Exod. 17
We will now look at the third stage of Israel's journey—Rephidim (chap. 17). And again there was no water. Ah! it is hard for the flesh to bear this—to find at every step no water. Yet such is the journey of this wilderness. Think of the path of our precious Lord, and think what awaited His servant Paul in every city (Acts 20). And such is our path, my fellow traveler, in proportion as we are true to Him.
And again (for the people were not yet under law) the Lord met their grievous murmurings in the fullest grace. The rock of Horeb was smitten and out came water that all the people might drink. Moses called the name of that place, Temptation and strife (v. 7). 0 my young traveler, when your heart is ready to murmur—when Satan whispers, You had better give up the journey and return to the world—when every cistern fails—when you are ready to sink in temptation and strife—when your thoughts are all in confusion—when Satan seems let loose against you—when everything seems against you—at such a time remember the Rock that was smitten for you. Yes, at such a time look off to Jesus. Was ever sorrow like His sorrow? and was ever love like His? You will be amazed to find wicked unbelieving thoughts arise in you.
And "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel at Rephidim." Now as this is the first and only battle of Israel while they remained under grace, before the law was given, it should be studied with the deepest interest by us who are not under law, but under grace. I do not think this battle of Rephidim typifies our conflict with wicked spirits so much; that we shall get when we see Israel in the land of Canaan. But I rather look at this Rephidim as showing us a picture of the sudden attack of temptation through the lusts of the flesh. It was just as they said, "Is the LORD among us, or not?" At that very moment of their doubting, "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel." Nothing gives the enemy more power than to doubt whether we are the children of God or not, or to doubt whether He is with us and for us or not.
And now, my young Christian, this battle of Rephidim is a very solemn question. You will find that though you have redemption through the blood of Christ, are a child of God, have fed with delight on Christ the heavenly manna, yet to your surprise the lusts of your old nature are as bad as ever. That which is born of the Spirit has not altered the flesh in the least. If Israel had stayed in Egypt, they would never have fought Amalek. And if you had not the new nature, you would never have known this fierce conflict with the old nature. "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot [or may not] do the things that ye would." Gal. 5:1717For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17). These are the plain words of God, and every child of God finds it so in his experience. What would he not do were it not for the Holy Spirit who dwells in him.
Now the battle of Rephidim. Read carefully these verses: Exod. 17:8-168Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12But 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. 13And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14And 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. 15And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: 16For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Exodus 17:8‑16)—golden lessons for the young soldier of Christ. Some teachers would tell you, In the hour of temptation your only safety is to try your utmost to keep the law.
I once knew a young Christian, when fighting in Rephidim, as a last resource, write down all the denunciations and commands of God respecting the sin that so harassed him. But this helped him not at all. Nothing could be more striking than God's teaching and man's on this important point. Says man, You are under the law as the rule of life, and sin will surely have the dominion if you do not strive to keep it. Says God, It was the ministration of death, and is now abolished (2 Car. 3:7-14); and "Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Rom. 6:1414For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14). Thus you see, my young traveler, if you are led of man, you will be under law and bondage; "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." Gal. 5:1818But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (Galatians 5:18). The contrast between God's teaching and man's is very striking, is it not?
But then the question is, when passing through Rephidim (through fierce temptation)—tempted to commit fearful sins—If the law does not help me at such a time, but only excites lusts still more, as is said in Rom. 7:7-187What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (Romans 7:7‑18), I say, If the law does not help, what does? And what is the principle of victory over the lusts of the flesh? I look at the battle of Rephidim as a golden answer to this perplexing difficulty in the hour of need. To human reason, perhaps, nothing could be more foolish. There was no digging of trenches or display of military skill; but Moses says, "I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand." "And it come to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed." What a picture of the divine principle of prevailing faith! And it is especially valuable, as I have said before, when we bear in mind this is the only battle Israel fought while on the principle of grace and not as yet under law.
And now if my reader has traveled some length of the wilderness journey, let me ask him to turn over the pages of memory, and then tell me, as we say, Is not this picture true to the very life? Just as you have trusted in anything else but God—sin has prevailed. Thus the mighty principle of faith is set before us as the only means of victory in temptation. We never make resolutions but we fail and break them; and we never look alone to God but we are delivered. Do remember the battle of Rephidim in the hour of temptation. Lift up your heart and let the cry of faith go up to God. Perhaps you say, My heart is so heavy. And so were the hands of Moses. "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."
Now there are some very precious and important points of soul-sustaining truth set before the believer in conflict, in this verse. It is of the greatest moment at such a time that you remember that great stone; the Rock of Ages supports you. Oh, to know that however the storm of temptation may assail, your feet are on the Rock that cannot be moved. Beware of those shifting sands, those unbelieving thoughts that you may be on the Rock today and off and lost tomorrow. Nothing can more tend to weaken the child of God in the hour of sore temptation than these false doctrines. No, my reader, if you have redemption, it is eternal redemption; if you have life, it is eternal life; if you are on the Rock, none can pluck you off forever. The stone, however, was not put under Moses that he might hang down his hands, but that they might be steadily held up. Neither would I put this blessed truth before you, or rather show you the Rock that sustains you, that you may become careless and cease to steadily trust in God for victory over lust and sin. No! but for the very purpose of encouraging your faith in the darkest hour.
But further, for the support of the heavy hands of Moses, Aaron and Hur stayed up on his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. And does not He whose name is Jesus, by whose death and resurrection we are justified, "also make intercession for us"? "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us" according to the will of God. What divine strength this gives in the hour of strong temptation. There is the exalted Son of God on the one side, that is in the very presence of God, holding up the hands of faith, making intercession. And there is on the other side, that is, down here in the believer, the Holy Spirit making intercession. How doubly held up!
But perhaps my reader may be sadly cast down—you may have been surprised by Amalek—perhaps you thought lust and temptation were all gone—you had pictured a path of sunshine, and so it is if the eye is kept on Jesus. You may, however, have resolved to walk with God, and for a time all was smooth; but the sudden attack of the enemy took you by surprise, your hands were let down, Amalek, that is your sins, prevailed. Has Satan got an advantage over you? Has there been failure? I think I hear you whisper, Little did I expect it, but I have sinned since my conversion, and now I am very unhappy. The brightness of noon seems to be turned into midnight darkness. Satan says, You are not on the Rock now. The great High Priest passed into the heavens will not intercede for you now. The Holy Spirit does not make intercession for you now. Stop, poor doubting one, do not listen to the enemy. Was not the Rock of Ages cleft for you? Is it not His very blood that has met all your sins and washed them all away? And does not the Spirit say, by John when writing on this very subject, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins," etc. 1 John 2:11My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (1 John 2:1). Are you His child? Have you sinned? Then think what is taking place in your Father's presence. What an advocate! Look at Him and listen to His pleadings for you; He pleads His own blood. Do not these words meet your case—"If any man sin"? Surely this is not that you may sin, but that you may not sin. But if you have sinned, the knowledge of your Advocate on high lifts up again the arms of faith; and though Amalek has prevailed, you now prevail again.
But perhaps you say, If I have sinned, have I not grieved the Holy Spirit, and consequently, has He not departed from me? No; this is impossible now. The Holy Spirit dwells in you as the seal to the value of the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10; Eph. 1). So the blood of Jesus must lose its value before the Holy Spirit can cease to dwell now in the child of God. You may -alas! how often we do—grieve the Holy Spirit by whom we are sealed unto the day of redemption. But one great distinguishing feature of the present dispensation is that the Holy Spirit abides with us to the end. I have found this solemn fact one of the most sustaining truths in God's Word. The Apostle uses it for this purpose when writing to the Corinthians. (See 1 Cor. 3:16, 1716Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16‑17).) Do think of this when pressed hard by temptation: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" And see how solemnly this is pressed in 1 Cor. 6:15-2015Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:15‑20).
My reader may not have been aware of all this, but search the Scriptures and see if these things are not so. We have a watchful, powerful foe, and are surrounded by every manner of ensnaring temptation, and especially so to the young Christian; and still we have to wage war with deadly, hateful lusts. If left to ourselves, utterly without strength to resist the least of them, how important then to know the Rock on which we stand, and to know that on the one side we have the risen Lord, and on the other, the blessed Spirit never ceasing to make intercession for us.
And as there was to be no compromise between Israel and Amalek, so let there be no compromise, my dear reader, between you and fleshly lusts that war against the soul. From this day forward—even though Amalek may have prevailed, and though you may have failed and sinned—may the Spirit of God show you the Advocate with the Father, pleading for you; and now may past failure and sin be confessed to your Father. You will find He is faithful and just to forgive you all sins and cleanse from all unrighteousness. He is faithful and just to the claims of your Advocate, and therefore you are forgiven and cleansed. This is as sure as you have, by His Spirit, made confession to Him. Do not omit this—if sin has prevailed confess it to your Father. And now, henceforth, may He give the reader and the writer the victory of faith. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:44For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4).
Thus the battle of Rephidim sets before us the blessed principle of victory over sin and the world. If my reader fights on the principle of law, you will be overcome; if on the principle of faith, you will overcome. And just as your hands hang down or are lifted up, you will fail or prevail. And you who have trodden the greater part of the journey, I appeal to your hearts and consciences—Is it not so, just as we have looked to God we have overcome, and just as we have resolved to do our best, we have failed? What years of sorrow a life of simple faith would save the child of God. Would you, my dear young Christian, then spend your little while in holy, happy, devoted service to God? Then have no confidence in the flesh; never trust self. Pray without ceasing—at all times and in all places. Remember, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit; He intercedes for you; the risen High Priest is your Advocate; God is for you. Though He chasten, it is because He loves you. Do not forget that you are never safe from temptation a moment, except that moment is spent trusting Him. How soon after the manner and rest came temptation and Amalek. In seasons of richest blessing, when filled with Christ the heavenly manna, and the heart at rest in God, yet even then how near we are to danger! How sudden the change to fierce and unexpected temptation! Oh, watch; pray; trust. "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." Jude 24, 2524Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 24‑25).
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