It’s been a long time friends. Writing is a funny thing. I
write, because I love to write. Sometimes I have something to say, other times,
not so much. But the goal of becoming a writer is to have other people read
what I’ve written. Here’s the funny part. Once I found out that people were
actually reading what I was writing, I was afraid to write. What if I come off
as pretentious or smug? What if my words are wrong, or are taken out of context?
What if my advice is way off the mark? What if…well, there are a million
what-ifs? So I’ve decided to ignore all of them and just write. If I’m wrong, I
guess I’m just wrong.
Here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately.
Exodus 17:8-13 (NIV)
8The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9Moses
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.”
10So, Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12When 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. 13So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
10So, Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12When 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. 13So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
Nice story right? Moses holds up his arms, the Israelites
win. I think a lot of people would like to be Moses in this story. The power of
God was right there and so obvious. Hands up and all is good, drop your hands
and things go south in a hurry. My friends are Moses. I tend to find those
people and stick them in my life. They like to be in charge. They like to be
the ones in the spotlight. This is good for me. I love being around these
people. Why? Because I’m Aaron or maybe Hur. Either way, I’m the arm proper-upper.
I like that role, it suits me perfectly.
Take a second look at the story. Moses’ friends (I like to
think they were friends) went up the hill with him. They knew this was going to
be a shining moment for Moses. He was going to be getting some pretty heavy
attention from God and from the soldiers. But Aaron and Hur went. I’d like to
know if they were ordered by Joshua since he was the head of the army, or if
Moses said, “Hey guys! Wanna stand up on that hill with me tomorrow? It’s going
to be a long day and I’d love some company.” Maybe they volunteered. “Dude, you
don’t want to stand up there all day by yourself. We’ll go with you so you don’t
have to do it alone.”
However it happened, Aaron and Hur trudged up the hill. I’m
sure Moses didn’t tell them exactly what was going on, but it would become
clear soon enough. They could see the whole battlefield from on top of the
hill. This makes me think that it wasn’t a “hill” it was probably halfway up a
mountain. But they get up there, look down onto the battlefield and see two
nations of men trying desperately to kill each other. Moses lifts up his hands,
in one hand he’s holding a staff, I’m sure it gets heavy pretty quickly. Moses
arms start to tremble a little, he’s getting shaky, and maybe Aaron forgot to
bring the water and they’re all thirsty. Moses’ back starts to ache a little
bit, and then it gets worse. The knowledge that he has to stand like this for
the rest of the day probably plays on his mind. But look what happens: “When
Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat.”
Nice. Maybe he told them to help out. But I like to think they were standing
there, watching the battle, watching their friend and leader grow tired and shaky
so they left his side, just for a minute, and found a stone for him to sit on. The
stone they found wasn’t a big flat rock that could easily lift and carry over
to to where Moses was standing. It was more likely a boulder; something around three
feet tall or so, something that Moses could sit on it, but still see the
battlefield. My friends, rocks are not any heavier today than they were then. Imagine
seeing a boulder that is about waist high, thinking ‘this will work’ then
moving it to where your friend is standing. They bring the rock over and Moses sits. Relieved
for the moment, I’m sure now that his sandal-clad feet didn’t have so much
pressure on them. I can only imagine that Aaron and Hur remain standing,
watching and waiting to help Moses again. Help is needed shortly after Moses
sits, “Aaron and Hur held up his hands - one on one side, one on the other – so
that his hands remained steady until sunset.” Until sunset. Aaron and Hur,
tired from the climb up the mountain, sore and tired from moving that boulder,
stand beside Moses, and hold up his arms so that God’s power can flow through
them all and the Israelites can win the battle.
I love this little story. Moses and Joshua get most of the credit. God worked directly through Moses’ actions to allow Joshua to win the
battle. But what if Moses had gone up alone? He wouldn’t have had the strength to
stand there all day with his hands in the air, surely he would have dropped his
arms and wept at his human weakness. He would have wept at the sight of his
entire nation being slaughtered by the Amalekites. But, God provided two
strong, loyal friends to stand beside Moses and help him do what God had
commanded him to do.
I’m like Aaron and Hur, I don’t mind putting my hands in the
air when I have to. But I’d so much rather be the one standing next to you,
holding your hands up in the air.
