Thank you for your good question. Let us read Exodus 17:8-13. “Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And 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. So 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. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But 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. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”

Moses told Joshua in verse 9 that he (Moses) would stand on the top of the hill with THE ROD OF GOD in his hand. When God called Moses to lead the children of Israel, we read in Exodus 4:2, “And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, a rod.” God turned the rod of Moses into a snake and back into a rod to show Moses the power of God. The Lord told Moses in Exodus 4:17, “And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.” There was nothing magical about the rod of Moses. However, God used this rod to do many miracles so that Pharaoh eventually let the Israelites leave Egypt. Instead of the rod being known as the rod of Moses, it was known as the rod of God beginning in Exodus 4:20. This verse states, “And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.”

This teaches us that God can use seemingly weak and mundane things like a rod to do mighty things. God may have given you a special concern for disadvantaged people that He wants to use to help those people. He may have given you the ability to bake cookies so that you can give cookies to neighbors along with gospel tracts. God may have given you a physical, emotional, or mental struggle so that you can be a spiritual blessing to unbelievers with those same problems. God can turn weakness into strength. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

By the time that we reach Exodus 17, God had used His rod in the hand of Moses to do many miracles and deliver the Israelites out of Egypt. As they wandered in the wilderness, Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim, which was located in the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula. Moses knew that it would be a great encouragement to the Israelite soldiers if they saw Moses holding the rod of God. This explains why Moses stood on the top of a hill with the rod of God in his hand in Exodus 17:9. We do not read that he was raising his arms in prayer. Moses was showing the Israelite warriors that God was with them as they fought against Amalek. Notice in verse 11 that when Moses held up his hand (singular), Israel did better in the battle. However, when he let down his hand (singular), Amalek did better. However, in verse 12 we read that the hands (plural) of Moses were heavy. Most likely Moses alternated holding up the rod of God with his right and left hands until both arms eventually got tired.

However, Aaron and Hur had Moses sit on a rock and held up both of Moses’ hand until sundown when Israel had defeated Amalek. Imagine how encouraging this must have been for Israel’s soldiers as they were constantly reminded that God was with them in their battle. This is a beautiful picture of believers supporting other believers as they seek to be a strong witness for the Lord. How we need to frequently remind other believers that the Lord is with them through all of the struggles of life.

Notice also in Exodus 17:13, “And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” Joshua’s name means “Jehovah is salvation.” We know from verse 9 that Joshua was not the only Israelite fighting. However, verse 13 stated it like he was the only one so that we think about the meaning of Joshua’s name. It was Jehovah who gave the victory that day. God deserved ALL of the credit for saving Israel from Amalek.

The battle between Israel and Amalek is a picture of the spiritual warfare that all believers are in after they get saved. Our enemies are our old, sinful nature, the wicked world in which we live, and Satan. Instead of the rod of God, we have THE ARMOR OF GOD to protect us in Ephesians 6:11-18. May we support and encourage other believers and be a faithful witness to unbelievers of the saving power of God.  (DJ)  (615.5)