Exodus 17:1-16 – “Present When Absent”
I.) Intro.
The young nation of Israel had only been experiencing God’s leading for about one month, and so far, they hadn’t done too well. Their first test came just three days after God miraculously divided the Red Sea. When they grew thirsty and found only bitter water at Marah, they impatiently grumbled against God, who made the waters drinkable and led them to the oasis at Elim. Then, after leaving Elim, they grumbled again, this time about having no food. But again, in His grace, God provided bread from heaven and meat. By now, you’d think they’d learn the lesson: “trust in the Lord.” But their problem wasn’t that God wasn’t leading them; rather, they were trusting in where they were going instead of trusting in Who was leading them!
I’ve recently had some experience with following instructions but still not getting the desired results. At family camp, aboard the S.S. Minnow patio boat, Ranger Jim carefully instructed me on how to operate the boat: “Make sure you have enough life preservers, supplies in case the boat breaks down.” Our first trip went well, but on the second voyage, we hit a snag. I anchored the boat so the kids could swim and we could use it as a launch for the Jet Ski. However, the anchor didn’t touch bottom, and when I tried to start the engine, it died. Upon investigating, I found the dock line had gotten tangled in the propeller.
We were stranded. I realized I hadn’t followed Jim’s instructions to the letter. I forgot my pocketknife, paddles, and extra life jackets—convinced I’d never need them if I followed the guidelines. I sat waiting for help as Jim and Burt came to our rescue. All I could say was, “But I followed your advice, and still, I got us into this mess!” Jim was very encouraging though, saying, “It happens all the time.” Still, I thought, “You never warned me about dock ropes in propellers!”
How does this relate to our text? It doesn’t exactly, but here’s the takeaway: God often leads us into difficult situations to show us that we need to trust Him, not where we are going.
II.) Vs. 1-7 Water from a rock?
Vs. 1: This verse sets the tone for the entire chapter. The Israelites journeyed from the wilderness of Sin to Rephidim, which means “resting place.” However, this was anything but a restful place. In the first seven verses, we learn there was no water to drink. To make matters worse, in verses 8-16, the Amalekites attacked the weakest members of the camp.
Let me ask you, if I recommended a “rest stop” to you on a cross-country trip and when you arrived, it had no water and was full of outlaws, would you be happy with me?
So how did they end up in such a place? We’re told in verse 1 that they arrived there “according to the commandment of the Lord.” God was guiding them by His presence, yet He led them to a place without water?
Vs. 2-3: The people responded by contending with Moses and indirectly contending with God. In verse 3, they go back to their conspiracy theory, accusing Moses of bringing them out to the wilderness to die of thirst. Their trust in God had not improved, even after His previous provisions of water and manna.
In verse 7, they even asked, “Is the Lord among us or not?”—a question they posed despite God’s visible presence with them! We, too, can fall into this mindset. When we don’t trust God’s Word, we’re effectively questioning His faithfulness. Every difficult situation is a test: Will we look at our circumstances and doubt God, or will we trust Him no matter what the situation?
Vs. 2, 4: Moses’ response to the people:
- A.) He confronts them: In verse 2, Moses says, “Your anger toward me is really anger toward God.” They should have said, “The Lord has been faithful; let’s see what He does this time!”
- B.) He goes to the Lord: In verse 4, Moses says, “What shall I do with these people? They’re ready to stone me.” Moses conveyed the urgency of the situation.
Vs. 5: God gives Moses four things to do for himself:
- “Go on before the people”: Moses needed to be a leader, not a follower. He had to advance, not retreat, and lead from the front.
- “Take with you some of the elders”: Moses was to surround himself with like-minded people. The elders would encourage him and help lead the people.
- “Take in your hand your rod”: The rod represented God’s past victories. Moses was to rely on God’s grace, as he had before.
- “And go”: Moses had to be a man of action. He couldn’t wait or be indecisive; he had to lead, even when the people were complaining.
Vs. 6: If Moses followed these steps, God promised:
- “I will stand before you on the rock at Horeb”: Horeb, meaning “desolate,” was a place where God promised to meet Moses. God reassured Moses that He would be there, standing ready to act.
- “Strike the rock, and water will come out”: The rock, a most unlikely place for water, would provide life-giving refreshment. This rock symbolized Jesus, who would be struck for us, giving us living water (1 Corinthians 10:4).
Vs. 7: Moses named the place Massah (testing) and Meribah (quarreling) because the people doubted God’s presence. Yet, in His grace, God provided living water. Every difficult situation is a test: Will we look at our circumstances and doubt God, or trust Him?
III.) Vs. 8-16 The Lord is my banner!
Vs. 8: The Amalekites, descendants of Esau, attacked the Israelites’ rear ranks, where the stragglers were. Deuteronomy 25:17-18 tells us that the Amalekites preyed on the weakest members of the camp. There are many today who are in the “rear ranks” because they aren’t in consistent fellowship with the body of Christ. So how was the battle won?
Vs. 9-13: Four men played crucial roles:
- Joshua, who led the physical battle.
- Aaron and Hur, who held up Moses’ hands in prayer.
- Moses, who interceded in prayer.
God worked through all of them to defeat the enemy. God wants us to pray and live as though our lives depend on it—with passion and dependence on Him.
Vs. 14-16: God told Moses that the battle against Amalek would continue through the generations, symbolizing the ongoing battle we have with the flesh. Yet, victory ultimately belongs to the Lord.
Moses built an altar and called it “The Lord is my banner.” A banner is a flag that rallies troops together. Moses was declaring that he rallies behind the Lord, trusting Him and following His lead.
Even though following the Lord had led them to a place without water and into a battle, Moses still looked to the Lord as his banner. When God seems absent, that’s often when He is most present. Don’t trust your circumstances—trust the Lord, no matter what your circumstances are!