Tues.’s Devo - Their First Battle

Read: Exodus 17:8-19:15; Matthew 22:34-23:12; Psalm 27:7-14; Proverbs 6:27-35 The Amalekites attacked Israel at Rephidim. Moses told Joshua to choose some men to fight them and he, Moses, would stand on the top of the hill with his staff in his hand. Aaron and Hur went with Moses where they watched the battle from the hill. As long as Moses had his hands up with his staff, they would win, but when his hands grew tired and he lowered them, they would begin to lose. Aaron and Hur found a rock for Moses to sit on and they stood on either side holding his hands up until the sun went down. Joshua and his men prevailed. *** God told Moses to write down the events of that day because He would one day blot out the memory of the Amalekites. Moses built an altar to the Lord where he had stood and named it “The Lord Is My Banner.” *** Moses had sent his wife Zipporah and their two sons Gershom and Eliezer to stay with her father Jethro during all the plagues of Egypt. Jethro brought them back to reunite with Moses. Jethro rejoiced when he heard all the stories of what God had done for them in Egypt. Jethro saw that God was greater than all gods and brought a sacrifice to the Lord. *** Jethro watched as Moses sat and decided every dispute the Israelites had. He told him he would burn out fast if he continued doing this and advised him to train some fair and just men to take all the small cases for him and leave the big ones for Moses. Moses took his advice. Jethro soon left and went back to his home. *** Forty-seven days after Moses had left Egypt they reached Mt. Sinai. God told Moses to tell the people to sanctify themselves because in three days God was going to speak to them. If they listened to what he said and obeyed him, he would make them his treasured possession and they would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. They all agreed to listen and obey. *** Fifty days after Passover is Pentecost. God came down on Mt. Sinai on Pentecost bringing his Spirit to rest on Moses and the mountain. In the New Testament, the Spirit of God came to rest on the people - they became the mountain with fire on their heads. *** In Matthew, the Pharisees heard of how he shut the Sadducees down, so one of their lawyers asked Jesus which law was the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus said to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind. The second greatest was to love your neighbor as yourself. All the laws hang on these two commandments. Then, Jesus asked them a question. They asked him whose son would the Messiah be and they answered “David’s son.” Then Jesus asked them about the Psalm where David called him Lord. They were not able to answer him. *** Jesus turned to the crowd and told them to obey the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees, but not their works because they did not practice what they preached. They used the scriptures to bind the people and control them. They loved the honor they got from their position, but lorded it over the people instead of shepherding them. He told them never to call their teachers, Father because there is only one Father and that is God. And, call no person your Teacher because their Teacher is Christ. Those who exalt themselves above another will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted. *** Lord, may we love you with all our hearts, soul and mind and our neighbor as ourselves. May we be humble and teachable.