Exodus 17:8-16
The Lord is my banner. Yahweh Nissi. The One who fights for me.
They had found Him as their supplier. Their healer.
Now they are approaching Sinai.
God is going to give them His commandments.
And out from the mountains come the Amalekites.
- They came out to attack the stragglers.
Desert pirates. Deut. 25:17-18 (God will blot out their name)
And so a council is called.
They had been slaves for 400 years.
- Didn’t know how to fight.
Moses was a general in Pharaoh’s army, yet Moses says I’m going to
hold up my hands and pray.
Amalakites. Amalak. Gen. 36:12
Descendent of Esau.
Who had sold his birthright.
Gave away his blessing from God.
The children of Amalak.
Despisers of the things of God.
They hated Israel.
The Descendants of Jacob.
They hated God.
Contained within the nation of Israel was Jesus. So there was a demonic
urge to destroy the ones who would bring Jesus to us.
This is the first time we have demonic powers invested in people to
destroy the people of God.
When in Egypt not yet considered a nation but a family.
So at this first time, God is showing us how this is to be handled. Not
by human might but by intercession.
Moses carrying the rod of God, along with Aaron and Hur.
This is the first time Moses has to go off to accomplish the purpose of
God.
- Before, he just pronounced and it happened.
Just put forth his rod.
- No prayer involved.
- God told him what to do and he did it.
This time there’s no direction. He doesn’t know what to do, but he
knows God is committed by covenant. So he does the obvious – sends out
troops and then goes up on the mountain to pray.
Upright hands are always an expression of prayer and surrender. Saying
we are helpless in and of ourselves. We are dependent.
Moses in intercession. A commitment to God. Given to the purpose the
people that God will through you accomplish His purpose.
As Moses’ hands are raised, the Amalakites are defeated. But as his
hands go down, the Israelites begin to fall. Aaron and Hur hold up his
hands.
And they see something new in God.
- They see that they are going to be the people of God among nations.
- They see God has a purpose for them and that God will fight their
The enemies won’t be defeated through our efforts, but by the Spirit of
God.
Depending on Moses’ place in intercession so the power of God flowed.
- Moses was the channel somehow.
- If Moses didn’t do it the people of God failed.
Why did it depend on a man?
- God has chosen to do His work among men through man.
- God would see His people defeated rather than violate that principle.
- He does His work through human beings.
Implications:
Intercession is not just a hobby, but it means that God has chosen that
anything that will be done will done because people have learned to
intercede.
The rod – God’s symbol of God’s right arm of power.
The rod of the Elohim – Amalak – whether you like it or not you have
come up against the God.
He is saying Moses you are one with me. Now enter with me into my
purpose.
Lev. 26:8 When in tune with covenant this will happen. So Moses calls
upon this covenant. The battle was not on the battle field but in the
covenant.
- 5 chase 100, 100 will chase 10,000.
Remember Moses had been a general in Pharaoh’s army. He could have
directed the battle.
- Moses laid down all natural understanding of battle realized that the
- He left human method for higher tactics.
He became weary as one always becomes weary in prayer. It can seem as
though there are better things to do to accomplish the things of God.
But he received help. Aaron – tribe of Levi. To become a high priest.
He was supported in prayer by the high priest.
Hur. Very important person. #1 man in the tribe of Judah.
- Judah means praise.
Supported in prayer by the high priest and praise.
Opposition to the kingdom of God is met through union with God in
intercession.
Deut. 20: Given instruction for battle. (Priest calls out army –
trumpet – reminds them) Call men together. Tell them the battles is the
Lords. Yahweh Nissi. If the battle is the Lord’s don’t need a lot of
people. Left with a handful. (anyone built a house, planted a vineyard,
engaged to be marry, who is afraid)
A handful of men who understand Yahweh Nissi.
Remember Gideon. 300 men. They knew their battle was won in the Lord.
David against Goliath. One boy representing the nation.
2 Chron. 20. Jehosophat sent the choir out to face the enemy. God does
it but you’ve got to have the human participation in faith of what God
will do.
The secret of victory. Hands lifted up to the throne of God in helpless
covenant expectation and then daring to walk out and let it be so.
As the Old Testament progressed it looked beyond nations that oppose
Israel to the powers of darkness that oppose the people of God
everywhere. And it looked forward to a final one who would be lifted up
and destroy the powers of the enemy – of Satan – that One was Jesus.
Yahweh Nissi: Focuses on Jesus.
Isa. 11 – Described as a great ensign.
A banner that all nations would come to… and Jesus refers to that,
“If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me.”
The finished work of Jesus does not only deal with my sin but with the
total destruction of the forces of evil. Amalak was defeated forever.
In the death and resurrection of Jesus. He trampled under feet the
legions of Satan. Eph. 1:19
Heb. 2:15 – to destroy does not mean annihilate but to be rendered
unworkable. Satan is still here but not in power.
- The name above every name. He is Lord.
Matt. 28 – All power in heaven and earth. Therefore, go and teach all
nations. If Satan still had the power to totally bind people, we could
not go.
We carry the rod of God as we go to preach the Gospel. The strong man
has been bound. Wherever we go we establish that. We let the powers know
they have been defeated. They have to back away. They can not stand
before us as we proclaim Jesus is Lord.
- The fight is over. Jesus has won.
- We need to receive that victory on behalf of others.
- Intercession.
- Committing ourselves to bringing in the victory for others.