That Staff Again, a Stone Seat, and Lifted Hands
So, this story that's been on my mind lately ~ another bit about Moses.
It's a pretty cool story.
A simple story.
A true story.
A story of challenges.
A story of human weakness.
A story of human kindness and thoughtfulness.
And some obedience in there as well, because I don't think it would have turned out the way it did if the humans disobeyed.
A story of a staff.
A story of friendship and loyalty.
A story of victory.
And thus, the story of Moses in Exodus 17 continues ~ and this is the part that's been on my mind, because it is beautiful.
Now back to the staff. (Assuming that it is the same as the previously mentioned staff ...)
Not long after Moses had struck a rock and water came pouring forth, the Israelites faced yet another challenge. Warriors of Amalek arrived to fight against them. Moses gave a command to Joshua to gather the people to be ready to fight.
And then tells him an interesting little bit of information ~ that the next day, Moses would stand at the top of a hill with that staff in his hand. He calls it "the staff of God". (Ex.17:9, NLT)
The staff of God.
Sounds important to me.
Sounds like a staff that has been picked my God Himself to be used in Moses' hands.
Joshua followed the command to arms and led the army to fight.
While the army made their move, Moses made his.
And two buddies went along with him ~ his brother Aaron, and a man named Hur.
Moses and the guys arrived at the top of the hill, where he did a curious thing.
He held the staff in his raised hands, and then the Israelite army was successful and had the advantage in the battle.
BUT - when Moses lowered his hands, the Amalekites gained the advantage.
I don't know if you've ever held something overhead for a while, but it doesn't take long before your arms begin to weaken. The muscles begin to shake. Pins and needles begin to prick your fingertips as the blood flow decreases to those raised parts.
I'm picturing Moses, trying his best to keep that staff raised, grimacing with the struggle of keeping his hands lifted, knowing that men could be killed and a battle lost if he lowers his staff.
Not that it was really his doing. He really couldn't control the outcome of the battle. It wasn't in his power.
But it was in God's power.
It was in God's power use weak humans to fulfill a strong purpose.
To give a couple of guys an opportunity to give love.
To give a faithful man an opportunity to receive help.
To be part of a great God-victory.
Moses became too tired to hold up the staff any more. He just couldn't physically do it.
And this is where his friends play their roles.
Aaron and Hur brought over a stone to Moses, for him to sit down on.
A nice gesture, for he was incredibly tired.
And then what they did next was another beautiful example of their love and respect for their friend.
The men each stood on either side of Moses.
And they held up his hands.
Until sunset.
And as a result, the Israelite army was able to defeat the Amalekite army.
They held up his arms till sunset.
We already know that it was difficult for Moses to hold up his arms on his own, and now the two men who accompanied him were lifting their arms together to hold Moses' arms, raised up with that staff in his hands.
What a picture that paints.
Friends to come alongside to hold you up when you need holding.
To lift you up when you just aren't strong enough to stand.
When the pressures, the pains, the struggles of life weigh you down till it feels like you can't withstand it all.
We all need friends like that.
We all need to BE friends like that.
So pull up a stone.
Go lift up some hands.
Trust in a God who knows your needs and the needs of others.
Who created us with a need for relationship ~ first with Him, but also with others.
People helping people.
People loving people.
People finding stones for others to sit on.
People lifting up hands and holding on until the sun sets.
(Biblical story is in Exodus 17:8-13)
It's a pretty cool story.
A simple story.
A true story.
A story of challenges.
A story of human weakness.
A story of human kindness and thoughtfulness.
And some obedience in there as well, because I don't think it would have turned out the way it did if the humans disobeyed.
A story of a staff.
A story of friendship and loyalty.
A story of victory.
And thus, the story of Moses in Exodus 17 continues ~ and this is the part that's been on my mind, because it is beautiful.
Now back to the staff. (Assuming that it is the same as the previously mentioned staff ...)
Not long after Moses had struck a rock and water came pouring forth, the Israelites faced yet another challenge. Warriors of Amalek arrived to fight against them. Moses gave a command to Joshua to gather the people to be ready to fight.
And then tells him an interesting little bit of information ~ that the next day, Moses would stand at the top of a hill with that staff in his hand. He calls it "the staff of God". (Ex.17:9, NLT)
The staff of God.
Sounds important to me.
Sounds like a staff that has been picked my God Himself to be used in Moses' hands.
Joshua followed the command to arms and led the army to fight.
While the army made their move, Moses made his.
And two buddies went along with him ~ his brother Aaron, and a man named Hur.
Moses and the guys arrived at the top of the hill, where he did a curious thing.
He held the staff in his raised hands, and then the Israelite army was successful and had the advantage in the battle.
BUT - when Moses lowered his hands, the Amalekites gained the advantage.
I don't know if you've ever held something overhead for a while, but it doesn't take long before your arms begin to weaken. The muscles begin to shake. Pins and needles begin to prick your fingertips as the blood flow decreases to those raised parts.
I'm picturing Moses, trying his best to keep that staff raised, grimacing with the struggle of keeping his hands lifted, knowing that men could be killed and a battle lost if he lowers his staff.
Not that it was really his doing. He really couldn't control the outcome of the battle. It wasn't in his power.
But it was in God's power.
It was in God's power use weak humans to fulfill a strong purpose.
To give a couple of guys an opportunity to give love.
To give a faithful man an opportunity to receive help.
To be part of a great God-victory.
Moses became too tired to hold up the staff any more. He just couldn't physically do it.
And this is where his friends play their roles.
Aaron and Hur brought over a stone to Moses, for him to sit down on.
A nice gesture, for he was incredibly tired.
And then what they did next was another beautiful example of their love and respect for their friend.
The men each stood on either side of Moses.
And they held up his hands.
Until sunset.
And as a result, the Israelite army was able to defeat the Amalekite army.
They held up his arms till sunset.
We already know that it was difficult for Moses to hold up his arms on his own, and now the two men who accompanied him were lifting their arms together to hold Moses' arms, raised up with that staff in his hands.
What a picture that paints.
Friends to come alongside to hold you up when you need holding.
To lift you up when you just aren't strong enough to stand.
When the pressures, the pains, the struggles of life weigh you down till it feels like you can't withstand it all.
We all need friends like that.
We all need to BE friends like that.
So pull up a stone.
Go lift up some hands.
Trust in a God who knows your needs and the needs of others.
Who created us with a need for relationship ~ first with Him, but also with others.
People helping people.
People loving people.
People finding stones for others to sit on.
People lifting up hands and holding on until the sun sets.
(Biblical story is in Exodus 17:8-13)
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