Children’s Bible lesson for this week

God gives His people the victory when Moses worships Him

Exodus 17:8-16

After God had provided for His people with water from the rock, something frightening happened to them. Something that the nation of Israel, as God’s chosen nation, has faced throughout history. Another nation, called Amalek, came with its army to fight a war against Israel.

God had saved them from slavery in Egypt, provided food for them in the wilderness, and given them water even in places where there was none. But could He also help them defeat an army in war, even though none of them had ever fought a war before, nor been trained to use weapons?

The next day they would find out, and learn another new reason to worship God.

Moses told Joshua in the night to gather men who would go out and fight against Amalek in the morning. “I will go up on the hill tomorrow, and hold my staff in the air to the Lord.”

Joshua gathered the army, and Moses climbed the high hill overlooking the valley where the battle would happen. Moses had his brother Aaron the priest, and a man named Hur, with him. When the battle began, Moses worshiped God for all to see, holding his staff up high. Whenever this act was done, Israel was overwhelming their enemies on the battle field. But Moses was old, and his arms were so tired that he couldn’t hold them up all day. Whenever he took his hands down to rest, Amalek was stronger than Israel and started to defeat them.

So Aaron and Hur brought a large stone for Moses to sit down on, and they each stood beside him, to his right and his left. They held Moses’ arms up for him, and he was able to worship with his hands raised until the sun went down that night. Israel completely defeated Amalek, wiping them out entirely.

Moses built an altar there for worshiping God. He named the altar “The Lord is our Banner.” By this Moses declared that we win battles by praising God and depending on Him for the victory. One way to worship the Lord and let others see and know you are praising Him and relying on Him, is to lift up your hands so that all can see. That’s what Moses did, and God responded to Moses’ prayer and praise. He made the nation victorious over an enemy that was stronger than they were!

So there is power from God to help us when we praise Him and pray to Him for help.