaders in line after Moses and Joshua. But he plays a very important role in this story, helping Joshua hold up Moses arms as the battle progresses. If you’ve every done painting or drywall or other work above your head, you know how incredibly difficult it is to hold your arms up above your head for a long period of time. So with Moses seated Aaron and Hur are able to hold up his arms.
4. Oracle against a nation
Another new theme in this text is an oracle against a nation. In verses 14-16 God speaks promises of destruction regarding Amalek. Later, in the prophets, we find extensive oracles against nations that have opposed God and His will. One of the most intriguing sections is found in Amos, where God begins with oracles against Syria and the Philistines and Tyre and Ammon and Moab, but the oracles continue with Judah and Israel, showing that Israel is not except from the judgment of God.
5. The written record
For the first time we are told that Moses is writing things down. God tells him to make sure there is a written record of this event. And of course we are studying right now the written record that God inspired through Moses.
Banner
So we have those five new topics in this text. We also have a couple of textual challenges. First, we have this name “The Lord is My banner.” This is the name that Moses gives to this altar that he builds. This is an altar for bringing gifts of thanksgiving to God, and Moses names it “The Lord is My banner.”
- The translation “banner” is fine as long as you don’t think of a long skinny piece of paper taped to a wall. This is a symbol that you hold up high in there; it is usually used in military contexts. It may be like a flag, if you’ve seen videos about the civil war you’ve probably seen flag bearers going into battle waving their flag high in the air. But it doesn’t have to be a flag – it can also just be a tall, decorated pole. Some places in the OT it is translated standard, or signal, or mast.
- Sometimes it is a warning – you see that pole and you know the enemy is coming. Sometimes it is a gathering point or a summons: the troops would gather to that pole. Often times it is a sign of victory. So often God speaks of this pole, this signal. Display the signal pole, so that my enemies know God is coming. Or display it to call my enemies to judgment. Or display it to proclaim my victory.
- So it is a decorated pole, possibly including a flag, and it is used as a sign of battle or a sign of victory.
Study list on banner (nēs): Numbers 21:8, 26:10; Psalm 60:4; Isaiah 5:26, 11:10-12, 18:3, 31:9, 33:23, 49:22, 62:10; Jeremiah 4:6, 50:2, 51:12, 27; Ezekiel 27:7; the Greek translation of the Old Testament usually used the Greek word semeion to translate nēs. Semeion (usually translated sign) is used in many important places in the NT, such as Luke 2:12, Matthew 12:39-40, and John 2:11.
Verse 16
The beginning of verse 16 is difficult to translate, because the style in which it was written was very abbreviated. You can think of it like text messaging today, where we so severely abbreviate things. Imagine if English wasn’t your language, and you were trying to learn to read it, and then imagine trying to read a text message! That’s kind of what it is like for us trying to translate verse 16. The NASB and KJV take it to mean “The Lord has sworn,” most people agree that the first phrase should mean something like “My hand is on the throne of the Lord.” That’s how the ESV and NIV translate it. I think it is most likely that Moses is referring to his staff, that as he lifted up his staff it was as if he was reaching to the Lord’s throne, and when the staff was lifted up the Sovereign Lord worked.
TRANSITION: So I know all of that probably seems kind of random, but I’ve just overviewed for you several of the topics and issues in this text. Five new things, plus the issues of the meaning of the banner in verse 15 and the translation of verse 16. Now, what does all of this mean?
All of the new stuff in this text very clearly reminds us of an old theme: the sovereignty and providence of God.
Remember that the word sovereignty refers to God’s rule; as Creator he has the right to rule His creation. He is sovereign. The word providence refers to the exercise of His rule, the actual outworking of His rule here on earth. Because He is sovereign, God providentially accomplishes His will on earth.
That is so obvious in this text. Moses has the staff, the staff that has been a symbol of God’s power and God’s sovereignty since the very beginning of Moses’ leadership. This staff was used to symbolize God’s power in the plagues. This staff made it clear that God was the one parting the Red Sea. God commanded Moses to strike the rock with this staff, and water poured out for Israel. And now when this staff is help up to the Lord, Israel wins. And when the staff is not held up Israel loses.
Moses goes up on top of that hill with his staff, because he knows that God must win this victory. God is sovereign, God is powerful, and if we will win this battle God must do it.
Psalm 33:16-17 The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. 17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
Psalm 60:12 Through God we shall do valiantly, And it is He who will tread down our adversaries.
Psalm 20:7 Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.
And of course Jesus said, John 15:5 Apart from me, you can do nothing.
The only reason Israel could win was because God was fighting for them.
Ah the sovereignty of God – such a sweet, old theme. Tell it to me again and again and again. As Jonathan Edwards said, “Absolute sovereignty is what I love to ascribe to God.” I love this text, showing that God was the only one who could win the victory.
But God’s sovereignty is seen here in an important setting. Turn back a couple of pages, and let’s remind ourselves of the Israelites at the Red Sea: READ Exodus 14:13-14. Now turn back to chapter 17, READ Exodus 17:9-11. In Exodus 14, stand by, be silent, watch the Lord work. In Exodus 17, choose an army, go fight, and watch the Lord work.
In the first situation there was very little human involvement. Israel just watched God do it. In this situation, there is a much higher level of human responsibility. They had to choose an army; they had to prepare weapons; they had to go fight. The battle was the Lord’s; only He could win the battle; He is sovereign; but they had to go fight. About a year from now, they will not go into the promised land and fight like they should. They’ll chicken out. And what will happen? The entire generation will die in the wilderness.
What does this mean? It means that God is absolutely sovereign, and only He can win the victory. And it also means that my life is important; my choices matter; my decisions are significant. God accomplishes His sovereign will through people. Don’t ask me to explain exactly how that works. I just know it does, and it makes life a joy. I can face each day knowing that my God reigns, and no one can thwart His purposes. And I can face each day knowing that my God has put me here in this place with these people in these circumstances on this day, and my life today, my choices today, are eternally significant. And that is true for every one of you.
Oh how I long for you to have a theology that loves to ascribe absolute sovereignty to God, and at the same time finds that God’s sovereignty spurs you on to diligence and faithfulness and zeal for Him.
TRANSITION: Now then, how do we apply this bit about Moses lifting up the rod? In other words, if God is sovereign, and if God uses human responsibility, how then should we live? What should we do?
Well first, this is usually applied in regards to prayer, particularly intercessory prayer. Moses and Aaron and Hur were not in the battle, fighting themselves, but they were lifting up the rod of God so that the battle was successful. And so, we can think of this as an illustration of prayer, particularly intercession on behalf of others. One of the amazing things about prayer is that you can influence battles that you aren’t even a part of. Paul asked the Romans to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, (15:30) He asked the Corinthians to help us by your prayers (II Cor. 1:11). And he said to the Philippians I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (1:19). And so he commands the Ephesians be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints (6:18).
And notice that Paul uses the word “perseverance.” It is easier to paint for a long time above your head than it is to pray for along time for others in intercessory prayer. That’s why Paul told the Colossians that Epaphras was laboring earnestly for them in his prayers (Col. 4:12): because intercessory prayer is hard work. You very quickly want to put your arms down and give up.
There are battles in the lives of your family, battles in your church family, battles in your friends, and you need to get up on the hill and get involved in the battle through intercessory prayer. Your arms will tire quickly – that should let you know that you are doing the right thing.
So lift up the rod by intercessory prayer. That’s the most common application from this text. But let me make one more. It is interesting to note that this is the last time God ever told Moses to use his staff. Now it is true that 40 years later, God told Moses to take his staff when Israel needed water from the rock. But then what did God tell Moses to do? Speak to the rock. Yes Moses used his staff, and yes it worked, but God was very displeased. Because God told him not to use the staff, but to speak to the rock. So this battle with the Amalekites is the last time that God uses this rod of Aaron as a symbol of his power and victory.
And note that the last time God tells Moses to use this staff is also the first God speaks of a written record of these things.
And notice that Moses does not pass this staff along to Joshua. It is not the key to victory for Joshua, and it is not mentioned at all in the book of Joshua. Instead, what does Moses pass along to Joshua? The Word of God that he has just written. And he says to Joshua, This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Moses didn’t say “Joshua, here’s my staff, make sure you always keep it with you, and use it in every battle.” Instead, Moses passed along the Word of God.
The word of God is the seed by which you can be born again. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. The word of God is the sword of the spirit. It is the Word of God that is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. It is the word of God that can change you into the image of Christ, from one degree of glory to another. It is the Word of God through which God accomplishes His sovereign purposes, for it is the word that always accomplishes what He desires, and succeeds in the matter for which He sent it (Is. 55:11).
So I come to this simple conclusion: when you make the Word of God and prayer central in your life, you are holding up the staff of the Lord. You are saying “God rules; and my dependence is in Him, and Him alone. If he doesn’t work in my life, in my family, in my church, we are hopeless. So I trust in Him alone, and I demonstrate that tangibly by making God’s word and prayer a central part of my life.” There are many other staffs we can depend on: money, brains, power, skill, experience. But when you make the Word of God and prayer central in your life, you are holding up the staff of the Lord. The staff showed that victory can only come from the sovereign Lord; and Moses didn’t pass along his staff to Joshua – he passed along the Word of God.