hold your brothers hand

Exodus 17
8. The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.
9. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."
10. So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill.
11. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.
12. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up one on one side, one on the other so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
13. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
14. The Lord said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."
15. Moses built an altar and called it the Lord is my banner (Jehovah nissi).
16. He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."
When I first read this chapter it really stuck out to me. I begin to read it over, and over, and over again. It was like there was something there, but I just wasn't getting all of it. Finally I began to understand the importance in these few verses. It deals with submission to authority, the power in worship/surrender, foundation, support, and built alters of remembrance of your victorious battles.
In verse 9 Moses commands Joshua to gather men and prepare to fight the Amalekites. Joshua did not question the man of God. He simply did what was asked of him. Joshua was submitted to the authority that God placed in his life. He understood though I can not see what is ahead I will trust my leader and my God. He had faith that Moses heard from God.
In verse 10 Moses begins to go UP. In my personal belief, I believe that not only did Moses go up physically but he begins to go UP spiritually. Exalting and worshiping God. I do not imagine that he just simply stood there hands raised with no worship releasing from his lips. Because we are victorious through our worship and praise. "And when he lowered his hands the Amalekites were winning." So in the battle your praise can not cease, in order for victory praise and worship must be offered to God. David said in Psalm the 63 chapter that "because your love is better than my life my lips will praise you." Praise him in your battles and you will leave victorious because ALL things are working for our good.
Verse 12 speaks of Moses becoming tired but he was not willing to let his praise cease because the battle was not yet won. So Aaron and Hur set a ROCK underneath him. I do not it accidental that it was a rock. A rock is a FIRM foundation. The Lord built his church on a rock. A rock is not moving. It is solid and firm. It will not break until pressure and will not sway with the wind. As Moses exampled on the mountain.
Same verse it says that "Aaron and Hur held his hands up one on one side, one on the other- so that his hands remained steady till sunset." Sometimes we become tired in our battles. We become weak and our bodies ache. That's how we were created. But that's the reason for the church. To help the needy, the broken, the tired, the helpless, and that's exactly what Aaron and Hur did. They saw the need that Moses had. They saw that he began to grow weary and physically could not do did by himself any longer. So they held his hands. Until the battle was won. They were not going to let an entire tribe be defeated because of their lack of worship!
And lastly, Moses built an alter in remembrance of his victorious battle over the enemy. He gave God all the glory for the defeat over the enemy. He would not let it be forgotten what God did for him. How we delivered him once more. I believe that he visited that alter daily thanking God for the victory.
So you may be wondering how all this ties together? Just know that if you see your brother struggling to be victorious hold his hand. Worship and rejoice with him. That's all I got. Peace.
//change your world
//marcus s. beecham