HELPFULNESS 1 - Two are better than one.

Helpfulness 1 - English file

Hilfsbereitschaft 1 - German file

Devotional Thoughts about Exodus 17:8-16

This passage tells about the first battle for the Israelites fresh out of slavery. God had led them out of Egypt by a detour to avoid war with the Philistines (Exodus 13:17,18), but here Moses gave directions for fighting the Amalekites who had been lying in wait to attack them (1 Samuel 15:2).

Moses appointed Joshua to lead the battle while he himself stood on a hill holding his walking stick. Moses would raise his hand from time to time, probably in prayer for the battle. A connection between what was happening down in the battle and up on the hill was soon obvious: when Moses’ hand was up, Israel was winning, and when it was down, the Amalekites were.

Of course it’s hard for anyone to hold up a hand up for very long, and sure enough Moses’ hands got very heavy. That’s when Aaron and Hur came to help, bringing him a rock to sit on and holding up his hands. They shared his burden for Israel and assisted him in praying. Of course the victory came from God.

God directed that an account of the battle should be written in a book and read to Joshua, perhaps as an encouragement to the person who would one day lead Israel to conquer Canaan.

Lord, please help me remember that we all need Your help as well as that of others. And thank you for the promise of Your presence when several of us gather in Your name (Matthew 18:20).

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