The Amalekites provoked the Israelites into a war,
with God’s instructions the Israelites prevailed.
God then instructed Moses to inscribe a document
as a reminder of the battle. But it seems almost like a contradiction when God says this will be a reminder of what happened.
And not only will it be a reminder but Moses is
supposed to read it out loud to Joshua. But then God says He will blot out the memory of Amalek.
It almost sounds like a contradiction: Remember the war but forget Amalek.
Maybe remembering Amalek would give him glory. But God is the one who deserves glory for victory over evil, and that is what we all are supposed to remember.
Then God tells them what they are to remember.
They are to build an alter and name it Adonai-nissi.
Adonai or course translates to LORD or God. And nissi is simply a banner or standard.
So they were to build an altar and over it
put an identifying marker that says, “YHVH is my banner. And that banner is meant to say, “Hand upon the throne of the Lord”: The Lord will be at war with Amalek throughout the ages.
In the book of Exodus, the very next person God teaches us about is Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law.
It’s interesting that first we learn about Amalek, a wicked man, who was unprovoked; and now we will learn about a good man, and neither was provoked to do what they did. It’s a real contrast in human nature.
When Jethro, Moses’ father –in-law heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel he took Zipporah, Moses’ wife and sons back to Moses.
It is surmised that Moses sent his wife and sons back home to her own father to stay during all the troubling times In Egypt with the plagues and on through the exodus. But now that the Israelites were in the wilderness Moses’ family was brought back to him.
It is assumed Moses sent his wife and two sons,
Gershom and Eliezer, to his father-in-law at the time he was escaping to Midian to protect his own life against reprisals against him for killing that Egyptian overseer. It was at that time that Pharaoh
was bent on killing Moses.
At the time Jethro and Moses’s family are coming home Moses is encamped at the mountain of God,
better known as Mt. Sinai.
Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, he greeted him and bowed low and kissed him
When Jethro and Moses talked, Moses told his father-in- law all about what God had done for him and all the Israelites.
Jethro was completely impressed, even though he was not a Jew. He was completely impressed and said, “Blessed be the Lord, who delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.” And he continued with, “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all Gods”.
Jethro was actually a Midianite priest and his daughter was not a Jew when Abraham married her. The only thing we have to believe that she was converted was when she circumcised her son and declared she had a bloody religion.
Jethro on the other hand, never became a Jew, he remained a Midianite Priest, but had true respect for the God of the Israelites. To show this respect Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrificed for God. Aaron came with all the Elders of Israel to partake of the meal before God with Jethro.
The following day Moses went back to work! He was needed! He was the magistrate of his people. Moses listened to all the problems all the people
who had problems.
Jethro inquired why it was Moses alone who had to do this all day long with all the people? Couldn’t someone else help with this work?
Moses’s answer was short and to the point.
When they have a dispute it comes before me and I make known the law and the teachings of God.
Remember, they had not yet been given the law.
It was written in The Ten Commandments.
Jethro felt this was the wrong way to approach all the problems. He was fearful that Moses would
wear himself out so he decided Moses needed his counsel.
“You be the one to take the problems concerning God to God; and then you teach the people in the way God would have them go. But then you seek out from among all the people, wise capable men who fear God; trustworthy men who will spurn ill-gotten gain. Set over them as chiefs of thousands,
hundreds, fifties, and tens. Let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them dictate every minor dispute themselves. Make it easier for yourself
by letting them share the burden with you.’
It’s interesting to note that a non-Jew was able to set up a whole judicial system for the Jews. How unique and wonderful when you consider that the Israelites and the Midianites would soon come to be each other’s most vile enemy.
God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.
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