Exo 17:8 | KingComments | STEP | In the previous sections God has made sure that the people will have food and water all the time. Now there is fighting as well. The report on the fight begins with the word ‘then’. Following on from the previous verse, this fight seems to follow, not so much on the actions of God, but on the attitude of unbelief of the people. Yet the people can make use of the food and water provided by God in order to be able to cope with this battle in the strength of it. In Egypt they had no fighting. There they have been in slavery. At the Red Sea there was no fight either. There God has fought. In the wilderness there is a fight that has to be fought by the people. The fight against Amalek is not sought by the people. Amalek, the aggressor, is a grandson of Esau ( ), the “godless” ( ), and shows his character traits. Amalek is a picture of satan attacking the believer through the weakness of his sinful flesh. Peter exhorts the believers to “abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” ( ). This fight is against our souls. It is a fight that we must leave to the Spirit Who dwells in us ( ). By walking in the Spirit we will not give in to the lust of the flesh ( ). The Spirit directs our attention to Christ in glory. Joshua will bring the people through the Jordan into the promised land. He is a picture of Christ Who enables us through the Spirit to take possession of the land. It is the Lord Jesus Who fights against the flesh through the Spirit. ‘Joshua’ is the Hebrew name for the Greek name ‘Jesus’. At the same time, the result of the fight depends on the place Moses occupies before God on the mountain. Moses is there together with Aaron and Hur. These three men on the mountain also represent Christ: Moses delivered the people, he represents the Redeemer; Aaron represents the Lord Jesus as the High Priest who can “sympathize with our weaknesses” ( ); Hur means whiteness, purity, which shows the perfection of Him Who does intercession. Of course, the Lord Jesus never gets tired ( ). It shows how much everything depends on Him, Whose intercession in heaven determines the course of the conflict on earth. The fight is settled by Joshua with the sharpness of the sword. The Word of God is compared to “the sword of the Spirit” ( ). The Spirit in us applies the Word of God and enables us to resist the flesh and its desires.

‏ Exodus 17:8

Joshua’s Fight Against Amalek

In the previous sections God has made sure that the people will have food and water all the time. Now there is fighting as well. The report on the fight begins with the word ‘then’. Following on from the previous verse, this fight seems to follow, not so much on the actions of God, but on the attitude of unbelief of the people. Yet the people can make use of the food and water provided by God in order to be able to cope with this battle in the strength of it.

In Egypt they had no fighting. There they have been in slavery. At the Red Sea there was no fight either. There God has fought. In the wilderness there is a fight that has to be fought by the people. The fight against Amalek is not sought by the people. Amalek, the aggressor, is a grandson of Esau (Gen 36:12), the “godless” (Heb 12:16), and shows his character traits.

Amalek is a picture of satan attacking the believer through the weakness of his sinful flesh. Peter exhorts the believers to “abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1Pet 2:11). This fight is against our souls. It is a fight that we must leave to the Spirit Who dwells in us (Gal 5:17). By walking in the Spirit we will not give in to the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16).

The Spirit directs our attention to Christ in glory. Joshua will bring the people through the Jordan into the promised land. He is a picture of Christ Who enables us through the Spirit to take possession of the land. It is the Lord Jesus Who fights against the flesh through the Spirit. ‘Joshua’ is the Hebrew name for the Greek name ‘Jesus’.

At the same time, the result of the fight depends on the place Moses occupies before God on the mountain. Moses is there together with Aaron and Hur. These three men on the mountain also represent Christ: Moses delivered the people, he represents the Redeemer; Aaron represents the Lord Jesus as the High Priest who can “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb 4:15); Hur means whiteness, purity, which shows the perfection of Him Who does intercession.

Of course, the Lord Jesus never gets tired (Heb 7:25). It shows how much everything depends on Him, Whose intercession in heaven determines the course of the conflict on earth.

The fight is settled by Joshua with the sharpness of the sword. The Word of God is compared to “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph 6:17b). The Spirit in us applies the Word of God and enables us to resist the flesh and its desires.