Journal Through the Bible: Week 14 Monday

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Exodus 17:1-18:27
Up to this point all the battles that the people had fought had been with their own disobedience and unbelief. Now they faced their distant cousins, the Amalekites. Amalek was the grandson of Esau. That would make all the combatants descendants of Isaac.

Notice that rocks play a prominent part in this passage. First is the rock of Horeb from which the people obtain water from God. The next is the rock that they put under Moses as a resting place while Aaron and Hur held up Moses' hands during the battle.

Moses was also reunited with his wife and two sons when his father-in-law, Jethro, brought them to him. Remember that the area where the Hebrews were camping was in the same region where God appeared to Moses in the burning bush. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush on Mount Horeb and this is also where God gave them water from the rock. God had promised Moses during the burning bush revelation that he would worship God again on that mount but the next time it would be with the Israelites that had been brought out of bondage.

It was a good thing Jethro appeared, too! He gave Moses excellent advice for setting up a judicial system.

Does God make any promises in this passage?

• God promised to stand before Moses when he hit the rock of Horeb so that the elders and the people might see how God would provide them water. (17:6)
• God promised to eventually cause the wicked Amalekites to be destroyed. (17:14-15)
• God fulfilled an earlier promise to Moses to meet again on Mount Horeb.

Are there any references to Jesus?

• The rock is a picture of Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone, and the rock that the builder rejected. It is used as a picture twice in this passage. First it is the rock that is struck so that the water of life flows freely and then it is a resting place for the earthly warrior fighting Heaven's battles.

Are there any references to yet-future events?

• Compare this passage with I Peter 2:4-10. The preface of I Peter (partially contained in 1:3-4) makes it clear that Peter is speaking about the Rock, Jesus, with our future resurrection in mind. I believe that the portrayal of Jesus as the Rock as typified by the rocks found in this passage are hints of things to come, namely the free-flowing Water of Life and the rest from earthly battles that the Christian will enjoy for eternity.

Does God issue any commands?

• God told Moses to write about the battle with Amalek because they would eventually disappear from among the nations. (You don't know any Amalekites today, do you?)