The entire congregation set out from the Wilderness of Sin (Zin) on The LORD’s command, the pillar of cloud and fire moved on and they followed and camped in Rephidim. Here there was another test for them (v1-4). There was no water. In the book of Numbers 33, where we have the journey in greater detail, we see that there were two stops before they reached Rephidim – Dophkah and Alush but one commentator suggests that nothing of significance happened there, hence they are omitted here in Exodus.
As before, they complained to Moses and Moses, quite rightly answered, ‘Why do you complain to me?’ ‘You are putting the LORD to the test by complaining’. They continue with their previous complaint that it would have been better to have stayed in Egypt. How they forgot so soon – God has provided them with food in addition to the wells in Elim and the crossing of the Red Sea and the Egyptians being drowned. They forgot that He was leading them daily and whatever they faced He could deal with.
They are not alone, I suggest. We forget very quickly what The Lord has done for us when faced with problems. We forget that He answers when we pray.
They were in desert country so what did they expect. Moses had the answer, he cried out to The LORD, what better place to go. It had become serious, so serious that they were ready to stone Moses for something that wasn’t his fault. It had become quite nasty. What a job to lead a people like this! Moses, in exasperation, did the only thing he could do, that was to pray.
God told Moses how he was going to provide them with water (v5,6). He told him to take his rod, his authority from God, and stand before the people with some of the elders, and God said that He would stand before them on the rock at Horeb. I’m not sure how they would recognise Him, but maybe it was by faith, the faith of Moses telling them that God was on this rock as he struck it, and the water came rushing out. Not a trickle, but enough for them all, at least two million people, to drink. A miracle indeed, but it pointed to an even greater miracle. This is referred to by one commentator – The apostle Paul wrote of Israel, “…. they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. We don’t know if this rock followed Israel just as Paul described, but we do know that when Jesus was struck, living water flowed out for all to receive. Herein a type of Christ, ‘stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted’ (Isaiah 53:4; 1 Corinthians 10:4).” The provision of water is likened to our Lord Jesus Christ who said that He would give us living water and in John 7:37,38, “Jesus said: If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
However, Moses called “…. the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?” Sadly, the place was named because they tempted The LORD there.
God had promised that He would be with them so how could they doubt. The name of the place is mentioned several times later, especially by Moses in Deuteronomy as the place where they provoked The LORD to anger for doubting Him. (See Deuteronomy 9:22)
Worse was to follow as the Amalekites (the descendants of Esau) attacked Israel at Rephidim (v8,9). The Amalekites were travellers who occupied the Negev and Israel were really no threat to them and Moses writing in Deuteronomy 25:17,18 tells their method of attack, “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.” They cowardly attacked them at the rear where the women and children and weaker people would be.
What were they to do? This was the first battle they had faced since leaving Egypt. God had the answer and Moses told Joshua to select some men to fight and he would stand at the top of the hill with the rod of God in his hand. No big deal for Joshua, you may think. Now they had to fight themselves whereas God had done everything for them before. This was the first mention of Joshua, but he was going to become an important feature in the future of Israel.
Obedience was essential and Joshua did as Moses had told him and fought with the Amalekites (v10,11). Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill, but it wasn’t just to watch. Jewish tradition has Hur as the husband of Miriam. Moses held up his hand and when he did Israel prevailed, but when he lowered is hand, Amalek prevailed. Israel’s success depended upon Moses’ prayer to God as holding up his hands was a posture of prayer. It shows us how vital prayer was and still is in our daily lives.
However, holding up one’s hands gets tiring, and Moses’ hands became heavy (v12,13) so Aaron and Hur gave him a stone which was to sit on, while they held up his arms, one on each side, until sundown. So, Joshua defeated Amalek and his army. Joshua may have thought that he had the hard job but, prayer was equally demanding. Prayer is not always easy, it takes a lot of effort, and sometimes we need others to support us in it. In the New Testament we are reminded of various descriptions of prayer – ‘continue earnestly, vigilant’ (Colossians 4:2); ‘fervent, labouring’ (Colossians 4:12).
It is thought to be a figure of Christ on the cross – hands outstretched.
Joshua still had to fight, but prayer was essential for them to have the victory over their enemy. I’ve often heard people say, “Let’s just pray”, but sometimes there is a battle to be fought as well.
Once again Moses was told by The LORD (v14-16) to write a memorial in a book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua – “…. I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” What assurance this would be.
Moses built an altar calling it Jehovah Nissi, ‘The LORD is my Banner’. This was “because The LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” Moses knew that the credit and glory for the victory must go to God. The prayer and fighting were important, but it was God who gave them the victory.
It is interesting the reference to Amalek as being blotted out in history. However, the Amalekites still kept rearing their heads and this was not the last battle with them. They appear in later books of the Old Testament so it is clear that this victory over them was not the end. God said that He would blot them out and we need to look further to find when He actually did that. Several times God told the Israelites, particularly their leaders like King Saul to wipe them out (1 Samuel 15) but he was only partially obedient, and it cost him the throne. Some descendants still existed such as Haman in Esther 3.
Some say that Amalek is a picture of the flesh life which is a constant battle but will be overcome by our Lord Jesus Christ.
