Exodus 17:11, commentary and pictures

When Moses lifted his hands during battle, Israel was facing Amalek's first unprovoked assault in the wilderness against a weary and defenseless people whom Amalek despised and vowed to destroy in defiance of God. His raised hands toward heaven were earnest prayer and intercession for the fighting Israelites, so that Israel gained ground while his hands were held up and Amalek gained ground when weariness let them fall. The uplifted hands showed that God was Israel's might and source of strength and that Israel's destiny and help rested in Him as their acknowledged leader, a dependence openly declared even to enemies and onlookers. Israel's prevailing depended on looking to God and trusting in Him rather than on their own power or on Moses' strength, for when they relied on His strength He fought for them and subdued their enemies, but when they let go of trust they were weaker than their enemies and were overcome. Divine strength worked together with human effort while Moses prayed and Joshua and his soldiers actively fought, teaching God's people in every age to do their part while seeking His help in prayer and to hold up the hands of ministers and workers by praying for wisdom, grace, and protection.

Amalek's Attack and Raised Hands

This was Amalek's first, unprovoked attack on Israel in the wilderness, falling upon a weary and defenseless people. Amalek despised Israel and vowed to destroy them, mocking their deliverance through Moses and boasting that their God could not rescue them. That assault was defiance of God Himself, and cruelty aimed especially at the weakest.

Such cruelty and defiance marked Amalek for destruction by the very people they had despised. It shows that God's care shields His people and His justice answers oppression. The sentence was pronounced then, though its execution was delayed for four hundred years.

Moses' raised hands toward heaven were earnest prayer and intercession, entreating God's help for the fighting Israelites. While his hands were raised Israel prevailed and gained ground, and when fatigue let them fall Amalek prevailed and Israel lost ground. The uplifted hands showed that God was Israel's might and source of strength, not Moses' own strength nor the rod itself. They showed that Israel's destiny rested in God's hands as their acknowledged leader, and that Israel's help was in God.

Aaron and Hur's holding up of his hands was a sign that Israel must reach toward heaven and depend on the God of heaven, with Christ as helper. As long as the hands were stretched upward Israel had vitality, strength, and power. That uplifted posture openly declared, even to enemies and onlookers, that Israel's help was in God.

When Moses' hands grew weary, Aaron and Hur kept them raised until sunset, when Israel won completely and put the enemy to flight. Aaron's thus supporting Moses formed part of his work in leading Israel.

Victory Through Trust in God

Israel's prevailing in that battle turned on looking to God and trusting in Him, not on Israel's own power. It did not come from Moses' strength or from the rod itself, for Moses raised his hand toward heaven to show the people that God was their might and the source of their strength. The shifting outcome taught them that God was guiding them and that they must follow His directions in order to overcome their enemies. His uplifted hands further declared that Israel's destiny rested in God's hands as their acknowledged leader.

When the people trusted God and relied on His strength, He fought for them and subdued their enemies. When they let go of that trust and relied on their own power, they became weaker than their enemies, lost ground, and were overcome while their foes prevailed. Victory came from trusting God and relying on His strength, not from their own power.

Divine strength worked together with human effort, for while Moses prayed and interceded, Joshua and his soldiers actively fought. They fought with the resources available to them, showing that prayerful dependence on God was central to victory yet joined to action. God's people are therefore to prepare and do their part while seeking His help in prayer, with success coming from the Mighty One who undertakes their cause and fights their battles when they depend on Him. They are still to press the battle to the gate as though they had something to do. That victory was given by the angels of God, principalities and powers.

Supporting Others Through Prayer

The lesson belongs to God's people throughout time, for as Israel prevailed while hands were held toward heaven in earnest prayer and Amalek prevailed when fatigue let them fall, so victory is given and battles are fought by God when His people depend on Him. Aaron and Hur held up the weary hands until Israel won completely, showing that success comes from the Mighty One who undertakes the cause of those who prepare and do their part while seeking His help in prayer. While intercession was offered, Joshua and the soldiers also acted and fought with the resources available to them, for God is the strength of His people and fights their battles in union with their effort.

To hold up hands today is to support ministers and harvest-field workers through prayer. Those who remain at home are to lift the hands of those who go out into the harvest field by praying for them and not neglecting this duty. Holding up ministers' hands means asking God to give them wisdom, grace, and protection as they preach. Such support is a powerful help to another person's prayer and service, with Christ as helper, and with Israel taught to reach toward heaven and depend on the God of heaven.

To prevail as Israel prevailed is to take hold of God's power by faith in Jesus Christ when the inner man is strengthened by the Spirit. It means having the mind drawn to God and to heaven, receiving His righteousness and His truth wrought within. It means following on to know the Lord whose going forth is prepared as the morning.

The uplifted hands declared openly, even to enemies and onlookers, that Israel's help was in God, and just as long as they were stretched upward Israel had vitality, strength, and power. That victory was given by the angels of God, principalities and powers. God's people must therefore take no glory to themselves but continually look to God and trust in Him while still pressing the battle to the gate as though they had something to do, showing under the banner of Prince Emmanuel that power is granted to overcome all corruption in the world through lust by being partakers of the divine nature.