Let’s set the scene. The Israelites have left Egypt while seeing the full Glory of the Lord—you know surviving and thriving through the water turning to blood, frogs, lice, pestilence on livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and death of the firstborn. Then, God defied the physics of nature and forced the water to turn back upon itself, bond together and create a path through a giant river for the Israelites to walk through (who doesn’t love the Sunday School videos that shows them traveling with whales peering at them?) Then, as soon as they last one set their foot on the river bank, the water came crashing back and destroyed the Egyptian pursuers.
When they were hungry in the desert, the Lord sent them manna—bread from heaven. When they needed water, Moses struck a rock with his staff and water poured forth.
Friends, these people should have the faith of giants. They were probably walking through life with an unwavering confidence seen in Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
I can see them now, sitting around the fire topping each others stories of “what My God can do.” So, when Amalekites came and attacked them, it was probably with full confidence that they followed Moses’ guidance to Joshua to gather men and fight.
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. Exodus 17:10-13
Why did Moses need Aaron and Hur?
I’ve often read this and scratched my head. After ALL that the Lord had done, why could He not give supernatural strength to Moses to the able to stand? Why did it take two people to help him?
Did Moses need Aaron and Hur or did the Lord know that Aaron and Hur needed to feel needed? Did Aaron and Hur need to be an integral part in a miracle to help bolster their faith and grow them into leaders?
So many times we, as Christians, feel we need to do it alone. We keep our problems and trials to ourselves. You know, power through. I wonder if in doing that, we are preventing others from becoming an Aaron and Hur?
At the same time, I wonder if I am sensitive enough to the needs of others to be an Aaron or Hur to them. Am I strong enough to be an Aaron or Hur?
All I know is that I can prepare myself.
How to prepare.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Phil 4:8
Let the Spirit change your way of thinking. Eph 4:23
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor 10:5
There is one common thread in each of these scriptures. To fix my eyes on what is true, allow the Spirit to change my way of thinking and take captive thoughts contrary to God’s heart, I need to KNOW what is true and that is found in His Word.
Right after the Israelites defeated the Amalekite army, the Lord told Moses to “write this (story of Aaron and Hur) on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure Joshua hears it.” Exodus 17:14
Remembering the miracles and victories helps anchor us. It bolsters us and then ultimately guides us.
His Word is a path with a light leading the way (Psalm 119:105). It can be our Aaron and Hur—strengthening, supporting.
So today, as we prepare ourselves to be and Aaron or Hur or not be too afraid/conceited/anything to ASK for an Aaron or Hur, let us know that as Believers, we share in the history of all the miracles the Lord has done for his people.
NOTHING is impossible.
As Jesus said in John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.
P.S. Do you see the Lord as your friend–as a potential Aaron & Hur? Here’s a way to start.
