Sermon Tone Analysis

1 Cor.

10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

If we look to the Exodus as purely a documentary of the Hebrews under Moses, we miss its meaning for us entirely.

It is written by the Holy Spirit, not as a history lesson, but for our learning, to the end that we /might have hope./

I.    Fighting in the battles of life (Exodus 17:8-9).

A.    God did the fighting for them in Egypt.

He accomplished the deliverance without one Hebrew going to battle.

So too has Christ won the battle of our deliverance.

In our place he fought and won the victory.

B.    But after we receive the new birth, we are called upon to fight! “*Then* came Amalek…”

1.     1 Peter 2:11 /Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; /

2.     Gal 5:17 /For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh:… /

3.     Exodus 14:13 Moses said “/stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord./”

That’s salvation!

4.     But here he says, “go out and fight against Amalek”; that’s Christian warfare!

5.     Ephesians 6:10/ be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

/

II.

Fainting over our losses.

(Exodus 17:10-13).

A.    Amalek is a type of the flesh.

1.

He is the grandson of Esau, who sold his birthright because of fleshly hunger.

2.     Deut 25:17-18 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

3.     Amalekites were first and constant enemy to Israel.

So is the flesh.

“He did not fear God.”

The flesh cannot wait, knows no reverence of God.

But you are freed from that flesh.

4.     John 8:34 /“Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”/

B.    Attacks come where we are weak.

1.     Who attacks you from the rear when you are weak?

Is it not the flesh?

Gal 5:16/ This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

/

2.     Saul failed to learn this lesson -1Sam 15.

He was to completely defeat the Amalekites but kept the choice spoils and the king alive.

For that, he lost his crown.

Gal 5:24 /And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts./

C.    Israel’s success depended upon the uplifted hands of Moses.

1.     Moses’ hands grew heavy.

How soon we grow weary of our petitions.

2.     It is when we are weary that we begin to give in, give up and lose.

3.     Luke 18:1 /And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; /

C.    Victory comes when we wait on the Lord.

1.     Isa.

40:30-31 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But *they that wait upon the LORD* shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

III.

Following under the banner of our Lord (Exodus 17:14-16).

A banner, in ancient times, was not a flag; but a pole with shiny object on top, carried at the head of military to indicate the line of march, or the rallying point.

It is the Lord’s battle (Exodus 17:16).

The flesh is in opposition to the Spirt, God’s indwelling Spirit, so the battle is the Lord’s.

what part do you play in it all?

Are you to sit in the grandstands eating hot dogs, drinking soda, and giving a hoot and a holler every now and then?

No, you are to put on the full armor of God and get on the battlefront.

Under His banner, victory is assured, always.

Deut.

20:3-4 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

When Moses’ hand was up, Israel prevailed.

When it came down, Amalek prevailed.

And what was in Moses’ hand?

The rod of God.

- The rod that became a serpent and swallowed up Pharaoh’s serpents.

- the rod that turned water into blood.

- the rod that brought plagues upon Egypt.

- the rod that parted the red sea.

- the rod that struck the rock and brought forth water.

Conclusion:

Kadesh-Barnea (Number 13:32-14:45).

Under the banner of God they were guaranteed victory.

But when then tried to battle on their own, they were defeated by the Amalekites.

John 15:5 for without me ye can do nothing.

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.

Amen.