“Is The LORD Among Us Or Not?”(Exodus 17:1-16)

‘Is the LORD Among Us or Not?’
This was Israel’s complaint because they did not feel that God was present among them, or that God had fallen short of his care and provision for them. And as often as we may say among ourselves and to God that we wish that we feel closer to God, or that we are feeling spiritually ‘dry’, or that we wonder whether God is even present in our lives, we risk falling into the same sort of disobedience that we see Israel do in this passage.

It is not as though it is wrong to ask those questions or to have those feelings in those times when God leads us to a desolate place, or puts us in seasons of great difficulty. But it is the heart behind those questions and feelings that counts. And however we may ask whether God is among us or not, God hears our words, and he surely answers us.

Quarrelling with Hands Raised (vv.1-7)
Israel came before God and Moses with hands raised in quarrelling, ready to stone Moses in anger that he had led them to their deaths in a barren place. God answers their quarrelling prayer by providing water in the desert; life in the place of death by striking a stone with wood. All these are impossible, but for the grace of God who extends his kindness to an ill-deserving people. All this points forward to the gracious provision of Christ on the wooden cross, who as the rock of ages poured out his life for an ill-deserving people.

Fighting with Hands Raised (vv.8-15)
As Amalek attacks Israel at the same place where they raised their hands against God and Moses, now Moses raises his hands toward God and against Amalek. As Israel fights against Amalek, God fights for Israel by his servants Moses and Joshua. By this Israel shall know that even as they fight, they shall see the God’s servant on a mountain with arms raised and wooden staff lifted high, and they shall know that their God is among them, who fights for them and shall give them the victory.
This also points forward to Jesus, who with arms raised was lifted upon a wooden cross on a mountain for all to see. And to all who look to Jesus, they too shall know that God has come among them, who fought for them and has given them the victory over sin and death.

The Lord Came Among Us with Hands Raised
In Jesus Christ, this story comes alive for us, for Jesus himself as the Lord God came amongst his people with hands raised.

 
For Christ with raised hands brought life-giving grace from his dead body. He secured forgiveness of sins from his condemnation under sin. He poured out himself with his hands raised high, nailed and stricken upon a piece of wood. And so our Lord, the greatest ‘Joshua’ with hands raised on the cross saves his people and defeats the greatest enemy of sin and death, as the banner under which God’s people put away sin.
And with hands raised even today Jesus intercedes for us as the one who lives forever, and who will one day return to end sin once for all and blot out its memory from under heaven.