旧约 - 出埃及记(Exodus)第17章

The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?"
But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"
Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."
The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.
And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.
Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.
As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.
When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."
Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner.
He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."
出埃及记第十七章   第 17 章 

  出 17:2> 百姓又发怨言,这也是我的写照?神啊,求你帮我! 

  17:2 以色列人遇到困难,再次怨天尤人,不向神祷告。有些问题的解决靠仔细思考,重新安排先后次序;有些要藉着商讨,深思熟虑来解决;但是有些难题惟有祷告才可以解决。快要发怨言的时候,应当立定心意求告神,因为埋怨非但于事无补,反而使人越发苦恼。祷告能令我们的心绪平静下来,聆听神的指示。 

  神迹和神迹出现的意义 

  出 17:8> 以色列人遇到了第一个劲敌──亚玛力人── 

  17:8 亚玛力人是以扫的孙子亚玛力的后裔,他们住在死海地区,是凶悍的游牧民族,以劫掠财物为生,以杀人为乐。在以色列人的习俗中,称呼一个人为“亚玛力人之友”,是对他最大的侮辱。当以色列人进入亚玛力人的地界,亚玛力人以为这是杀人越货的大好机会,只是他们看错了对象,因为那是神所引领的百姓。曾经为奴的以色列人打败了好战的一族,证明神已照其应许与他们同在。 

  出 17:9> 约书亚是怎样成为接班人的?你愿意效法吗? 

  17:9 约书亚的名字初次出现,他后来成为领百姓进入应许之地的伟大领袖。他作军队的统帅,要先受磨炼,才能应付以后更大的争战。 

  出 17:10-13> “举手”、“垂手”,都有属灵含义,我如何扶持教会的牧者? 

  17:10-13 亚伦与户珥站在摩西的两边,扶着他的手臂,使他可以举起手来祷告,叫以色列人得胜。我们也应当“扶起”属灵领袖的手。分担责任,说安慰鼓励的话,或为他祷告,都会使属灵领袖重新得力。──《灵修版圣经注释》