xodus 17:8 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner;[c] 16 for he said, “Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
First of all I just want to clarify that I do not believe in a determinist’s lifestyle. Obviously, because I can believe in that? you know what I mean? I don’t believe that God has pre-determined us all and called select people to him while allowing others to go to hell. And if he has, why would I be a Christian and be able to say I don’t believe that he has predetermined me to be a Christian you know? Unless, I’m just playing the part of a Christian and at my death God’s gonna be like “well, I didn’t choose you so I know you confessed your sins but I only meant for some of my people to go to Heaven.” which could very well happen I suppose, God has every right to chose whom he will and he has every power to make it so we understand even if its beyond our understanding. BUT thats the point, we just assume that God is sometimes indifferent to us, has His own set of plans, and don’t get me wrong, He obviously does have knowledge outside of us for our own GOOD.., but why would he keep anything from us to spite us? almost as if he has this plan that to hurt us and hes keeping that a secret. God sounds like a deceiver when looked at like that. Anyway, I’m not going to sit here and say I don’t know if I’m saved because I don’t know if it was pre-determined that I should be saved. By the grace of God, I can say that I’m saved, and I have no shame in that. The only shame I have is that I’m a sinful creature and don’t deserve it.
THAT SAID.
This whole rod of God thing just killed me something awesome when I read it. Like here’s this wicked staff God provides Moses with, and its not like a magic wand or some kind of inactive roll in miracle-making. But think of how much trust goes into that staff alone, its symbolic that Moses is calling forth to God in trust that he will make provision for these people, water. This is why I bring up the determinism - predestination thing. So many people could look at these verses like well yeah God planned out what was gonna happen already so he knew when Moses would slam the rod down and when water would poor from the rock and when he held it up they would defeat the amalekites. Really, so God planned out every bit of trust Moses put in and it wasn’t really free will or trust at all? Sometimes i think i sound mean when I talk about these things. but really Im just amazed God love’s us so much to allow us free will and I want to share it. It’s like a dance, God takes the lead and shows us and directs us where to go but we have just as much room to say, no I don’t feel like dancing, or I don’t know how to dance as well as you but I’ll try. So Moses is on this hill and every time he holds up this staff they’re winning. Isn’t that significant? “Lord I trust you” they prevail “Lord I’m tired” they lose. Isn’t that LIFE? and when his hands become heavy he sits down. He’s too tired to do anything, and what happens? His friends help him, and they defeat the amalekites. Its just so humbling, we think that since God has put us in a said position that we can do it on our own and the whole world is counting on us to do so, but even we fail, yes even us. And thats where God sends us His help, His spirit, and his body (the church).
Exodus 18:8
And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. 9 Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took[c] a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
13 And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. 14 So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. 18 Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself. 19 Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. 20 And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. 21 Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.”
24 So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.
27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.
and this was just like the Bible was talking right at me. I think of how often i put myself in the position of responsibility and I wonder if the intention I have is really good or just bitter because I assume no one else will do the job I pick up. Moses is put in the spot to answer and to be the gap between these people and Christ, thinking that it’s just what he has to do. “when they have a difficulty they come to me and I judge between one and the other and I make known the statues of God and His laws.” How simple is that yet so hard for us to let people see for themselves because we assume “they aren’t ready yet” or maybe even worse, we don’t think they could do as well of a job leading as we do. We were appointed by grace alone and with God’s amazing power he lead us to say words we didn’t even think we could mention, don’t you think with the same faith we allow God to move through us, we could have for God to move through others? Its the whole ‘teach a man to fish ’ thing. you do better just humbling yourself an realizing that things could become a lot less like work without you putting the weight of the world on your shoulders.
We believe that God can work through us. But sometimes we have trouble believing God can save others.
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