Holy War (Exodus 17:8-16)

8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. [Amalak was a grandson of Esau (Gen 36:12) and carries on the Esau/Jacob rivalry. His descendants organized into national nomadic groups that lived by attacking other population groups and plundering their wealth. They had domesticated the camel and used its swiftness in surprise attacks.] 9 So Moses said to Joshua [who appears for the first time], “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” [What Moses is asking Joshua to do is to find some fighting men.] 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur [“Whitey” in Hebrew; mentioned for the first time and the husband of Miriam according to Josephus] went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand [above his head (symbolizing the power of God) with the staff of God in it], Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. [This is the first time we do not hear God telling Moses what to do with the staff. Did Moses do this on his own?] 12 But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. [Holy war is God’s war, and the holding up of the staff represents the unmistakable hand of God in directing the fortunes of the Israelites.] 13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book [is this the beginning or growing understanding that Moses is to record God’s history with his people?] and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” [The Amalekites are a culture under the judgment of God deserving extermination. There is also a hint of Joshua’s future succession of Moses.] 15 And Moses built an altar [for worship] and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner [in Hebrew a decorated signal pole, a symbol as the staff of God was a symbol and rallying point for the army of Israel in holy war], 16 saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! [The staff also represents the throne of God. What Moses is essentially saying is that as he held up the staff, he was symbolizing the presence of God with the people, sitting on his throne, ruling over the battle and guaranteeing victory.] The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

[This is our first encounter with Holy War in the Bible. Israelite Holy War can be summarized in twelve propositions:

[if !supportLists]1. [endif]No standing army was allowed. The battles were fought by amateur volunteers.

[if !supportLists]2. [endif]No pay for soldiers; the volunteer army could not seek compensation.

[if !supportLists]3. [endif]No personal spoil/plunder could be taken.

[if !supportLists]4. [endif]Holy war could be fought only for the conquest or defense of the promised land.

[if !supportLists]5. [endif]Only at God’s command could a holy war be launched.

[if !supportLists]6. [endif]Only a prophet could communicate the divine message.

[if !supportLists]7. [endif]God did the real fighting against Satan and his angels.

[if !supportLists]8. [endif]Holy war involvins fasting, abstinence, and other forms of denial.

[if !supportLists]9. [endif]A goal of holy war is the total annihilation of an evil culture.

[if !supportLists]10. [endif]The violator of the rules of holy war became an enemy.

[if !supportLists]11. [endif]Exceptions (like the Amalekites) were possible.

[if !supportLists]12. [endif]Decisive, rapid victory characterized faithful holy war.]