The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Exodus 17:8-13 NIV
Joshua obeyed Moses orders and fought the Amalekites. He and the men he chose were the ones actually battling on the front lines, but he was dependent on the support he received from Moses. For as long as Moses held up his hands, Joshua was successful. But Moses grew tired so Aaron and Hur came to his assistance and helped hold his hands up. Joshua needed Moses and Moses needed Aaron and Hur. Working together, each one doing their part, Israel won the victory!
God calls each of us into different roles. Some of us are called to battle on the front lines and some of us work behind the scenes, but all are important. The body of Christ is designed to work together as a team! It’s important to seek God and to understand what role he has called you to play, then to both fulfill your role and support those with whom you are serving. Ultimately, it is God who gives the victory. He is pleased when we work together in unity!
Paul used the body to illustrate this principal.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body… Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:17-20, 27 NIV
Sometimes I’m the one holding up the staff, and other times I’m the one holding Moses’ hand up. Either way, I feel blessed to be part of the process of seeing God’s victory!
Me too!
Excellent insight into a “typical” account in the OT. We would lose much of the truth if we only looked into the Gospels.