Year of the Bible: Part Three of Twelve Sample

Aaron and Hur hold up Moses' Arms.

The Israelites have seen God come through during big problems, and now they face another crisis, a full-scale War!

Amalek, a grandson of Esau, decided to attack the people of Israel as they traveled through the wilderness! Moses told Joshua to assemble some fighting men, and they got ready for battle. Joshua led the fighting, and Moses stood on a hill with his staff stretched out.

Once again, God used Moses' shepherd's staff to symbolize His power. As long as Moses held the staff out over the armies, the Israelites would win, but the Amalekites would start winning when his arms got tired, and he lowered his staff.

Tony Evans tells us in his commentary, "Moses was engaging in spiritual intercession while the people were fighting. This tells us that both military force and spiritual commitment were needed." Joshua and Moses were co-laboring in this battle, but Moses was getting tired! So, he sat on a rock while his brother Aaron, and a probable nephew, Hur, held up his arms. Joshua defeated the Amalekites, and Moses declared that God would wipe them out entirely because they came against His people.

The teamwork and trust it took to defeat Amalek are exceptional! Moses had people around him who knew how to go through trials with him. They didn't just sit there and cry about Moses getting tired; they took action and held up his arms so that the sanctified staff could stay in the air, thus, awarding them victory!

These men were people who understood that God did not do things in ways they would expect, and they supported Moses in his obedience. We all need friends like that! Even if we don't have that type of friend in the physical realm, we certainly do in the spiritual. We have a friend that sticks closer than a brother, Jesus!!

Question: Do you have friends like Aaron and Hur? Are you accustomed to leaning into Jesus as the friend who sticks closer than a brother?

Prayer Focus: Ask God to put people in your life who will hold up your arms when you get tired. Ask Him to equip you and your friends to fight the battles of life in unity for the glory of God.