Now, we come to Warring against the flesh!
All we have to do is to keep reading in the same chapter, Exodus 17. After the Israelites had the experience with the rock that was struck and the refreshing water, we read this:
“The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” 10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning” (Exodus 17:8-11 NIV).
After seeing the rock that was struck and drinking in the refreshing water, the Israelites were ready to go to war. And during this attack, the Israelites won the battle in an unusual way.
Moses and two other men went up on a hill where Moses' held up his hands in prayer, interceding for the Israelites fighting in the valley below. As long as Moses held his hands up, the Israelites were winning.
In other words, God made the outcome of the battle entirely dependent on what that man on the hill, in the middle of two others, did. Imagine the soldiers fighting in the valley, and then turning and looking up to the hill, seeing the man in the middle with his hands raised in victory, and the soldier fights on with supernatural strength!
We who believe in Christ are in a war all our lives. We fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil. We have been in bondage to sin long enough, and now we know we must fight. But we fight in the shadow of the cross, looking up to Mt. Calvary and seeing Jesus, the man in the middle with hands outstretched, and we know that He won the battle for us.
Summary: one chapter, Exodus 17, illustrates for us all three truths of washing at the cross, walking by the Spirit, and warring against the flesh.
Question 7. Do you see how Exodus 17 illustrates these marvelous truths and how they flow one to the other in a specific order? Please share your thoughts on this teaching today:
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Don't you love it when the Spirit of God teaches you things from God's Word? Sue had that experience today, as she responds to the question above:
"Wow! Never saw this before. I see now the progression of washing at the cross, leading to walking in the Spirit, and then having the strength and will to war against the flesh and all spiritual battles around me."
And Wende's response was a blessing as well, I know you'll appreciate what she said here:
"Seeing the Gospel embedded in the Old Testament accounts deepens and solidifies my faith in God's Word. What a powerful and specific foreshadowing of what was to come through Jesus. I imagine myself as one of the warriors down in the valley fighting the battle and getting supercharged whenever they looked up at Moses. That's me everyday in the valley. Each day brings specific fights with temptation and sin, some more bloody and dangerous than others. Yet up on the hill was a Constant. The warriors saw Moses was there on the hill, clearly seen to proclaim power and victory through his physical stance, flanked by Aaron and Hur. Fast forward to Jesus flanked by the two thieves. I wonder if the thieves somehow held up Jesus' arms. Clearly they engaged in conversation with Him, one heart repentant and the other hardened. They represent the whole of humankind. Perhaps they were Jesus' Aaron and Hur, unknowingly supporting Him in keeping those arms up there on the cross."
Finally, Chris gives a wonderful summary of this chapter:
"Hadn’t thought about Exodus 17 the warring against the enemies after being refreshed by the water from the Rock that was struck. Praise the Lord for His victory 🙌
Washing at the Cross (Rock struck);
Walking in the Spirit (Living Water provided after Rock struck);
Warring against flesh (victorious living enabled over flesh)."