(I want to listen to this sermon)

Readings: Ex.17:8-16, Deut.25:17-19. Luke 14:25-33.

Despite the fact that Jesus warned His would-be followers to count the cost of discipleship before engaging many of us have maybe failed to do that only to be surprised when trials and difficulties come our way.

Jesus would hardly have spoken about counting the cost if indeed the life of a disciple was going to be a life of ease and tranquillity with not the slightest problem erupting to trouble our peace, now would He?

Unfortunately human nature being what it is we do seem to have real problems coming to terms with this. Even if we say in our calmer moments that troubles are the common lot of the Christian life when some unexpected trouble comes our way we can react in a totally different manner. We act as though we are surprised, that this couldn't really be happening to us! It may not be long before we begin to ask ourselves whether we really are Christians – our underlying feeling being that if we were then we wouldn't have these problems! A well-meaning friend may give advice that seems to confirm our suspicions – if only you do this or that then all will be well.

How we need to listen then carefully to what the Word of God actually does say rather than listening to what our feelings might like to Him to be saying!

And there is plenty in the Bible to help us. Let us turn to the situation in which God's people found themselves in the passage we read earlier in Ex.17.

 The people of Israel were quietly going about their own affairs. They weren't looking for a fight they were just being kept busy enough with the daily question of survival. They had struggled when all they had found was polluted water to drink. Then there was no food. Now at Rephidim they had found no water at all!

In each of those three situations they found, doubtless to their great, if temporary, delight, that the LORD was well able to take care of them and that He loved them sufficiently to provide for them.

But some of the people had become worn out and were struggling to keep up. Perhaps the entire company hadn't even got to Rephidim when the events we looked at last week took place. Tired and weary as the caravan train stretched out those who had fallen behind became easy pickings – or so the Amalekites thought!

Who were these people called the Amalekites? Well they were a nomadic, tribal people who were descended from Esau and you'll remember the tensions that existed between Esau and his brother Jacob or Israel the ancestor of the people who bore his name! (Years later the Amalekites were still remembered for this atrocity that they had committed cf. 1Sam.15:2)

Now maybe the Amalekites were worried that Israel was about to muscle in on its territory and compete for the well and the oases – we can't be exactly sure – but we can be sure that they attacked Israel and that in a pretty underhanded manner. There was no formal declaration of war, no drawing up of formal well-defined battle lines but rather a slinking around to pick off those who were struggling the most with tiredness and weariness!

Let us remember that the enemy will fight dirty if that serves his purpose. That means that we shouldn't be surprised if he comes at us in underhanded ways.

He'll do that as he attacks us as individuals and he'll do that as he attacks us as a church.

Let us take note!

In this particular case the ones who become the immediate target are the ones who are failing to keep up! Let's watch ourselves that we don't begin to let ourselves slip. There are dangers in ceasing to pray, in ceasing to read our Bibles, in ceasing to participate in the Lord's table, in ceasing to keep up with the fellowship of the Lord's people, in ceasing to be involved in the regular life of the church in her mission to make Christ known amongst the nations.

We sometimes hear folk say – I didn't do this or that because I didn't "feel" like it. Let's watch ourselves carefully that we don't start making excuses (however legitimate such excuses may sound) for masking a loss of appetite for spiritual things.

But let us not swing to the opposite extreme either of imagining that if we are keeping up on all those good things that life will be straightforward – what more likely target of the enemy's attacks that those who are doing most to hurt his interests?

We must remember the enemy will attack and will do so in a variety of ways!

What was Moses to do when faced with this new situation? How should we react when difficulties or opposition confront us?

Firstly we should note that Moses faces up to the reality of the problem. He doesn't pretend it doesn't exist and nor does he pretend that it isn't important. He doesn't over-inflate the problem either and immediately turn his heels and run. No, true spirituality is very realistic – it fully takes into account the facts of our daily experience but doesn't forget to remember that God Himself is a reality of that experience too!

Secondly we should understand that Moses' response is twofold:

1.       He puts into effect a very practical remedy. The people are being harassed and attacked by an enemy using military resources so Moses organises military resistance!

Joshua, who is mentioned here in the Bible for the first time, is told to take a select group of men and go to war against the Amalekites.

This will actually be the first time that the Israelites freed from Egypt will need to fight in order to secure/preserve themselves. Previously the Lord had intervened directly for them and fought on their behalf but not now, now the people must organise themselves and themselves be involved in the nitty-gritty of the battle.

2.       But worldly weaponry alone will not prove to be sufficient for the task that confronts the Israelites. Yes, they must organise themselves and go out to fight but this must be accompanied by a spiritual dependence upon God the Lord and an appeal to Him for His presence with them and His strength in them. So while Joshua will go out onto the plain with his men to fight Moses will go up the mountain with Aaron and Hur and with the staff of God in his hand!

There is a lovely balance to be observed here and it is to this type of balance that we should aspire in both our church life and in our individual lives.

The practical and the spiritual extremes must be brought together in a wonderful harmony.

It is not spiritual to refuse to get involved in the practical work of ministry and it is not practical to so emphasise the doing of things that we forget the spiritual.

Oliver Cromwell married the two together as he famously commanded his troops to "trust in God and keep their powder dry" meaning the gunpowder they would need if their muskets were to fire!

Rather than opting for the practical or the spiritual extreme as alternative courses that we might adopt we should rather:

“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”
St. Augustine.

This we see worked out in this historical event at Rephidim:

As Joshua struggles on the plain, Moses wrestles on the hill. There Moses seeks the summit bearing his rod, the staff of God, in his hands. Heaven's aid is to be sought. There is a link that is made abundantly clear to us – Israel's hands are strong or weak for battle as those of Moses rise or drop!

Given the fact that no exact explanation is given in the text concerning the significance of what Moses was doing as he held aloft the staff of God we should understand that a number of explanations have been put forward. These explanations are by no means mutually exclusive:

a.       The staff of God could be regarded in much the same way as the Regimental Colours used to be employed upon a battlefield.

As the colours would indicate the location of the army's commander on the battlefield so Moses holding up the "colours" of the people of Israel would signal to the army down below on the plain the presence of the LORD with His people.

Similarly the colours would not merely signify the presence of the commander but would serve to remind the army of the fact that they do have in reality a commander over them directing the battle. How encouraging for Joshua and his men to be reminded of the sovereignty of God over the very battlefield upon which they are engaged.

b.      The holding up of one's hand, particularly when this held a rod or a staff in it would serve as a means of giving orders to the army. The raising of the staff would typically signify the entry into battle – let battle commence! Once a battle had been begun the raising of the staff once more would send out the signal to advance! Correspondingly to lower the staff might well send the signal to retreat.

How important it was for the army to go forward in the strength of the LORD! Here are just a few Scriptures that come to mind:

Ps.18:29-32 "For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.This God - his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? - the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless."

2Sam.5:19-20 "And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” And David came to Baal–perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The LORD has burst through my enemies before me like a bursting flood.”"

Ps.144:1 "Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;"

Eph.6:10 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might."

2Cor.12:9 "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Phil.4:13 "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

c.       The third and most obvious explanation, perhaps, is that Moses holding up the staff of God in his hands towards heaven is to signify prayer for divine aid. Moses holds up his hands upon the hill interceding on behalf of Joshua and his men fighting in the plain below.

While Joshua and his men do what they can on the plain below Moses pleads with God knowing that victory is of the LORD:

Pr.21:31 "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD."

If this is true then how important it is that prayer should be made. If all depended upon mere mortal men then we would oscillate between absolute pride when we were successful and total despair when we were not!

But doesn't this picture teach us a lot about prayer as an appeal to the LORD for His help and strength? Doesn't it teach us that prayer is wearisome and tiring. It requires an effort and a perseverance that quite simply is beyond us at times. Moses could see the effectiveness of his praying as he held his hands aloft but even the joy of seeing success and his own most obvious role in it did not prevent his hands from becoming heavy.

As we pray let us be aware that prayer will be tiring! Sometimes we give the impression that prayer is easy. We say that an old person who is maybe unable to be as active in the church as in the past can participate by prayer as though any old person can prayer. Yes, it is gloriously true that the old house bound Christian does have a tremendous part to play in the work of forwarding Christ's kingdom but it is hard work!

Moses was not too proud to accept the help of Aaron and Hur. Moses saw that as his hands drooped and his prayers failed so things went badly for Israel down below. He still was the one who had to hold up the staff but the others could help him keep his hands held high!

How practical they were! As Moses got tired they found a rock he could sit on. As his hands drooped they held them up for him!

How are we getting along with our own prayers? Are we helping others in their praying? Maybe you would do well to join with one or two others to pray together and so practically help one another. Come to the church prayer meeting on a Wednesday night – a regular opportunity to pray for a wide range of interests in Christ's Kingdom. I wonder whether the work will limp along here in Sunnyhill because you refuse to imitate Moses in prayer. I wonder if the work does limp because you won't play the role of an Aaron or of a Hur in supporting the praying of others.

Before we conclude let us take some time to think about some of the implications this has for us as Christians today.

As Moses prayed and interceded for the people of God victory was granted to them. Just think of it! Moses was called by God to his tasks but he hadn't exactly distinguished himself as he set out to serve God. This man had in his past committed murder and then run away to save his skin – yet God listened to his intercessions.

There is one far greater and far more exalted than Moses who acts as the intercessor now for His people – the Lord Jesus Christ. If the intercession of Moses could be so successful how much more reason we should have complete confidence in the intercession of our Lord Jesus on our behalf!

The Book of Hebrews devotes an entire chapter to demonstrating and proclaiming the superiority of Jesus Christ over Moses. Moses had served faithfully as a servant in God's house but Jesus is placed over God's house as a son!

If we stop to think, Moses' praying was done from the top of a hill but Christ's intercession is done in heaven itself:

Rom.8:34 "Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died––more than that, who was raised––who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us."

Surely then, if Moses was instructed, at the end of the day, to so act that the success of the day be not forgotten how much more should we remind ourselves of the success and position of our Saviour! Moses honoured the LORD as he referred to the altar of remembrance. He had stretched out his hand to the throne of the LORD as he had prayed. We have a Saviour who does not stretch out His hand towards the throne but from it! He sits on the throne and there directs all things on behalf of His church. Let us then rejoice and be glad and trust Him!

Amen.