In this portion of Scripture, we have a Moses striking the rock at Horeb, and a battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites, the perpetual enemy of the people of God. In these stories, we have a picture of what Yeshua will accomplish at the cross in what is called the Second Redemption. The Scriptures teach us about Yeshua and his work of redemption (Psa 40.7; Luke 24.27; John 5.39-47).
Moses is the Shaliah (“apostle” or “sent one”) of the First Redemption, and as they move to Mount Sinai, Israel becomes thirsty and needs water. Yehovah tells Moses to take his staff (a staff is a dead branch and alludes to Yeshua-Zech 6.12-13) and strike the rock (the rock is another name for the Messiah) at Horeb, and living water would come forth, and the people could drink. This is a picture of the crucifixion where Yeshua was struck, and by his death, living water is provided, which will save his people.
After this, Amalek came and will fight against Israel. Amalek is a picture of Ha Satan and the flesh, and the Amalekites want to stop them so they can plunder this group of slaves from Egypt. They will meet at Rephidim, which means “lax”, and this teaches us that when we are lax spiritually, the enemy will confront us as we move to hear the word of God from Sinai and walk in it.
So Moses, the shaliach of the First Redemption, tells Joshua to choose men who will go and fight Amalek. He tells Joshua that he will station himself on top of a hill with the staff of God in his hand, and that will be a sign for Yehovah to bring his power of deliverance and power (Exo 4.1-9). Remember, there is a concept in Scripture that teaches us that on the top of a hill or mountain is where the earth meets the heavens, thus connecting us to the Lord. That is why Yeshua went to mountains to pray and why the Temple was built on Mount Moriah.
So Joshua did as Moses requested, and he fought against Amalek, and Moses, Aaron (light-bringer), and Hur (liberty), went to the top of the hill near the battle. As a result, when Moses held his hands up with the staff in his hands like a banner in prayer, like at the crucifixion of Yeshua, Israel prevailed. But when he let down his hands, Amalek prevailed.
But the hands of Moses were heavy as time went on, so they took a stone (a type of the Messiah in Scripture) and put it under Moses so he could sit on it. Then Aaron and Hur could support his hands as he raised the staff, one on one side, and the other on the other side. As a result, the hands of Moses were steady until sunset. This alludes to Yeshua’s hands that were outstretched on the cross between two people, which brought salvation to the people.
So Joshua, another type of Yeshua in this story, and had the same name, overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword, a type of the word of God (Heb 4.12). Joshua’s victory foretells the victory of Yeshua over Ha Satan at Golgotha. Moses was then instructed by Yehovah to write this story down in a scroll as a memorial and recite it to Joshua that Yehovah will utterly blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven (for an unprovoked attack on Israel-Deut 25.17-19) This was partially fulfilled under Saul, but the ultimate blow will come with Mordechai and Esther literally. Spiritually, the ultimate end of Ha Satan and his followers will come at the hands of another Joshua named Yeshua, whose end was sealed with the death and resurrection of Yeshua.
Then Moses built an altar and named it, “Yehovah Nissi,” meaning “The Lord is my Banner (Isa 11.10, 13.2)” and he said, “A hand (another name for the Messiah) is on the throne, war is to Yehovah (or Yehovah will have war) with Amalek from generation to generation.”
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