GOD Provides Water From A Rock, War With Amalek

[Walter and Deborah]

Thursday 11-19-20 Kislev 3, 5781 5th. day of the weekly cycle,

59th. Fall Day

 

GOD Provides Water From A Rock Exodus:1-7, War With Amalek 8-16

 

◄ Exodus Seventeen ►

King James Bible Par ▾

 

Water from the Rock

 

Numbers 20:2-13)

 

1And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 2Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? 3And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 

 

5And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?

 

The Defeat of the Amalekites

 

8Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

 

11And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

 

14And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 15And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: 16For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

 

Exodus Eighteen:1-27 Jethro Counsels Moses

 

Love always, Walter and Debbie

[Tzephanyahu]

Shalom @Walter and Deborah

Here is a photo of Rephidim as it stands today.  The local Bedouins still refer to this as the Rock of Moses.

Now, Amalek is a descendant of Esau, so here we see the old rivalry at work which would rage for centuries. There are even legends that say the Amalek is the birth of the Vampire myth - being a people that drank blood liberally.  Whether true or not, I don’t know.

This passage is a fascinating one.  We’ve read earlier how Israel were being moved in stages so perhaps the Amalekites were launching raids on the travellers at a pincer point or on the weaker group of the pack.  But rather than an instant plague, Yahweh seems to allow the men to fight.  I understand this is to probably start training a battle-hardened army, but then why would Moses need to raise his staff?  Perhaps so that Israel wouldn’t become too proud thinking “WE have defeated the Amalekites in our own strength”.  But poor old Moses having to hold aloft the staff for the entire battle.  Perhaps there is imagery here that I haven’t picked up on though, so I’d be interested in hearing other views.

Whatever the story behind this event, Yahweh was really not impressed with the Amalekites thereafter – which insinuates either direct disobedience to not attack Israel (perhaps through a prophet like Balaam) or that they harboured such vicious and evil intent.  King Saul was meant to destroy the Amalekites completely but spared Agag.  Agag’s descendant was Haman in the Book of Esther who nearly manage to have all the Jews killed.

When we read Yahweh say “destroy everyone of them, young and old” it can come across as an overkill.  But just look at the repercussions when even just ONE man (Haman) survives from an evil seed (Amalek).

Love & Shalom

[Worship Warriors]

@Tzephanyahu

The lifting up of the hands is often used in spiritual warfare.  It's a symbol of authority-enforcing your authority in Christ. I have used it under the anointing of the Holy Spirit to break down demonic stronghold. I mean I felt the  authority when I lifted up the right hand and did not cease until there was a breakthrough and a release.

At the red sea Moses had to stretch forth his rod and the sea parted.  God and man working together in partnership taking authority over the sea.

In worship the lifting up of hands is sign of your surrender.

 

Edited November 20, 2020 by Worship Warriors

[JohnD]

Exodus 17 fulfilled:

 

Edited November 21, 2020 by JohnD