And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him;
and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecc 4:12
But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him,and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
And Moses built an altar,and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Exo 17:8-16
The effectual working together of the body of Christ is displayed in the story of the children of Israel against their enemy, the Amalekites. Moses could not lead this battle alone – he needed his brethren to assist him, and he, like all of us, became weary during the battle.
Jesus is the Lord of Heaven and Earth and we are His Body on earth. He has not left us alone, as it is written:
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 14:16-18
We are not alone; Jesus has kept His Word and made His abode with us. He is that Word of God, truth absolute, which will stand for eternity. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever. We will have victory over our Amalekites, because Jesus Christ has prevailed over the enemy, and as His children, we also have the victory.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev. 19:11-14
That army is the church of Jesus Christ, the family of God who loves the Lord and do His will in the earth. They are brothers and sisters in Christ, who, like Aaron and Hur, uphold the hands of Moses when weariness comes upon us. Our brethren hold up our arms when we fall to deceit or lies; when we yield to the deceitfulness of sin, when sorrow and pain overcome us. They are the great cloud:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:1
It is important to note that this war with the Amalkites was – “from generation to generation.” The children of the flesh will always persecute the children of Spirit. This is the spirit at work in the children of disobedience. It is Cain hating Abel, Esau vs. Jacob, and Ishmael against every man.
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Gal 4:29
Standing on Mt. Zion is the Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus, together with the 144,000, who were redeemed from among men. This picture of the mountain, and in this story, the top of the hill, is indicative of being seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. At this hill top, with God’s Sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God) in our hand, we will escape the fiery darts of the enemy. The Amalekites will not prevail over the children of Israel -- and no weapon formed against us will prosper. We will have victory over our enemies, because we are in Christ.
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and God hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. He rules the nations with this Rod of Iron:
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Rev 12:5
When we venture forth into the world armed with the Sword of the Word of God, we will not be deceived, and we will be covered with the protective Spirit of God, who leads us into all truth. There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed and the hidden things of the heart are made manifest.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
1Co 4:5
Jesus Christ has sealed His Church with the Holy Spirit of Promise and sent us into the furthermost reaches of the earth with the message of salvation. She wars against principalities and spiritual wickedness in high places, exposing lies and replacing deceit with truth. As long as she is “abiding in the vine,” she is guaranteed victory as the story of the children of Israel against the Amalekites reveal.
The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
Exo 14:14
Jesus told His disciples that the Spirit was willing, yet their flesh was weak. At times we will tire of the fight, and this weariness can allow satan to strike. Moses could not keep his arms raised alone and depended on the loving assistance of his brethren. Perhaps we have been struck with sickness or family problems, or any multitude of issues during our walk. At times we may feel depleted and know that our brethren are ever present to uphold us when we cannot uphold ourselves. It is hard to be alert and watching, when we are fatigued from the war, but Christ has placed watchmen in His church:
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth
Isa 62:6-7
In the story of the Amalekites against the children of Israel, it is of utmost importance to understand that Israel would have been destroyed if Moses was left alone. Every time Moses’ arms became heavy, the enemy gained power, but when the body joined together, they were stronger and won the war.
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Eph 4:16
If we are at war today, let us be mindful in our prayers to our Heavenly Father, to be aware of the help He will send us. If the battle is fierce (and it is), and if we have let down our sword from weariness, God will send along an Aaron or Hur to stand with us, to love us and support us, as we labor together to enter in the land of promise. We will overcome the fiery darts of satan when we are seated on the Rock (as was Moses) in unity, in order, in truth, and in Christ.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Eph 4:1-16
Dedicated to Melissa.
November 16, 2009
