mh_parser/vol_split/2 - Exodus/Chapter 17.xml

<div2 id="Ex.xviii" n="xviii" next="Ex.xix" prev="Ex.xvii" progress="39.42%" title="Chapter XVII">
<h2 id="Ex.xviii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xviii-p0.2">CHAP. XVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xviii-p1">Two passages of story are recorded in this
chapter, I. The watering of the host of Israel. 1. In the
wilderness they wanted water, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.1" parsed="|Exod|17|1|0|0" passage="Ex 17:1">ver.
1</scripRef>. 2. In their want they chided Moses, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.2-Exod.17.3" parsed="|Exod|17|2|17|3" passage="Ex 17:2,3">ver. 2, 3</scripRef>. 3. Moses cried to God,
<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.4" parsed="|Exod|17|4|0|0" passage="Ex 17:4">ver. 4</scripRef>. 4. God ordered him
to smite the rock, and fetch water out of that; Moses did so,
<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.5-Exod.17.6" parsed="|Exod|17|5|17|6" passage="Ex 17:5,6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>. 5. The place
named from it, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.7" parsed="|Exod|17|7|0|0" passage="Ex 17:7">ver. 7</scripRef>. II.
The defeating of the host of Amalek. 1. The victory obtained by the
prayer of Moses, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.8-Exod.17.12" parsed="|Exod|17|8|17|12" passage="Ex 17:8-12">ver.
8-12</scripRef>. 2. By the sword of Joshua, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.13" parsed="|Exod|17|13|0|0" passage="Ex 17:13">ver. 13</scripRef>. 3. A record kept of it, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.14 Bible:Exod.17.16" parsed="|Exod|17|14|0|0;|Exod|17|16|0|0" passage="Ex 17:14,16">ver. 14, 16</scripRef>. And these things
which happened to them are written for our instruction in our
spiritual journey and warfare.</p>
<scripCom id="Ex.xviii-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17" parsed="|Exod|17|0|0|0" passage="Ex 17" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.xviii-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.1-Exod.17.7" parsed="|Exod|17|1|17|7" passage="Ex 17:1-7" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.17.1-Exod.17.7">
<h4 id="Ex.xviii-p1.11">The Israelites Murmur for
Water. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xviii-p2">1 And all the congregation of the children of
Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys,
according to the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.1">Lord</span>, and pitched in Rephidim: and <i>there
was</i> no water for the people to drink.   2 Wherefore the
people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may
drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do
ye tempt the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.2">Lord</span>?   3 And the
people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against
Moses, and said, Wherefore <i>is</i> this <i>that</i> thou hast
brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our
cattle with thirst?   4 And Moses cried unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.3">Lord</span>, saying, What shall I do unto this people?
they be almost ready to stone me.   5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.4">Lord</span> said unto Moses, Go on before the people,
and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith
thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.   6
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and
thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it,
that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the
elders of Israel.   7 And he called the name of the place
Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of
Israel, and because they tempted the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.5">Lord</span>, saying, Is the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.6">Lord</span> among us, or not?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p3">Here is, I. The strait that the children of
Israel were in for want of water; once before the were in the like
distress, and now, a second time, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.1" parsed="|Exod|17|1|0|0" passage="Ex 17:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. They journeyed <i>according to
the commandment of the Lord,</i> led by the pillar of cloud and
fire, and yet they came to a place where there was no water for
them to drink. Note, We may be in the way of our duty, and yet may
meet with troubles, which Providence brings us into for the trial
of our faith, and that God may be glorified in our relief.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p4">II. Their discontent and distrust in this
strait. It is said (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.3" parsed="|Exod|17|3|0|0" passage="Ex 17:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), They <i>thirsted there for water.</i> If they had no
water to drink, they must needs thirst; but this intimates, not
only that they wanted water and felt the inconvenience of that
want, but that their passion sharpened their appetites and they
were violent and impatient in their desire; their thirst made them
outrageous. Natural desires, and those that are most craving, have
need to be kept under the check and control of religion and reason.
See what was the language of this inordinate desire. 1. They
challenged Moses to supply them (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.2" parsed="|Exod|17|2|0|0" passage="Ex 17:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>Give us water, that we may
drink,</i> demanding it as a debt, and strongly suspecting that he
was not able to discharge it. Because they were supplied with
bread, they insist upon it that they must be supplied with water
too; and indeed to those that by faith and prayer live a life of
dependence upon God one favour is an earnest of another, and may be
humbly pleaded; but the unthankful and unbelieving have reason to
think that the abuse of former favours is the forfeiture of further
favours: <i>Let not them think that they shall receive any
thing</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.7" parsed="|Jas|1|7|0|0" passage="Jam 1:7">Jam. i. 7</scripRef>), yet
they are ready to demand every thing. 2. They quarrelled with him
for bringing them out of Egypt, as if, instead of delivering them,
he designed to murder them, than which nothing could be more base
and invidious, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.3" parsed="|Exod|17|3|0|0" passage="Ex 17:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.
Many that have not only designed well, but done well, for their
generation, have had their best services thus misconstrued, and
their patience thereby tried, by unthinking unthankful people. To
such a degree their malice against Moses rose that they were
<i>almost ready to stone him,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.4" parsed="|Exod|17|4|0|0" passage="Ex 17:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. <i>Many good works he had shown
them;</i> and for which of these would they stone him? <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p4.6" osisRef="Bible:John.10.32" parsed="|John|10|32|0|0" passage="Joh 10:32">John x. 32</scripRef>. Ungoverned passions,
provoked by the crossing of unbridled appetites, sometimes make men
guilty of the greatest absurdities, and act like madmen, that cast
firebrands, arrows, and death, among their best friends. 3. They
began to question whether God were with them or not: They
<i>tempted the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?</i>
<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p4.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.7" parsed="|Exod|17|7|0|0" passage="Ex 17:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Is Jehovah
among us by that name by which he made himself known to us in
Egypt?" They question his essential presence—whether there was a
God or not; his common providence—whether that God governed the
world; and his special promise—whether he would be as good as his
word to them. This is called their <i>tempting God,</i> which
signifies, not only a distrust of God in general, but a distrust of
him after they had received such proofs of his power and goodness,
for the confirmation of his promise. They do, in effect, suppose
that Moses was an impostor, Aaron a deceiver, the pillar of cloud
and fire a mere sham and illusion, which imposed upon their senses,
that long series of miracles which had rescued them, served them,
and fed them, a chain of cheats, and the promise of Canaan a banter
upon them; it was all so, if <i>the Lord was not among them.</i>
Note, It is a great provocation to God for us to question his
presence, providence, or promise, especially for his Israel to do
it, who are so peculiarly bound to trust him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p5">III. The course that Moses took, when he
was thus set upon, and insulted. 1. He reproved the murmurers
(<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.2" parsed="|Exod|17|2|0|0" passage="Ex 17:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>Why chide
you with me?</i> Observe how mildly he answered them; it was well
that he was a man of extraordinary meekness, else their tumultuous
conduct would have made him lose the possession of himself: it is
folly to answer passion with passion, for that makes bad worse; but
<i>soft answers turn away wrath.</i> He showed them whom their
murmurings reflected upon, and that the reproaches they cast on him
fell on God himself: <i>You tempt the Lord;</i> that is, "By
distrusting his power, you try his patience, and so provoke his
wrath." 2. He made his complaint to God (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.4" parsed="|Exod|17|4|0|0" passage="Ex 17:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>Moses cried unto the
Lord.</i> This servant came, and showed his Lord all these things,
<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.14.21" parsed="|Luke|14|21|0|0" passage="Lu 14:21">Luke xiv. 21</scripRef>. When men
unjustly censure us and quarrel with us, it will be a great relief
to us to go to God, and by prayer lay the case before him and leave
it with him: if men will not hear us, God will; if their bad
conduct towards us ruffle our spirits, God's consolations will
compose them. Moses begs of God to direct him what he should do,
for he was utterly at a loss; he could not of himself either supply
their want or pacify their tumult; God only could do it. He pleads
his own peril: "<i>They are almost ready to stone me;</i> Lord, if
thou hast any regard to the life of thy poor servant, interpose
now."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p6">IV. God's gracious appearance for their
relief, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.5-Exod.17.6" parsed="|Exod|17|5|17|6" passage="Ex 17:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. He
orders Moses to go on before the people, and venture himself in his
post, though they spoke of stoning him. He must take his rod with
him, not (as God might justly have ordered) to summon some plague
or other to chastise them for their distrust and murmuring, but to
fetch water for their supply. O the wonderful patience and
forbearance of God towards provoking sinners! He loads those with
benefits that make him to serve with their sins, maintains those
that are at war with him, and reaches out the hand of his bounty to
those that lift up the heel against him. Thus he teaches us, if our
enemy hunger, to feed him, and if he thirst, as Israel did now,
<i>to give him drink,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.20 Bible:Matt.5.44-Matt.5.45" parsed="|Rom|12|20|0|0;|Matt|5|44|5|45" passage="Ro 12:20,Mt 5:44,45">Rom. xii. 20; Matt. v. 44, 45</scripRef>.
Will he fail those that trust him, when he was so liberal even to
those that tempted him? If God had only shown Moses a fountain of
water in the wilderness, as he did Hagar not far hence (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.19" parsed="|Gen|21|19|0|0" passage="Ge 21:19">Gen. xxi. 19</scripRef>), that would have been a
great favour; but that he might show his power as well as his pity,
and make it a miracle of mercy, he gave them water out of a rock.
He directed Moses whither to go, and appointed him to take some of
the elders of Israel with him, to be witnesses of what was done,
that they might themselves be satisfied, and might satisfy others,
of the certainty of God's presence with them. He promised to meet
him there in the cloud of glory (to encourage him), and ordered him
to smite the rock; Moses obeyed, and immediately water came out of
the rock in great abundance, which ran throughout the camp in
streams and rivers (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.15-Ps.78.16" parsed="|Ps|78|15|78|16" passage="Ps 78:15,16">Ps. lxxviii.
15, 16</scripRef>), and followed them wherever they went in that
wilderness: it is called <i>a fountain of waters,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.114.8" parsed="|Ps|114|8|0|0" passage="Ps 114:8">Ps. cxiv. 8</scripRef>. God showed the care he
took of his people in giving them water when they wanted it; he
showed his power in fetching the water out of a rock; and he put an
honour upon Moses in appointing the water to flow out upon his
smiting the rock. This fair water, that came out of the rock, is
called <i>honey and oil</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.13" parsed="|Deut|32|13|0|0" passage="De 32:13">Deut.
xxxii. 13</scripRef>), because the people's thirst made it doubly
pleasant; coming when they were in extreme want, it was like honey
and oil to them. It is probable that the people digged canals for
the conveyance of it, and pools for the reception of it, in like
manner as, long afterwards, passing through the valley of Baca,
they made it a well, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.84.6 Bible:Num.21.18" parsed="|Ps|84|6|0|0;|Num|21|18|0|0" passage="Ps 84:6,Nu 21:18">Ps.
lxxxiv. 6; Num. xxi. 18</scripRef>. Let this direct us to live in a
dependence, 1. Upon God's providence, even in the greatest straits
and difficulties. God can open fountains for our supply where we
least expect them, <i>waters in the wilderness</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.8" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.20" parsed="|Isa|43|20|0|0" passage="Isa 43:20">Isa. xliii. 20</scripRef>), because he makes a
<i>way in the wilderness,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.19" parsed="|Exod|17|19|0|0" passage="Ex 17:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Those who, in this wilderness,
keep to God's way, may trust him to provide for them. While we
follow the pillar of cloud and fire, surely goodness and mercy
shall follow us, like the water out of the rock. 2. Upon Christ's
grace: <i>That rock was Christ,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.10" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.4" parsed="|1Cor|10|4|0|0" passage="1Co 10:4">1
Cor. x. 4</scripRef>. The graces and comforts of the Spirit are
compared to <i>rivers of living water,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p6.11" osisRef="Bible:John.7.38-John.7.39 Bible:John.4.14" parsed="|John|7|38|7|39;|John|4|14|0|0" passage="Joh 7:38,39,Joh 4:14">John vii. 38, 39; iv. 14</scripRef>. These
flow from Christ, who is the rock smitten by the law of Moses, for
he was made under the law. Nothing will supply the needs, and
satisfy the desires, of a soul, but water out of this rock, this
fountain opened. The pleasures of sense are puddle-water; spiritual
delights are rock-water, so pure, so clear, so refreshing—rivers
of pleasure.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p7">V. A new name was, upon this occasion,
given to the place, preserving the remembrance, not of the mercy of
their supply (the water that followed them was sufficient to do
that), but of the sin of their murmuring—<i>Massah,
temptation,</i> because they tempted God; <i>Meribah, strife,</i>
because they chid with Moses, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.7" parsed="|Exod|17|7|0|0" passage="Ex 17:7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. There was thus a remembrance kept of sin, both for
the disgrace of the sinners themselves (sin leaves a blot upon the
name) and for warning to their seed to take heed of sinning after
the similitude of their transgression.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ex.xviii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.8-Exod.17.16" parsed="|Exod|17|8|17|16" passage="Ex 17:8-16" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.17.8-Exod.17.16">
<h4 id="Ex.xviii-p7.3">The Conflict with Amalek; The Defeat of
Amalek. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p7.4">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xviii-p8">8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in
Rephidim.   9 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.   10 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.   11 And it came to
pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when
he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.   12 But Moses' hands
<i>were</i> heavy; and they took a stone, and put <i>it</i> 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.   13 And Joshua
discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
  14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p8.1">Lord</span> said unto
Moses, Write this <i>for</i> a memorial in a book, and rehearse
<i>it</i> in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the
remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.   15 And Moses built
an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:   16 For he
said, Because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p8.2">Lord</span> hath sworn
<i>that</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p8.3">Lord</span> <i>will
have</i> war with Amalek from generation to generation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p9">We have here the story of the war with
Amalek, which, we may suppose, was the first that was recorded in
the <i>book of the wars of the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.14" parsed="|Num|21|14|0|0" passage="Nu 21:14">Num. xxi. 14</scripRef>. Amalek was the first of the
nations that Israel fought with, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.20" parsed="|Num|24|20|0|0" passage="Nu 24:20">Num.
xxiv. 20</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p10">I. Amalek's attempt: They <i>came out, and
fought with Israel,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.8" parsed="|Exod|17|8|0|0" passage="Ex 17:8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. The Amalekites were the posterity of Esau, who hated
Jacob because of the birthright and blessing, and this was an
effort of the hereditary enmity, a malice that ran in the blood,
and perhaps was now exasperated by the working of the promise
towards an accomplishment. Consider this, 1. As Israel's
affliction. They had been quarrelling with Moses (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.2" parsed="|Exod|17|2|0|0" passage="Ex 17:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), and now God sends
Amalekites to quarrel with them; wars abroad are the just
punishment of strifes and discontents at home. 2. As Amalek's sin;
so it is reckoned, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.17-Deut.25.18" parsed="|Deut|25|17|25|18" passage="De 25:17,18">Deut. xxv. 17,
18</scripRef>. They did not boldly front them as a generous enemy,
but without any provocation given by Israel, or challenge given to
them, basely fell upon their rear, and smote those that were faint
and feeble and could neither make resistance nor escape. Herein
they bade defiance to that power which had so lately ruined the
Egyptians; but in vain did they attack a camp guarded and
victualled by miracles: verily they knew not what they did.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p11">II. Israel's engagement with Amalek, in
their own necessary defence against the aggressors. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p12">1. The post assigned to Joshua, of whom
this is the first mention: he is nominated commander-in-chief in
this expedition, that he might be trained up to the services he was
designed for after the death of Moses, and be a <i>man of war from
his youth.</i> He is ordered to draw out a detachment of choice men
from the thousands of Israel and to drive back the Amalekites,
<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.9" parsed="|Exod|17|9|0|0" passage="Ex 17:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. When the
Egyptians pursued them Israel must stand still and see what God
would do; but now it was required that they should bestir
themselves. Note, God is to be trusted in the use of means.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p13">2. The post assumed by Moses: <i>I will
stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand,</i>
<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.9" parsed="|Exod|17|9|0|0" passage="Ex 17:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. See how God
qualifies his people for, and calls them to, various services for
the good of his church: Joshua fights, Moses prays, and both
minister to Israel. Moses went up to the top of the hill, and
placed himself, probably, so as to be seen by Israel; there he held
up <i>the rod of God in his hand,</i> that wonder-working rod which
had summoned the plagues of Egypt, and under which Israel had
passed out of the house of bondage. This rod Moses held up to
Israel, to animate them; the rod was held up as the banner to
encourage the soldiers, who might look up, and say, "Yonder is the
rod, and yonder the hand that used it, when such glorious things
were wrought for us." Note, It tends much to the encouragement of
faith to reflect upon the great things God has done for us, and
review the monuments of his favours. Moses also held up this rod to
God, by way of appeal to him: "Is not the battle the Lord's? Is not
he able to help, and engaged to help? Witness this rod, the voice
of which, thus held up, is (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.9-Isa.51.10" parsed="|Isa|51|9|51|10" passage="Isa 51:9,10">Isa.
li. 9, 10</scripRef>), <i>Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; art
not thou it that hath cut Rahab?</i>" Moses was not only a
standard-bearer, but an intercessor, pleading with God for success
and victory. Note, When the host goes forth against the enemy
earnest prayers should be made to the God of hosts for his presence
with them. It is here the praying legion that proves the thundering
legion. There, in Salem, in Sion where prayers were made, there the
victory was won, <i>there broke the arrows of the bow,</i>
<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.2-Ps.76.3" parsed="|Ps|76|2|76|3" passage="Ps 76:2,3">Ps. lxxvi. 2, 3</scripRef>. Observe,
(1.) How Moses was tired (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.12" parsed="|Exod|17|12|0|0" passage="Ex 17:12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>): <i>His hands were heavy.</i> The strongest arm will
fail with being long extended; it is God only whose hand is
<i>stretched out still.</i> We do not find that Joshua's hands were
heavy in fighting, but Moses's hands were heavy in praying. The
more spiritual any service is the more apt we are to fail and flag
in it. Praying work, if done with due intenseness of mind and
vigour of affection, will be found hard work, and, though <i>the
spirit be willing, the flesh will be weak.</i> Our great
Intercessor in heaven faints not, nor is he weary, though he
attends continually to this very thing. (2.) What influence the rod
of Moses had upon the battle (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.11" parsed="|Exod|17|11|0|0" passage="Ex 17:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>When Moses held up his
hand</i> in prayer (so the Chaldee explains it) <i>Israel
prevailed,</i> but, <i>when he let down his hand</i> from prayer,
<i>Amalek prevailed.</i> To convince Israel that the hand of Moses
(with whom they had just now been chiding) contributed more to
their safety than their own hands, his rod than their sword, the
success rises and falls as Moses lifts up or lets down his hands.
It seems, the scale wavered for some time, before it turned on
Israel's side. Even the best cause must expect disappointments as
an alloy to its successes; though the battle be the Lord's, Amalek
may prevail for a time. The reason was, Moses let down his hands.
Note, The church's cause is, commonly, more or less successful
according as the church's friends are more or less strong in faith
and fervent in prayer. (3.) The care that was taken for the support
of Moses. When he could not stand any longer he sat down, not in a
chair of state, but upon a stone (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p13.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.12" parsed="|Exod|17|12|0|0" passage="Ex 17:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>); when he could not hold up his
hands, he would have them held up. Moses, the man of God, is glad
of the assistance of Aaron his brother, and Hur, who, some think,
was his brother-in-law, the husband of Miriam. We should not be shy
either of asking help from others or giving help to others, for we
are members one of another. Moses's hands, thus stayed, were
<i>steady till the going down of the sun;</i> and, though it was
with much ado that he held out, yet his willing mind was accepted.
No doubt it was a great encouragement to the people to see Joshua
before them in the field of battle and Moses above them upon the
top of the hill: Christ is both to us—our Joshua, the captain of
our salvation who fights our battles, and our Moses, who, in the
upper world, ever lives making intercession, that our faith fail
not.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p14">III. The defeat of Amalek. Victory had
hovered awhile between the camps; sometimes Israel prevailed and
sometimes Amalek, but Israel carried the day, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.13" parsed="|Exod|17|13|0|0" passage="Ex 17:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Though Joshua fought with great
disadvantages—his soldiers undisciplined, ill-armed, long inured
to servitude, and apt to murmur; yet by them God wrought a great
salvation, and made Amalek pay dearly for his insolence. Note,
Weapons formed against God's Israel cannot prosper long, and shall
be broken at last. The cause of God and his Israel will be
victorious. Though God gave the victory, yet it is said, <i>Joshua
discomfited Amalek,</i> because Joshua was a type of Christ, and of
the same name, and in him it is that we are more than conquerors.
It was his arm alone that spoiled principalities and powers, and
routed all their force.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p15">IV. The trophies of this victory set up. 1.
Moses took care that God should have the glory of it (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.15" parsed="|Exod|17|15|0|0" passage="Ex 17:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>); instead of setting up
a triumphal arch, to the honour of Joshua (though it had been a
laudable policy to put marks of honour upon him), he builds an
altar to the honour of God, and we may suppose it was not an altar
without sacrifice; but that which is most carefully recorded is the
inscription upon the altar, <i>Jehovah-nissi—The Lord is my
banner,</i> which probably refers to the lifting up of the rod of
God as a banner in this action. The presence and power of Jehovah
were the banner under which they enlisted, by which they were
animated and kept together, and therefore which they erected in the
day of their triumph. In the name of our God we must always lift up
our banners, <scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.20.5" parsed="|Ps|20|5|0|0" passage="Ps 20:5">Ps. xx. 5</scripRef>. It
is fit that he who does all the work should have all the praise. 2.
God took care that posterity should have the comfort and benefit of
it: "<i>Write this for a memorial,</i> not in loose papers, but in
a book, <i>write it,</i> and then <i>rehearse it in the ears of
Joshua,</i> let him be entrusted with this memorial, to transmit it
to the generations to come." Moses must now begin to keep a diary
or journal of occurrences; it is the first mention of writing that
we find in scripture, and perhaps the command was not given till
after the writing of the law upon the tables of stone: "Write it
<i>in perpetuam rei memoriam—that the event may be had in
perpetual remembrance;</i> that which is written remains." (1.)
"Write what has been done, what Amalek has done against Israel;
write in gall their bitter hatred, write in blood their cruel
attempts, let them never be forgotten, nor yet what God has done
for Israel in saving them from Amalek. Let ages to come know that
God fights for his people, and <i>he that touches them touches the
apple of his eye.</i>" (2.) Write what shall be done. [1.] That in
process of time Amalek shall be totally ruined and rooted out
(<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.14" parsed="|Exod|17|14|0|0" passage="Ex 17:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), that he
shall be remembered only in history." Amalek would have cut off the
name of Israel, that it might be no more in remembrance (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p15.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.83.4 Bible:Ps.83.7" parsed="|Ps|83|4|0|0;|Ps|83|7|0|0" passage="Ps 83:4,7">Ps. lxxxiii. 4, 7</scripRef>); and therefore
God not only disappoints him in this, but cuts off his name. "Write
it for the encouragement of Israel, whenever the Amalekites are an
annoyance to them, that Israel will at last undoubtedly triumph in
the fall of Amalek." This sentence was executed in part by Saul
(<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p15.5" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.15.1-1Sam.15.35" parsed="|1Sam|15|1|15|35" passage="1Sa 15:1-35">1 Sam. xv</scripRef>), and
completely by David (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p15.6" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.30.1-1Sam.30.31 Bible:2Sam.1.1 Bible:2Sam.8.12" parsed="|1Sam|30|1|30|31;|2Sam|1|1|0|0;|2Sam|8|12|0|0" passage="1Sa 30:1-31,2Sa 1:1,8:12"><i>ch.</i> xxx.; 2 Sam. i. 1; viii.
12</scripRef>); after his time we never read so much as of the name
of Amalek. [2.] This is the meantime God would have a continual
controversy with him (<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p15.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.16" parsed="|Exod|17|16|0|0" passage="Ex 17:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>): <i>Because his hand is upon the throne of the
Lord,</i> that is, against the camp of Israel in which the Lord
ruled, which was the <i>place of his sanctuary,</i> and is
therefore called a <i>glorious high throne from the beginning</i>
(<scripRef id="Ex.xviii-p15.8" osisRef="Bible:Jer.17.12" parsed="|Jer|17|12|0|0" passage="Jer 17:12">Jer. xvii. 12</scripRef>); therefore
the Lord will have <i>war with Amalek from generation to
generation.</i> This was written for direction to Israel never to
make any league with the Amalekites, but to look upon them as
irreconcilable enemies, doomed to ruin. Amalek's destruction was
typical of the destruction of all the enemies of Christ and his
kingdom. Whoever <i>make war with the Lamb, the Lamb will overcome
them.</i></p>
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