Exodus 17-18

Stop me if you have heard this before: the Israelites experience discomfort and grumble against the Lord. This time, after moving on from the area where God had first provided daily bread and meat for His people, they camped at Rephidim, only to find that there was no water where they set up their tents. “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” (17:3). Do you ever notice that some people default to the worst-case scenario at every turn? In His mercy (and with much patience), the LORD instructs Moses to use his staff to strike the rock at Horeb, and from it, enough water burst forth for the people of Israel to drink. God yet again shows Himself to be His people’s Provider. 

Keep this context in mind for later in the Bible, as we will read of Moses facing a similar situation in the book of Numbers. Only this time, he will assume God’s intentions instead of waiting for Him to direct his steps. Additionally, Paul likens the striking of the rock from which the Israelites would drink to those in Christ drinking from the spiritual Rock, who is our Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:4). These accounts have so much richness when we have a full counsel of Scripture, so I encourage you to press on toward completing the goal of reading the entirety of God’s Word if you have not done so before. 

The latter half of Exodus 17 details a battle between Israel and Amalek. We are introduced to Joshua in this passage, the man who will lead God’s people into the Promised Land after Moses’s death (spoiler alert). Josuha is charged with leading the Israelites into this military conflict, but interestingly, victory was not based on the prowess of any of the fighting men. Rather, “Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed” (17:11). As one can imagine, keeping your hands lifted for an extended period can be wearisome, so Aaron and Hur each held up one of Moses’s hands so Joshua could overwhelm Amalek. Brothers and sisters, please do not isolate yourself when engaged in a battle. Lean on God’s provision of friends who can help keep your hands lifted so your victory against the devil can be assured. 

In chapter 18, we read about a happy reunion between Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro. After Moses tells him all that God had done for the Israelites in freeing them from Egypt, Jethro observes Moses’s routine of settling disputes between disagreeing parties. “Moses’ father-in-law said to him, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone” (vv. 17-18). Jethro then advises his son-in-law to identify other capable, trustworthy men who can judge smaller matters, while Moses would be available for more complex ordeals. This way, according to Jethro, the burden could be shared among many people instead of just one. Two quick thoughts concerning this discourse between Jethro and Moses:

·       God says through His Word that safety, success, and victory are found in an abundance of counselors (Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 24:6). Be humble enough to listen to, receive, and implement wise advice from reliable sources. 

·       As a servant of God, do not fall into the trap of trying to minister to others alone. Every follower of Jesus has a part to play in the broader body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27), so let others help you. Otherwise, you may find yourself burned out rather quickly. 

Some really good practical applications for us today. Let’s not ignore how God may be speaking to our hearts as we move to a time of reflection.

- - - - - -

Journal responses to the following prompts:

·       How can you daily drink from the Rock, who is Jesus Christ, so your thirst can be quenched? 

·       There is safety in an abundance of counselors. In addition to God, who else do you lean on to provide you with godly guidance?