Israel Meets With Difficulties
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judgment of God would rest upon them. He called the name of the
place Massah, “temptation,” and Meribah, “chiding,” as a memorial of
their sin.
War With Amalek
A new danger now threatened them. Because of their murmuring
against Him, the Lord suffered them to be attacked by their enemies.
The Amalekites came out against them and smote those who, faint
and weary, had fallen into the rear. Moses directed Joshua to choose
from the different tribes a body of soldiers and lead them against the
enemy, while he himself would stand on an eminence near by with
the rod of God in his hand. Accordingly the next day Joshua and his
company attacked the foe, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur were on a
hill overlooking the battlefield. With arms outstretched toward heaven
and holding the rod of God in his right hand, Moses prayed for the
success of the armies of Israel. It was observed that so long as his
hands were reaching upward, Israel prevailed; but when they were
lowered, the enemy was victorious. As Moses became weary, Aaron
and Hur stayed up his hands until the going down of the sun, when the
enemy was put to flight.
The act of Moses was significant, showing that God held their
destiny in His hands; while they made Him their trust, He would fight
for them and subdue their enemies. But when they should let go their
hold upon Him and trust in their own power, they would be weak and
their foes would prevail against them.
Divine strength is to be combined with human effort. Moses did
not believe that God would overcome their foes while Israel remained
inactive. While the great leader was pleading with the Lord, Joshua and
his brave followers were putting forth their utmost efforts to repulse
the enemies of Israel and of God.
Just before his death Moses delivered to his people the solemn
charge: “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye
were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote
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the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when
thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God... . Thou shalt blot
out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not
forget it.”
Deuteronomy 25:17-19
. Concerning this wicked people the