The Amalekites were ruthless enemies of God’s people. The Amalekites came and attacked God’s people here at a place called Rephidim. Moses told Joshua to take some men and fight them, while he, Moses, took two other men (Aaron and Hur) to the top of a hill.
Did you notice that God made the outcome of this battle dependent upon what the man in the middle (Moses) did on top of the hill?
If Moses raised his hands in victory, God’s people were winning the battle, but if Moses lowered his hands, the enemy was winning. The outcome of the battle was totally dependent on what Moses did on that hill, not on how well the soldiers in the valley were fighting.
Can you imagine this scene? The warriors are fighting hard, and a tired soldier fighting with all his might turns for a moment to that hill; he sees Moses’ hands outstretched and upraised in victory. And now that weary soldier is energized to fight on, knowing that his leader, Moses, is interceding on his behalf and that God will give him victory.
Ironically, the word Rephidim (the name of the location of this great battle) means “place of rest.” The hill where Jesus fought Satan is our place of rest (Hebrews 4:2-3).
Question 6. Can you apply this historic event to your own life? Please write your thoughts:
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We have the battle to fight against evil. It’s evil that is intent on our destruction. It begins in our thought life, causing us to harbor dark thoughts about God, accusing Him of mistreating us. It wants to steal our spiritual life, kill our marriage and other relationships, and destroy our souls in hell.
This evil has a name. It’s not the Amalekites, but rather “Impurity!” It is pornography and sexual impurity of all kinds including self-gratification, adultery, and sex promoted by our culture but forbidden by God. And God has called us to fight against it. It can be a long battle, an intense battle, a strenuous and tiresome battle.
But amid the battle, we can turn and look up to a hill far away, a hill called Mt. Calvary. There we will see three men on the hill. And look at that one in the middle, Jesus Christ! Look at what he is doing for you! He is winning the battle! He is destroying the evil one through His death! His hands are outstretched and upraised in victory, and as He is dying He is making you “more than a conqueror through Him Who loves you” (Romans 8:37). Oh, what grace! Oh, what love!
Consider this thought in light of the story we have studied today: God has made the outcome of your fight against impurity dependent upon what Jesus did on the cross. Therefore the outcome of your battle is sure and certain. You win because He won!
2 Corinthians 2:14 NIV But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.
Question 7. According to 2 Corinthians 2:14, how does God lead His people? What does that mean for you, today?