Once Moses had agreed to lead God’s people out of Egypt, the Lord gave him a rod to use. “And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs..,” God told him. Moses and his brother, Aaron, used the rod as God commanded them in their efforts to convince Pharaoh to let the people go. Once they were on the road to the promised land, God commanded Moses to lift up his rod and stretch out his hand over the sea and the Lord caused the sea to part and the people to escape.
Three days later when they found no water and all began to thirst God provided them with water. When they reached Rephidim, they found no water so God told Moses to take the rod and strike a rock and water came out of it.
The first enemy the people faced after crossing the sea were the Amalekites, a nomadic tribe who were determined to stop the people’s march out of Egypt. Moses told Joshua to choose his men and tomorrow they would fight Amalek. “I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.”
Once the fighting started, Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. Exodus 17: 11 “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.”
Moses held the rod up above his head with both hands, but soon his hands got tired. Aaron and Hur got a stone for him to sit on and they held onto his hands….one standing on either side of him….until the sun went down and the Amalekites were defeated.
Israel faced the Amaleks several other times through the Old Testament even during the time of Saul. Finally they were defeated by King David. God knew this tribe would be a problem from generation to generation so he told Moses to “Write this for a memorial in a book and tell it to Joshua. For I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” Exodus 17:14.
The Amalekites can be compared to the enemy we fight today….Satan and his temptations….always there, always trying to hinder us in our walk with Jesus. If we remain faithful and keep our attention on Jesus, our walk, though not always easy, will always be richly blessed. If, however, we lower our rod and look away, the devil will prevail.
Sometimes, we find ourselves growing weary and the cares of the world start to get us discouraged. At these times we need the help and support of our brothers and sisters in Christ to lift us up to God in prayer…. and sometimes to physically hold us up…. in order to prevail. James 5: 16 tells us to “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
We are to “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” Col. 4: 2 I’m sure today most of us at times get discouraged at the situation our world is in and the trials we face every day. So many are hurting and in need of God’s love. We must remain strong and be mindful of those who need our encouragement and prayers….as often they fail to ask.
As God promised, He “utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven….The same He has promised to do to Satan and his angels. Evil will be defeated and the Love of God will prevail. In the meantime, let us hold each other up and obey the words of 1 Thessalonians 5: 17. “Pray without ceasing.”
