Sat.’s Devo - War with the Amalekites

Read: Exodus 17:8-19:15; Matthew 22:34-23:12: Psalm 27:7-14; Proverbs 6:27-35 Moses and the children of Israel were still at Rephidim where God had brought the water from the rock, when the warriors of Amalie attacked them. Water was like gold in the wilderness. *** Moses told Joshua to organize and lead an army to fight them. As they fought, Moses stood on a nearby hill and held up his staff. As long as he held the staff up, they would be in the advantage but when he dropped his hands in exhaustion, they would begin to lose. The men sat Moses on a rock and Aaron and Hur stood on each side of Moses holding up his hands. As a result, Joshua and his army won. *** When it was over, God told Moses to write it down in a scroll as a permanent reminder and read this aloud to Joshua: “I will erase the memory of Amalie from under heaven.” God wanted Joshua to hear that for a reason, although it would be Saul that would fulfill this promise. *** They named the place Yahwah-Nissi which means “the Lord is my banner”. The Amalekites had raised their fist against the Lord’s throne, so now the Lord would be at war with the Amalikites generation after generation. Amalek means “perversion” and we are still fighting that stronghold. *** Moses had sent Zipporah and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer back to their homeland to live with her father, Jethro during all the plagues. Jethro brought them to meet Moses. Jethro had heard of all they did to Egypt and their victory. Moses filled him in with what had happened since they left Egypt. Jethro understood that God was greater than all the other gods because of what God had done for Moses and his people. *** Jethro saw how all the people came to Moses all day long to judge between their disputes and solved their problems. He told Moses that he would burn out if he continued to carry the burden of all these people by himself. He suggested that he choose and mentor a group of men who would then mentor another group and they would divide all the people and give them a representative. They would go to them and leave the big problems for Moses. Moses saw the wisdom in this and did it. *** In the third month after they had left Israel they arrived at Sinai. God told Moses to tell the people to consecrate themselves to meet with Him on the third day. He had boundaries set around the mountain so the people couldn’t cross the boundaries and come closer to the mountain. Whoever touched the mountain must die. *** In Matthew, the Pharisees saw that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees with his proof of the resurrection in the scripture. So they asked him what was the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus said it was to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind. Then he told them the second most important even though they didn’t ask. It was to love their neighbor as they loved themselves. He went on to say that on these two commandments all the law and the prophets hung. They could’t argue with him. *** Jesus asked them whose Son would the Messiah be. They answered “the Son of David”. Jesus asked them why David called God, Lord if he was his son. They couldn’t answer that. *** Jesus turned to the people and began to talk about the scribes and the Pharisees. He said they sat in Moses’ seat which was the judge of the law. He pointed out that they didn’t do what they preached. They put heavy burdens on the people that they couldn’t even do. They loved their position and their titles but they did’t deserve them. The people should not be calling them Rabbi or Father because those titles only belong to the Christ and God. *** The ones who claim to be great in the world will be their servants and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. *** Lord may we examine our doctrine and only hold on to what is true and right. Father God, you are our Father and Jesus, you are the Christ. We are your servants, your children and your friends.