The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Introduction

When I was a young man and youth minister, our youth group was relatively small about 12 or less. Most of our events included an element of play. I liked doing things in which teens and even parents could do things mutually to share and enjoy. One of the games that we played with regularity was “Capture the flag.” The group is divided into two teams. Each team has a flag on a pole that is positioned at the rear of the team’s territory. The object is to get the other team’s flag and bring it into your own territory without getting tagged. If you are tagged trying to get to the flag then it means you must go back to your own territory and you cannot make a new attempt for a period of time. Part of the strategy is to leave someone with your flag to ward off possible attempts to capture it. Part of the strategy is to send multiple people to try to infiltrate the enemy territory so that a multi-pronged attack allowing one person to get through. There are other strategies as well. It was a fun game to play. It was an exhausting game to play. Capturing the other team’s flag was difficult and took a coordinated effort, but it didn’t take long to learn the game.

Can you imagine Israel coming out of Egypt? They have been slaves for many generations. The only thing they understood was to do what they were told to do. They had experienced the lash; unfair treatment and working conditions; hatred and contempt. Being released from their bondage was a great day. But they discovered that being free had its own challenges. There were days that they longed to go back to captivity because it was predictable. There were days that freedom meant that life was just as hard as when one was a slave. Exodus 17 is just an occasion. They are attacked by the nomadic tribe of Amalek. Amalek was Esau’s grandson (Genesis 36:12). Jacob’s family has grown throughout the generations and so did Esau’s. All the intervening years, there had not been any family reunions. Generations have passed and Israel is going to be attacked by their distant cousins. Today’s lesson centers around the theme that only God and God alone is the source of our strength.

The Setting

Exodus 13:17 tells us that God had led Israel out of Egypt avoiding the Philistine territory because Israel was not prepared for war. Israel marched out in squads but marching out in squads doesn’t mean that they knew anything about war and how to be a military force. In their plundering of Egypt some swords may have been taken but for the most part they were at best an organized untrained group. But God knew that traveling through the area to the promised land would not be an easy trip. He led them away from a strong military presence but there were other lesser armies that they would have to deal with. But even a lesser army would have had skills and training that Israel lacked. Exodus 17, the Amalekites attacked Israel. The NIV translation in verse 9 is a bit misleading for the Hebrew. Choose some of our men as if they don’t need their whole army is better understood find the men who can fight. Limitations are seen from the beginning.

Moses along with Aaron and Hur go to a hill to see the battle. Moses holds up the staff of God and Israel wins. Moses tires and the staff falls and Israel loses. The remedy—Moses sits, holds up the staff of God and with assistance from Aaron and Hur (one on each side) they hold up Moses’ arms so that the staff of God is always elevated. And Israel prevails. There are two specific commands that God gives to Moses as a result of this experience. First, Moses is to have this incident recorded. Intriguing. Moses knew he was recording something that was important and meant to be shared for future generations. Second, Joshua was to hear about it. This is an allusion to Joshua as being Moses’ successor and that this was but one of many battles to come because God was going to completely destroy the Amalekites. This happens 500 years later.

Application

This text demonstrates that God is the source of strength and victory. There is no way to explain Israel’s military success than by the power and strength of God. The Amalekites were the superior force. The Amalekites had generations of military practice and success. Israel had generations of being shepherds and manual labor. In every way, Israel should not have defeated the Amalekites. But then they didn’t did they?

During the battle, the staff of God was held over their heads. They fought. They expended energy. They battled in hand to hand combat but it was God who provided their strength. It was God who provided their might. It was God who won the battle. An altar was constructed here and the people praised the God who won the battle for them. He did not take away the obstacle but he provided the strength to deal with the obstacle.

This is first of two points—God helped Israel avoid some obstacles as they came out of Egypt but God did not make their path without challenges. But in those challenges God provided for his people. His strength allowed for victory. But the people knew this victory was only because of God. Life is filled with challenges and obstacles. Every person will face obstacles. Your faith does not prevent obstacles it is the means by which you deal with obstacles. Israel is trying to get to the promised land. The Amalekites are trying to destroy them. After Egypt, we have already seen that Israel thought life was supposed to be easier. Every life has obstacles.

Second, because every life has obstacles, where we turn says something about our faith. Jehovah Nissi—God is my banner. God is the one who allows me to win. When you face an obstacle, your strength comes from God. We rightfully say in our hearts “I don’t know if I can do this.” Such thought not only discourages it is a statement of truth—because you do not have the strength. Your strength comes from God. The feeling of uncertainty and doubt is part of the human condition but as Christ followers we do not remain there. We cooperate with God to see things differently. Jesus knows about that kind of uncertainty. In Gethsemane he was so anguished he thought he would die. But his praying brought him the strength from God to carry through. This life is lived with obstacles and challenges. This life is a life of battles and wars—internal and external. God provides our strength.

People have always looked for substitutes for their strength. There are those who invest in learning how to find inner strength and it works until it doesn’t.

ii. There are those who look to for laws to provide strength. Law only allows us to know when we have violated norms. Law does not provide strength.

iii. There are those who look to politics to provide strength. Get the right person and life will be better. Politics by its very nature is not about better; it is about power.

iv. There are those who look to medicine, economics, education to make life better. With our advances in medicine people still die; with great economic wealth there are still the poor; with education there is still ignorance.

God is our strength. He is the one who will provide. He is the one who changes hearts. His way gives us permission to love more deeply and to serve more freely. God is our banner. God is our healer. God is our strength. We invite all to lift their eyes to see where real strength is found.

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