Written by Jen T.
Exodus 17:8-16 tells the story of Joshua leading the Israelites in a battle against the Amalekites. I’m sure you all remember the story. While they were in battle, Moses, Aaron, & Hur watched from the top of the hill. When Moses held up his hand with the rod of God in it, the Israelites were winning, but when he grew tired and his hand dropped, Amalek prevailed. So, Aaron and Hur brought a stone for him to sit on and they “stayed up his hands,” one on each side of him. They were there to support him in his time of need.
There is a song called, “Lift Them High” by Bro. Jim McComas which is about this very story. The chorus of the song says, “Someone today you’ll meet by the way is weary from the battles of life. Stay their arms and lift them high. It could be you tomorrow in the heat of turmoil and strife. Stay their arms and lift them high.” It got me thinking about what God is teaching us through this scripture. I think several things could be learned.
1. We need to be paying attention to what God is doing and showing us. Moses had to notice the difference of what transpired when he lifted the rod and when he let it down. The scripture doesn’t say that God told him what to do. He very well could have and it just isn’t mentioned specifically. But either way, Moses had to be listening and watching for direction from God. And after he knew God’s plan, he had to follow through, no matter how difficult. Even with the support of Aaron and Hur his arms would have been aching and tired, but he knew he had to obey the Lord.
2. We need to be paying attention to the needs of those around us. Aaron and Hur noticed Moses struggling and took action. They knew he could not do what God was asking him to do on his own. Why would God ask Moses to do something that was physically impossible? Sometimes I think He does that just to teach us things like this. We need help sometimes and we need to be helpers sometimes. God wants us to be bonded together as one body and working together. When someone says they will fight for you, support you, when they hold up your arms – you never forget it and you deeply appreciate it.
3. A supporting role is a very valuable role. Sometimes we think we need to always be in the spotlight as the “main character” but sometimes the supporting roles are just as valuable as the main character. One study I looked at said, “We all need people like that in our lives. We all can be people like that for others. That is how God’s will is accomplished in and through us.”
Ecclesiastes 4:12, “…a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”