Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Conflict at Rephidim

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Conflict at Rephidim · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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The book of Exodus chapter 17, and we may read again at verse 8.
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Exodus chapter 17, reading at verse 8.
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Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.
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Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.
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When the Israelite people were miraculously delivered from their Egyptian oppression,
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the first enemies they faced were not external, but internal.
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Their first enemies were themselves.
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Their struggle was with themselves, as the Lord showed them, their own hearts.
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And I would like to suggest that it is still the same to the present hour.
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Our struggles are mainly from within and not from without.
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Now, you may challenge that, but I think if you are any length of time on the Christian path,
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you will know the truth of that statement.
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You remember how the Apostle Paul writes about the inward strife that left him struggling time after time.
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I see, he says, and my members, another law waging war against the law of my mind,
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and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
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It wasn't just that he saw it, but that it brought him into captivity.
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Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death,
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as if he were carrying about a dead body attached to his person.
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Well, Israel, during their relatively short period in the desert,
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had encountered genuine difficulties.
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They came to Mara, and the water was undrinkable, causing them to complain.
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And you can appreciate how precious water was when you were in a dry, arid area.
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And they must have been looking forward to arriving at this place,
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only to be bitterly disappointed by the quality of the water.
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God made it drinkable by another miracle.
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Then it was lack of food that made them grumble.
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And again, God provided them with manna.
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The difficulty experienced earlier in this chapter
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was that they were faced not with undrinkable water,
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but with a lack of water,
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either because the water was not there,
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or if it was there,
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they had no access to it.
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And you can make your mind up.
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Which of these two possibilities is true?
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Because the Bible doesn't really disclose what it was.
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Such was their ire that Moses was fearful for his own life.
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He thought they were going to stone him.
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They didn't trust God to provide.
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In fact, they wanted God put on trial.
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As they interpreted matters,
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God had failed them miserably.
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And yet again,
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God graciously and marvelously provides
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by bringing water from a most unexpected source,
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a rock.
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And you know from your New Testament
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that the New Testament interprets the rock
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as Christ.
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And there is a sermon there.
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Incidentally,
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there is no indication of thanks
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for such fulsome and gracious provision.
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And I wonder how often
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are we guilty of the sale
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when the Lord has intervened
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marvelously and miraculously in our lives,
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when we have been pleading,
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perhaps for help,
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and how forgetful we are
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to give thanks when he responds.
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Well, I'd like to bring three thoughts before you.
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That's just the background
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to our text this evening.
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First, conflict at Rephidim.
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Secondly, countering hostility.
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And thirdly, celebrating
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the celebration of victory.
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Conflict at Rephidim.
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Countering hostility.
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And the celebration of victory.
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Conflict at Rephidim.
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The writer tells us,
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Moses, we accept as the writer.
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The people of Israel
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were physically attacked
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from without
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by those who were hostile to them.
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Remember?
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Up until now,
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their problems arose from themselves.
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We read,
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Amalek came and fought with Israel
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at Rephidim.
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This was Israel's
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first experience
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of our military encounter.
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The Amalekites
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were a nomadic people.
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They could trace their ancestry
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back to Jacob's twin brother,
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Esau.
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In the book of Genesis,
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we find this information.
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These are the names of Esau's sons.
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Eliphaz, the son of Adah,
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the wife of Esau.
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And then you find Timnah
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was a concubine of Eliphaz,
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Esau's son.
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She bore Amalek
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to Eliphaz.
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And I suppose
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you could argue
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that there was a long-standing
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ethnic tension
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between the two peoples,
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given their ancestry.
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People of Israel
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tracing their ancestry
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back to Jacob
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and the Amalekites
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back to his twin brother.
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The writer doesn't suggest
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a specific reason
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why these Amalekites
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attacked Israel
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at this precise moment.
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May have been
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because of the long-standing
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ethnic tensions.
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It is also possible
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that they may have felt
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threatened by the
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sudden arrival
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of all these people
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in their territory.
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They may have seen them
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as a threat
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to their own existence
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by coming
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to the places
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which they themselves
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frequented for water.
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Water being such
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a precious commodity
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in the desert,
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Rephidim,
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was an oasis.
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But the writer
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doesn't tell us
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why they were attacked.
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There may be one more reason
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for the attack.
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The impression created,
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at least in my own mind,
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is that it was,
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that it happened
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very unexpectedly.
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Then Amalek came
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and fought with Israel.
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When did Amalek
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come
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and fight
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with Israel?
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Was it not just
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after the Israelites
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had given expression,
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vehement expression,
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to their disgruntlement
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with God,
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threatening to stone
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their leader?
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So,
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I cannot rule out
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that this
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unexpected,
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sudden attack
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was indirectly
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provoked
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by themselves
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on account
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of their behavior.
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Be that as it may,
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we cannot
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remind ourselves
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too often
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that the Bible
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does not record
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historical events
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just for the sake
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of giving us
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a history lesson.
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The history
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in the Bible
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has spiritual meaning,
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from which
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spiritual applications
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can be made.
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And I would
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therefore like
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to suggest
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a reason
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from the New Testament
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for this
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actual
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physical attack
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by Amalek.
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In Paul's letter
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to the Ephesians,
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he writes
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twice in the same
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context
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of the need
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of putting on
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the whole
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armor of God.
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He is addressing
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the church,
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believers,
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and the reason
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he gives
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for the need
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to put on
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the whole
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armor of God
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is
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that you may
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be able
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to stand
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against the
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schemes
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of the devil.
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And then
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he goes on
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to tell,
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for we do
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not wrestle
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against flesh
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and blood,
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but against
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the rulers,
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against the
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authorities,
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against the
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cosmic powers
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over this
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present darkness,
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against the
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spiritual forces
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of evil
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in the heavenly
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places.
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Now remember,
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the people
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of Israel
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represent
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the church
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of Christ
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in the world,
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a people
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who are
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a direct
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result
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of divine
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intervention
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and deliverance,
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a people
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who are
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being led
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by God
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and who
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are actually
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instructed
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by the
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Lord to
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come to
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Rephidim.
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Verse 1
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in the chapter
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tells us,
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all the
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congregation
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of the
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people of
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Israel
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moved on
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from the
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wilderness
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of sin
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by stages
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according to
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the commandment
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of the
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Lord
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and
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camped
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at Rephidim.
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They didn't
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choose
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to come
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to this
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destination
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in
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flagrant
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disobedience
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to the
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command of
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God.
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They
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moved there
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in accord
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with God's
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instruction.
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What could
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possibly
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go wrong?
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They were
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merely
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following
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divine
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instructions.
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And then
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we read,
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Amalek
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came
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and fought.
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Why?
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Well,
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could I
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suggest
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it is
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because
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the devil
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hates
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God
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and
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he
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hates
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those
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who
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represent
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God
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in the
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world.
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He
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seeks
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to
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destroy
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God's
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workmanship.
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You
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know how
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peoples
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tend to
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be proud
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of their
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ancestry
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and that
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pride
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can lead
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to jealousy,
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envy,
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and opposition
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and very
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often along
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with pride
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you get
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greed and
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selfishness.
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And you
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can see
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that
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in many
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of the
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wars
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that
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have
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started
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in the
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world,
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how
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you
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can
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find
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these
13:11
elements
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as it
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were
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foundational
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to the
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beginning
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of such
13:20
wars.
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But
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if you
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dig
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down
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deep
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enough
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and
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you
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discover
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that
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all
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of
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these
13:30
reasons
13:30
are
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the
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forces
13:33
of
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darkness
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seeking
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to
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hinder
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and
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even
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repress
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the
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work
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of
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light.
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Spreading
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confusion
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is a
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tactic
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favored
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by the
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forces
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of
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darkness.
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The
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attack
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in this
13:52
instance
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was
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somewhat
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cowardly.
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How do
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we
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know?
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Well,
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in the
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book of
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Deuteronomy
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you find
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Moses
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writing,
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remember
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what
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Amalek
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did to
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you as
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he's
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speaking to
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Israel,
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on the
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way as
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you came
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out of
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Egypt,
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how he
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attacked
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you on
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the way
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when you
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were fed
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and weary
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and cut
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off your
14:12
tail,
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those who
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were lagging
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behind you,
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and he
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did not
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fear God.
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not only
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was the
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attack
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unprovoked,
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humanly
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speaking,
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in the
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sense that
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Israel didn't
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go out of
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their way
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to provoke
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Amalek,
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but the
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attack was
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aimed
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against the
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weak,
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the
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vulnerable,
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the
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helpless,
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the
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strugglers
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at the
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tail end
14:40
of the
14:41
procession,
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usually
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defenseless
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women and
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children,
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and possibly
14:47
the frail
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elderly.
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Now,
14:50
it may
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have been
14:51
that Israel
14:53
thought there
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was no real
14:55
danger to
14:56
those at
14:57
the end
14:58
of the
14:58
procession.
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The
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pursuing
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Egyptian
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forces had
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been destroyed
15:03
at the
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Red Sea.
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But you
15:06
note it
15:07
was the
15:07
most
15:08
vulnerable
15:09
who were
15:10
attacked,
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and it
15:12
happened
15:13
possibly
15:15
where it
15:16
was least
15:16
expected.
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Now,
15:19
we can
15:19
apply
15:20
that.
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Many
15:21
things in
15:22
life can
15:24
leave us
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vulnerable to
15:26
spiritual
15:26
attack,
15:28
our pride,
15:30
an inflated
15:31
view of
15:31
ourselves,
15:33
lack of
15:34
prayer
15:34
dependency,
15:35
and when we
15:37
are vulnerable,
15:38
you can be
15:39
sure that
15:40
these attacks
15:42
will
15:43
intensify.
15:44
will be
15:44
the
15:45
clue,
15:46
surely,
15:46
to what
15:47
lay behind
15:48
this
15:48
cowardly
15:50
attack
15:50
lies in
15:51
the words,
15:52
he, that
15:53
is Amalek,
15:54
did not
15:55
fear God.
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What a
15:57
coup for
15:58
Satan,
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if he
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could
16:00
prevent
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the
16:01
children
16:02
of Israel
16:03
from
16:04
reaching the
16:04
promised
16:05
land.
16:06
Here are
16:06
the forces
16:07
of darkness
16:08
using
16:08
guerrilla
16:09
tactics to
16:10
ambush
16:11
and deter
16:12
the
16:13
progression
16:13
of the
16:14
church
16:14
in the
16:15
world.
16:16
And that,
16:17
I believe,
16:19
is still
16:19
ongoing.
16:21
It would
16:21
be a huge
16:22
mistake
16:22
on our
16:24
part to
16:24
think
16:25
otherwise.
16:26
Our
16:26
real enemy,
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it's not
16:28
other people,
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it's the
16:30
forces of
16:31
darkness
16:32
who will
16:33
keep
16:34
attacking
16:35
you,
16:35
yes,
16:37
even use
16:38
people to
16:39
further their
16:40
aims, and
16:40
of course,
16:41
you don't
16:41
have to
16:41
go further
16:43
than Calvary
16:44
to see
16:45
how the
16:45
forces of
16:46
darkness
16:47
manipulated
16:48
people
16:49
seeking
16:50
to destroy
16:52
Christ
16:53
in the
16:54
world.
16:56
And they
16:56
do that
16:57
to you
16:58
and me
16:59
in the
16:59
hope that
17:00
we will
17:01
do something
17:01
to dishonor
17:03
God.
17:04
Our
17:05
demise
17:05
then becomes
17:06
the food
17:07
of those
17:09
hostile
17:09
hostile
17:09
to the
17:11
cause of
17:11
Christ.
17:13
One
17:13
glaring
17:14
example in
17:15
the Bible
17:15
is a
17:17
man who
17:18
began
17:19
well,
17:21
who had
17:22
a great
17:24
reputation,
17:26
a man by
17:26
the name
17:27
of Samson.
17:28
And the
17:29
Bible tells
17:30
us the
17:30
Philistine
17:31
seized him,
17:33
gouged out
17:34
his eyes,
17:35
because in
17:36
a moment
17:37
of weakness,
17:39
rather than
17:40
trusting the
17:41
Almighty,
17:42
he trusted
17:43
his fellow
17:43
creature,
17:45
gouged out
17:46
his eyes
17:47
and brought
17:47
him down
17:48
to Gaza
17:48
and bound
17:50
him with
17:50
bronze shackles.
17:52
This is the
17:52
point.
17:54
And he
17:54
ground at
17:55
the mill
17:56
in the
17:57
prison.
17:59
Now there
18:00
he was
18:01
being used
18:02
as a
18:04
source of
18:07
providing
18:07
food for
18:10
the very
18:10
people he
18:11
had been
18:12
engaged in
18:13
destroying.
18:15
And now
18:16
they were
18:16
being fed
18:17
by his
18:18
efforts.
18:19
Well,
18:20
that hasn't
18:20
changed.
18:22
The world
18:22
still feeds
18:24
on the
18:25
fall of
18:26
God's
18:27
people and
18:28
the world.
18:30
Conflict
18:30
at
18:31
Rephidim.
18:33
A hostile
18:34
encounter
18:35
and brings
18:35
me to
18:36
my second
18:36
point,
18:37
countering
18:38
hostility.
18:40
The
18:40
chapter
18:41
informs
18:41
us how
18:43
Israel
18:43
launched a
18:44
counter-attack.
18:46
Moses
18:46
addressing
18:48
Joshua,
18:49
choose for
18:49
his men,
18:50
go out
18:51
and fight
18:51
with Amalek.
18:53
Tomorrow I
18:54
will stand,
18:54
says Moses,
18:55
on the top
18:56
of the hill
18:56
with the
18:58
staff of
18:58
God in
19:00
my hand.
19:02
So
19:03
Joshua
19:03
obeyed.
19:05
He did
19:06
as Moses
19:06
told him,
19:07
fought with
19:08
Amalek,
19:09
while Moses,
19:11
Aaron,
19:11
and her
19:12
went up
19:13
to the
19:13
top of
19:14
the hill.
19:17
Fascinating
19:17
how the
19:18
writer,
19:19
well,
19:20
Aaron,
19:20
we know,
19:21
was related
19:21
to Moses,
19:22
but her,
19:24
he's just
19:24
introduced
19:25
as if we
19:27
ought to
19:27
know who
19:27
he is.
19:28
Joshua
19:29
goes to
19:30
the
19:30
battlefield.
19:32
The
19:32
hostile
19:32
forces
19:33
had to
19:34
be
19:34
engaged.
19:36
They
19:36
fought in
19:37
the
19:37
valley.
19:38
Moses
19:39
was up
19:39
on the
19:40
top of
19:41
the hill.
19:43
Verse
19:43
11 tells
19:44
us,
19:45
whenever
19:45
Moses held
19:46
up his
19:46
hand,
19:47
Israel
19:48
prevailed.
19:49
When
19:50
his hand
19:50
lowered,
19:51
Amalek
19:52
prevailed.
19:54
And does
19:54
that not
19:55
indicate to
19:56
us,
19:56
whatever
19:57
Moses was
19:58
doing on
19:58
the hilltop
19:59
is connected
20:02
with the
20:02
fortunes
20:03
of the
20:04
fighting men
20:05
on the
20:06
battlefield in
20:07
the valley.
20:08
Some might
20:09
suggest that
20:11
he was
20:11
merely
20:11
directing
20:12
the fighting
20:14
men in
20:15
the valley
20:16
below from
20:17
his vantage
20:19
point on
20:20
the hilltop.
20:21
and when
20:23
I
20:25
think of
20:27
that view,
20:27
I think
20:28
of Moses
20:29
almost like
20:30
a choir
20:30
conductor.
20:33
And I
20:34
would
20:34
discount
20:35
that
20:35
immediately
20:36
for one
20:37
simple
20:38
reason.
20:39
Moses
20:40
held the
20:41
staff of
20:42
God in
20:43
his hand.
20:44
Tomorrow I
20:44
will stand
20:45
on the
20:45
top of
20:46
the hill
20:46
with the
20:47
staff of
20:48
God in
20:49
my hand.
20:50
member
20:51
of the
20:51
staff has
20:52
history.
20:54
It was
20:54
instrumental
20:55
in the
20:57
displays of
20:58
divine power
20:59
connected
21:00
with the
21:01
exodus.
21:03
And so
21:04
therefore I
21:04
understand
21:05
Moses'
21:06
uplifted
21:06
hand to
21:08
be symbolic
21:09
of
21:11
intercessory
21:12
prayer.
21:13
Now you
21:13
may tell
21:14
me there
21:15
is no
21:16
word of
21:16
prayer in
21:18
the passage.
21:18
but if
21:20
you look
21:21
through your
21:22
Bible you
21:23
will find
21:23
that the
21:24
uplifting
21:25
of the
21:26
hand is
21:27
a symbol
21:28
for prayer.
21:30
For example
21:31
in the
21:31
Psalms,
21:32
the very
21:32
first Psalm
21:34
that we
21:34
sang this
21:35
evening,
21:36
so I
21:36
will bless
21:37
you as
21:37
long as
21:38
I live
21:38
in your
21:39
name.
21:41
I will
21:41
lift up
21:42
my hands.
21:43
What was
21:43
the psalmist
21:44
doing there?
21:45
He was
21:45
engaging in
21:46
prayer,
21:48
engaging in
21:49
wrestling with
21:50
God.
21:51
And then
21:51
the second
21:52
Psalm that
21:53
we sang,
21:53
let my
21:54
prayer be
21:54
counted as
21:55
incense before
21:56
you,
21:56
and the
21:57
lifting up
21:58
of my
21:58
hands as
21:59
the evening
22:00
sacrifice.
22:02
What took
22:02
place when
22:03
the evening
22:04
sacrifice was
22:05
being offered
22:05
up?
22:06
There was
22:07
prayer on
22:08
the part
22:08
of the
22:09
priests.
22:10
And although
22:11
there is no
22:12
record of
22:13
what Moses
22:14
said,
22:16
the inference
22:17
is that
22:19
Moses' actions
22:21
on the
22:21
hilltop
22:22
were an
22:23
unmistakable
22:24
sign of
22:25
dependence on
22:27
God alone
22:28
to win the
22:29
battle.
22:30
In holding
22:31
the rod up
22:32
to heaven,
22:33
he was
22:34
appealing for
22:35
God to
22:35
defend his
22:36
people.
22:38
Yes,
22:39
men were
22:40
selected for
22:42
battle.
22:44
And again,
22:45
the writer
22:45
doesn't go
22:46
into detail
22:47
of their
22:48
skills or
22:49
their
22:49
suitability.
22:51
None of
22:51
that is
22:51
revealed.
22:52
Yet despite
22:53
having selected
22:54
men to
22:55
fight,
22:56
the outcome
22:57
was not
22:58
determined by
22:59
the bravery
23:00
and fighting
23:00
skills of
23:02
these men
23:02
on the
23:03
battlefield,
23:04
but by
23:05
what happened
23:06
on the
23:07
hilltop.
23:09
It depended
23:10
on the
23:10
God he
23:11
was being
23:11
pled with
23:12
in prayer.
23:14
Whenever
23:15
Moses held
23:16
up his
23:16
hand,
23:17
Israel
23:18
prevailed.
23:20
Whenever he
23:21
lowered his
23:21
hand,
23:22
Amalek
23:23
prevailed.
23:24
Now remember,
23:26
God answers
23:27
prayer.
23:31
Oh,
23:32
how thankful
23:33
every believer
23:35
ought to be
23:36
that God
23:37
answers
23:38
prayer.
23:38
Moses saw
23:41
this
23:42
firsthand
23:43
as he
23:44
watched the
23:45
conflict
23:46
in the
23:46
valley.
23:49
The success
23:49
in battle
23:50
depended on
23:52
the God
23:52
who answers
23:53
prayer.
23:54
I'm sure
23:54
everyone has
23:55
heard the
23:55
phrase,
23:56
the pen,
23:57
is mightier
23:58
than the
23:59
sword.
24:00
But in
24:01
this example,
24:03
it was the
24:04
petition that
24:06
was mightier
24:06
than the
24:08
sword.
24:09
And prayer
24:10
is an
24:11
effective
24:12
weapon in
24:14
the hands
24:14
of the
24:14
believer.
24:16
In fact,
24:17
Paul counsels
24:18
the church.
24:19
I could put it
24:20
stronger.
24:21
He instructs the
24:23
church in the
24:24
letter to the
24:24
Ephesians,
24:26
pray at all
24:27
times in the
24:29
Spirit,
24:30
with all
24:31
prayer and
24:32
supplication.
24:33
prayer.
24:34
And when
24:35
he writes
24:35
that, it's
24:36
after putting
24:38
on the
24:38
whole armor
24:39
of God.
24:40
What does
24:40
that tell
24:40
us?
24:41
Does it
24:42
not tell
24:42
us this,
24:43
that we
24:43
may put
24:43
on the
24:44
whole
24:44
armor,
24:45
the belt
24:45
of truth,
24:46
the breastplate
24:47
of righteousness,
24:48
the shield
24:48
of faith,
24:49
the helmet
24:49
of salvation,
24:51
and the
24:51
sword of
24:52
the Spirit?
24:53
But if we
24:53
do not
24:54
entrust
24:54
ourselves to
24:55
God in
24:56
prayer,
24:57
then we
24:58
will not
24:59
stand.
25:00
We'll be
25:01
led away
25:01
into error.
25:02
we'll give
25:03
way to
25:04
temptation.
25:05
We'll be
25:06
dragged down
25:06
into doubt
25:07
and discouragement.
25:09
We could
25:10
fight valiantly
25:11
like Joshua,
25:12
but unless we
25:13
pray like
25:13
Moses,
25:14
we'll not
25:15
overcome in
25:16
the battle.
25:17
So how do
25:18
we fight
25:18
back against
25:20
the forces of
25:21
darkness?
25:21
Do we not
25:22
do what
25:22
Moses did?
25:23
He engaged
25:24
in prayer.
25:26
It is by
25:26
persevering and
25:27
prevailing in
25:29
prayer that we
25:29
become victorious
25:31
on the
25:32
battlefield of
25:33
sin and
25:33
temptation.
25:35
If you ask
25:36
me, why
25:37
is prayer
25:37
of such
25:39
huge importance?
25:41
Why is it
25:42
such an
25:43
effective
25:43
spiritual
25:44
weapon?
25:46
My answer
25:46
would be
25:47
this, that
25:47
God is the
25:48
difference
25:49
between victory
25:51
and defeat.
25:54
It is by
25:55
prayer that
25:56
we depend
25:56
on him
25:57
to win the
25:59
battle.
25:59
prayer.
26:00
Does that
26:00
mean that
26:01
it is the
26:03
power of
26:04
prayer that
26:04
is important?
26:07
Is it that
26:07
prayer itself
26:08
is the
26:09
important
26:09
factor?
26:11
If we pray
26:11
long enough,
26:12
if we pray
26:13
hard enough,
26:13
or often
26:14
enough,
26:14
then God
26:15
will do
26:15
what we
26:16
are asking
26:16
him to
26:17
do.
26:18
The power
26:19
of prayer
26:20
is not
26:22
the prayer
26:23
itself,
26:24
but the
26:25
power of
26:26
God.
26:27
In prayer,
26:29
we are
26:29
acknowledging
26:30
our absolute
26:32
dependence
26:33
on God.
26:36
Reminds me
26:37
of a
26:38
definition
26:38
of prayer
26:39
that I
26:41
read many
26:41
years ago
26:42
in a book
26:44
written by
26:45
a man
26:45
called
26:45
Octavius
26:46
Winslow,
26:48
and the
26:48
title of
26:49
the book
26:49
was The
26:50
Work of
26:51
the Holy
26:51
Spirit.
26:52
This is
26:53
what he
26:53
wrote on
26:54
prayer.
26:55
Prayer is
26:56
the expression
26:57
of want,
26:59
the desire
27:00
of need,
27:01
the acknowledgement
27:02
of poverty,
27:04
the language
27:05
of dependence,
27:06
the breathing
27:07
of a soul
27:07
that has
27:08
nothing in
27:09
itself but
27:10
hangs on
27:12
God for
27:13
all its
27:14
wants.
27:16
That
27:16
definition
27:18
of prayer
27:19
greatly
27:21
appealed to
27:21
me when
27:22
I first
27:23
read it,
27:24
and it
27:25
still does
27:26
years later.
27:30
Prayer is
27:30
also for
27:31
the glory
27:31
of God.
27:32
It glorifies
27:33
God by
27:34
showing that
27:35
the victory
27:36
belongs to
27:37
God alone.
27:40
Some have
27:40
suggested
27:41
that is why
27:42
Moses was
27:43
on the
27:43
hilltop,
27:45
because you
27:46
could say,
27:46
could he not
27:46
have prayed
27:47
in the
27:47
valley?
27:49
On the
27:50
hilltop,
27:50
he was
27:51
making sure
27:52
that Israel
27:54
learned the
27:56
power of
27:56
prayer.
27:57
Had he not
27:58
been visible
27:58
on the
27:59
hilltop,
28:00
Israel might
28:00
have concluded
28:01
that they
28:02
themselves were
28:02
responsible for
28:04
the victory.
28:06
They would be
28:06
celebrating their
28:08
own strength
28:09
and military
28:10
power.
28:12
We are so
28:13
prone to
28:16
this type
28:16
of failing,
28:17
of thinking
28:19
that we
28:20
ourselves
28:21
have done
28:23
it all.
28:25
When you
28:26
read this
28:26
book of
28:27
Exodus
28:28
carefully,
28:29
you cannot
28:30
but be
28:31
struck by
28:32
the frequency
28:33
of prayer
28:34
in the life
28:36
of Moses,
28:37
the servant
28:37
of God.
28:39
Again and
28:40
again you
28:40
find him
28:41
talking over
28:42
his problems
28:43
with the
28:44
Lord.
28:45
Here he
28:45
intercedes
28:46
on behalf
28:47
of Israel.
28:48
When he
28:49
lifted his
28:50
hand on
28:50
the hill,
28:52
top as I
28:53
believe in
28:53
prayer,
28:55
he was
28:55
elevating the
28:56
entire nation
28:57
before the
28:58
throne of
28:59
grace.
29:00
Given the
29:01
many wonderful
29:02
answers to
29:03
prayer that
29:04
he received,
29:06
many might
29:06
have thought
29:07
of him as
29:08
a prayer
29:09
warrior.
29:09
But what
29:11
I believe
29:12
this chapter
29:13
shows about
29:15
Moses'
29:16
prayer life
29:17
is not
29:18
its strength
29:19
but its
29:21
weakness.
29:23
As long
29:24
as he
29:25
interceded,
29:26
the Israelite
29:27
forces had
29:29
the upper
29:29
hand.
29:31
But there
29:31
came a
29:32
time when
29:33
Moses'
29:34
hands grew
29:36
weary.
29:37
Verse 12.
29:37
He was
29:39
unable to
29:40
persevere
29:41
in prayer.
29:43
And that
29:44
surely points
29:45
to the
29:45
need of
29:47
one greater
29:48
than Moses
29:48
who is a
29:50
better
29:51
mediator,
29:52
even the
29:53
Lord Jesus
29:54
Christ.
29:54
The writer
29:55
to the
29:55
Hebrews
29:56
reminds us
29:57
that he
29:58
always lives
29:59
to make
30:00
intercession
30:01
for his
30:02
people.
30:02
He requires
30:03
no one
30:04
to hold
30:05
up his
30:05
hands.
30:06
There
30:08
came a
30:08
time for
30:09
Moses
30:10
when
30:11
sheer
30:12
exhaustion
30:12
set in,
30:15
unable to
30:15
keep going.
30:17
And I
30:17
am sure
30:18
that every
30:19
person
30:19
who engages
30:21
in prayer
30:22
will agree
30:23
that
30:24
persistent,
30:25
continuous
30:26
prayer
30:27
can be
30:28
wearisome,
30:29
can be
30:30
exhausting.
30:31
it is
30:32
difficult
30:33
to remember
30:34
what is
30:36
recorded
30:36
of the
30:38
disciples
30:38
who were
30:39
with Jesus
30:40
in
30:41
Gethsemane.
30:43
Remember,
30:44
Jesus had
30:45
gone a
30:45
stone's
30:46
throw from
30:47
them.
30:47
He had
30:47
taken
30:48
three with
30:48
them.
30:49
And we
30:50
are told
30:50
he came
30:51
to the
30:51
disciples
30:52
and found
30:52
them
30:53
sleeping.
30:54
And he
30:55
spoke
30:55
particularly
30:55
to Peter.
30:56
So could
30:58
you not
30:59
watch with
30:59
me one
31:00
hour?
31:03
And then
31:03
he goes
31:03
on to
31:04
say,
31:04
The spirit
31:05
indeed is
31:05
willing,
31:06
but the
31:07
flesh is
31:08
weak.
31:10
The flesh
31:11
is always
31:11
weak.
31:14
But the
31:15
weakness
31:15
of Moses
31:16
only served
31:18
to highlight
31:19
and magnify
31:21
the glory
31:22
of God.
31:23
It showed
31:23
that Israel
31:24
was victorious
31:26
not because
31:28
Joshua was
31:28
a good
31:29
military
31:29
leader or
31:31
because Moses
31:32
was a man
31:33
of prayer,
31:34
but because
31:36
God was
31:37
their captain
31:37
in the
31:39
battle.
31:40
We read
31:41
Moses'
31:42
hands grew
31:42
weary,
31:43
so they
31:43
took a
31:44
stone and
31:44
put it
31:45
under him,
31:46
sat on
31:46
it while
31:47
Aaron and
31:47
her held
31:48
up his
31:48
hands,
31:49
and so
31:49
on.
31:50
And what
31:50
this picture
31:52
sets before
31:54
us and
31:54
suggests,
31:56
is that
31:56
Moses was
31:57
given
31:57
support in
31:59
persevering in
32:00
prayer by
32:01
these two
32:02
individuals,
32:03
Aaron and
32:04
her.
32:05
With their
32:06
help,
32:07
his hands
32:08
remain steady.
32:11
Even prayer
32:12
warriors
32:13
require
32:14
assistance.
32:15
prayer.
32:15
And I
32:18
think it
32:18
demonstrates
32:19
to us
32:20
the need
32:21
of corporate
32:22
prayer.
32:24
Yes,
32:26
individual
32:26
prayer
32:27
ought to
32:29
be a
32:30
constant
32:30
feature and
32:32
mark of
32:33
the believer
32:34
in life,
32:35
but there is
32:36
a need for
32:37
corporate
32:38
prayer.
32:39
That's a
32:40
feature of
32:41
the New
32:41
Testament
32:42
church from
32:43
the very
32:43
outset in
32:44
the book
32:45
of the
32:45
Acts of
32:45
the
32:46
Apostles.
32:47
You find
32:47
the early
32:48
Christians
32:49
engaged in
32:50
prayer and
32:51
groups.
32:52
At
32:52
Pentecost,
32:53
for example,
32:54
they were
32:55
all together
32:55
in one
32:56
place.
32:57
Can you
32:58
find this?
32:59
They devoted
32:59
themselves to
33:00
the apostle
33:01
teaching and
33:02
the fellowship,
33:03
to the
33:03
breaking of
33:04
bread and
33:05
the prayers.
33:06
When choosing
33:07
men to
33:07
the diaconate,
33:09
you remember
33:10
the disciples
33:10
said,
33:11
we will
33:11
devote
33:12
ourselves
33:12
to
33:13
prayer and
33:14
to the
33:14
ministry of
33:15
the word.
33:16
And again
33:17
remember when
33:18
Peter was
33:19
imprisoned by
33:20
Herod,
33:22
earnest
33:22
prayer for
33:24
him was
33:25
made to
33:25
God by
33:27
the church.
33:30
When he
33:31
was miraculously
33:32
released from
33:33
imprisonment,
33:35
he went to
33:36
look for his
33:37
friends, and
33:39
you remember
33:39
what was
33:40
true.
33:41
when he
33:41
came to
33:42
the house
33:43
of John
33:43
Mark,
33:45
they were
33:45
engaged in
33:47
all-night
33:47
prayer.
33:49
Many were
33:50
gathered
33:50
together and
33:52
were praying.
33:54
The strange
33:55
thing is,
33:55
in that
33:56
example,
33:57
they didn't
33:58
even believe
33:59
that the
34:00
Lord had
34:01
done what
34:01
they were
34:02
praying for.
34:02
And sometimes
34:03
we're like
34:04
that too.
34:04
we ask
34:07
for something,
34:08
and when it
34:09
happens, we
34:10
can hardly
34:10
believe that
34:11
does happen.
34:12
There was
34:12
Peter knocking
34:13
frantically at
34:15
the door.
34:17
And you
34:18
remember
34:18
how
34:20
Rhoda came
34:23
to the
34:23
door.
34:24
She ran
34:25
back in,
34:25
such was her
34:26
excitement.
34:27
And they
34:27
weren't
34:28
believing it.
34:29
that required
34:31
some convincing.
34:32
Well,
34:33
prayer is the
34:33
spiritual weapon
34:35
of the
34:35
church.
34:36
Cannot be
34:36
emphasized
34:37
enough how
34:38
we need
34:39
to meet
34:40
in prayer.
34:41
Remember,
34:42
the promise
34:42
of Jesus
34:43
to the
34:44
church,
34:45
where two
34:45
or three
34:46
are gathered
34:46
in my
34:47
name.
34:48
There am
34:49
I among
34:50
them.
34:50
there is
34:52
need,
34:52
as I
34:52
said,
34:53
for
34:53
private
34:53
intercession.
34:55
But there
34:56
is a
34:56
great need
34:57
for
34:57
corporate
34:58
prayer,
34:59
where we
35:00
pray for
35:01
and pray
35:03
with
35:03
other
35:04
Christians.
35:06
And you
35:06
know,
35:06
that can
35:07
be very
35:08
encouraging
35:09
to people
35:11
when they're
35:11
praying for
35:13
and with
35:14
one another.
35:18
Countering
35:19
hostility,
35:20
the importance
35:20
of prayer,
35:21
conflict,
35:22
and
35:22
referendum,
35:23
a hostile
35:24
finally celebration
35:25
of victory.
35:27
The narrative
35:27
tells us
35:28
Joshua
35:29
overwhelmed
35:30
Amalek and
35:31
his people
35:32
with a
35:32
sword.
35:35
Does the
35:36
writer tell
35:37
us
35:37
how they
35:41
celebrated
35:41
the victory?
35:43
A huge
35:44
victory
35:45
party was
35:46
held.
35:47
That's not
35:48
what we
35:48
read.
35:50
But what
35:51
we read
35:51
is this,
35:53
or what
35:54
is implied
35:55
by what
35:56
we read.
35:57
They
35:57
offered
35:57
thanksgiving
35:58
to God.
36:00
They
36:01
worshipped.
36:02
How
36:02
appropriate.
36:05
Moses is
36:06
instructed to
36:07
write
36:07
what took
36:08
place,
36:10
and
36:10
significantly
36:11
instructed
36:12
to bring
36:13
this to
36:13
the attention
36:14
of Joshua
36:15
as the
36:17
future leader
36:18
of the
36:18
nation.
36:18
Not so
36:19
much that
36:19
he might
36:20
read the
36:20
report,
36:21
but to
36:22
have it
36:23
read out
36:24
to him.
36:25
Write this
36:26
as a
36:26
memorial in
36:27
a book,
36:28
and recite
36:29
it in the
36:32
years of
36:32
Joshua.
36:34
You know,
36:34
write it as a
36:35
memorial and
36:36
let him read
36:36
it.
36:37
That's not what's
36:37
said in the
36:39
context here,
36:40
but recite it
36:42
in the
36:43
years of
36:44
Joshua.
36:45
And then
36:46
there is
36:46
this message,
36:47
a very
36:47
solemn message
36:48
that I will
36:49
utterly blot
36:50
out the
36:50
memory of
36:51
Amalek from
36:52
under heaven.
36:54
The report
36:55
was to
36:55
act as a
36:56
reminder to
36:57
the future
36:58
leader and
36:59
to the
36:59
nation what
37:00
God had
37:01
done, what
37:02
he still
37:03
intended to
37:04
do regarding
37:05
the Amalekites.
37:07
Israel would
37:08
face these
37:08
peoples again.
37:09
God wanted
37:11
Israel to
37:11
remember what
37:12
he had done
37:13
for them in
37:13
the past, so
37:14
when they
37:15
came under
37:15
attack again,
37:17
they would
37:17
look to the
37:18
Lord for
37:19
deliverance.
37:20
And not only
37:21
that, but
37:22
that these
37:23
people were
37:23
to be
37:24
destroyed.
37:26
And yet
37:26
so often,
37:28
we tend to
37:29
disregard or
37:31
forget the
37:35
lessons of
37:36
the past.
37:38
Is that not
37:38
true?
37:39
And we
37:40
repeat the
37:41
same mistakes
37:43
again.
37:45
Israel sadly
37:47
did just
37:48
that.
37:50
They
37:50
encountered
37:51
the Amalekites
37:53
again when
37:54
they reached
37:55
the borders of
37:56
the promised
37:56
land.
37:57
Instead of
37:58
looking to
37:58
the Lord in
37:59
prayer, they
38:00
were afraid.
38:03
As a result,
38:05
they spent the
38:05
next 38
38:06
years wandering
38:08
in the wilderness.
38:10
However, to
38:11
come back to
38:11
my third
38:12
heading, the
38:13
celebration of
38:14
victory, they
38:15
built an
38:16
altar.
38:17
Moses built an
38:18
altar.
38:19
That was a
38:19
common practice
38:20
amongst those
38:23
who would
38:24
probably be
38:25
regarded as the
38:26
patriarchs.
38:27
For example,
38:27
Noah, when he
38:28
came out of the
38:29
ark, he built
38:30
an altar.
38:31
Abram built an
38:33
altar at
38:34
Shechem when
38:35
the Lord
38:35
appeared to
38:36
him.
38:37
Now, you
38:38
will probably
38:38
tell me there
38:39
is no
38:40
mention of
38:41
an offering
38:42
made in this
38:43
context.
38:43
There is not.
38:45
but there is
38:48
no mention
38:50
of an
38:55
offering not
38:56
being made.
38:58
The very
38:58
word altar
38:59
is derived
39:01
from the
39:02
idea of
39:03
sacrificial
39:04
slaughter.
39:05
It's on the
39:06
basis of
39:07
sacrifice that
39:08
fellowship with
39:09
God was
39:10
maintained.
39:11
and this
39:13
altar, I
39:14
would suggest,
39:15
was erected
39:16
in order to
39:18
thank God.
39:19
But it also
39:20
serves as a
39:21
memorial to
39:23
the assistance
39:24
given by the
39:26
Lord in
39:27
enabling the
39:28
Israelite forces
39:29
to overcome
39:30
the Amalekites.
39:32
The name
39:33
which Moses
39:33
gives to the
39:34
altar is most
39:35
interesting.
39:37
The Lord
39:37
is my
39:38
banner.
39:39
Yahweh
39:41
Nisi.
39:43
There is
39:44
acknowledgement
39:45
that God
39:46
is banner
39:47
and strength
39:48
of his
39:48
people.
39:49
A banner
39:50
in the
39:50
conventional
39:51
military sense
39:53
is usually
39:53
military standard
39:55
with a piece
39:56
of cloth
39:57
or a flag
39:58
bearing the
39:59
regimental
40:01
insignia
40:01
and raised
40:02
on a pole
40:03
that usually
40:03
becomes a
40:05
rallying point
40:05
in battle
40:06
reminding soldiers
40:08
of their
40:09
identity
40:09
but also
40:10
giving them
40:10
encouragement
40:11
at hope
40:12
as long as
40:13
the banner
40:13
is displayed
40:14
they know
40:16
the battle
40:16
is not
40:17
lost.
40:18
And Moses
40:19
by this
40:20
name
40:20
is saying
40:21
to the
40:22
nation
40:22
the staff
40:24
for my
40:25
upraised
40:25
hand
40:26
is not
40:27
your source
40:27
of encouragement
40:28
but God
40:30
himself.
40:32
This was
40:32
to be the
40:33
rallying cry
40:34
of the people
40:35
of Israel.
40:38
It's the
40:38
rallying cry
40:39
for the
40:41
church to
40:41
the present
40:42
hour.
40:43
There's a
40:44
need for
40:44
vigilance
40:45
in our
40:46
daily life
40:47
as we
40:48
encounter
40:49
the world
40:50
the flesh
40:51
and the
40:51
devil.
40:53
That may
40:53
be an
40:54
old truth
40:54
but all
40:56
truths
40:57
require
40:58
constant
40:59
emphasis.
41:01
Can we
41:01
say this
41:02
evening
41:02
that Jesus
41:03
is our
41:05
banner
41:05
and that
41:09
we
41:09
are
41:11
walking
41:12
under
41:14
him
41:15
as our
41:16
banner.
41:18
Conflict
41:19
at
41:19
Rephidim
41:20
a hostile
41:21
encounter
41:21
countering
41:23
hostility
41:24
the importance
41:25
of prayer
41:25
celebration
41:27
of victory
41:28
they give
41:30
thanks
41:30
and declared
41:32
that the
41:33
Lord was
41:34
their
41:34
banner.
41:35
Let us
41:35
pray.
41:38
Almighty
41:40
God
41:41
we
41:43
thank
41:43
thee
41:44
that
41:46
thou
41:46
art the
41:46
hearer
41:47
and the
41:48
answerer
41:49
of prayer
41:49
that thou
41:52
art even
41:52
the
41:53
instigator
41:54
of prayer
41:54
in the
41:56
lives of
41:57
those
41:58
who have
41:59
been imbued
42:00
with new
42:03
spiritual
42:03
life
42:04
and we
42:06
bless thy
42:07
name
42:07
that however
42:09
feeble
42:10
they might
42:11
feel
42:11
that they
42:13
come to
42:14
a strong
42:14
and a
42:16
powerful
42:17
God
42:17
even to
42:19
one who
42:20
is omnipotent
42:21
who is able
42:23
to turn
42:23
matters
42:24
around
42:25
even
42:26
when
42:27
these
42:29
situations
42:30
may seem
42:31
so bleak
42:32
so hopeless
42:34
and so
42:35
lost
42:35
that thou
42:37
art able
42:37
to turn
42:38
them around
42:39
help us
42:40
to look
42:42
increasingly
42:42
more to
42:43
thee
42:43
to trust
42:45
in thy
42:46
power
42:46
to seek
42:48
thy face
42:49
and the
42:50
glory shall
42:51
be thine
42:51
in jesus
42:53
name we
42:54
ask it
42:54
amen
42:55
let us
42:58
conclude
42:59
by