Exodus 17:8-16
Veteran's Day Recognition
The great spiritual leader trudged
to the top of the hill and stood above his Hebrew people as they defended
themselves in battle. At the time of the conflict, the Hebrew
people were in exodus from Egypt and were worn down and weary from woeful
wandering in the desert wilderness (Deut. 25:18). As such, they had appeared to be an easy
target for an attacking nomadic people, named for us in this morning’s lesson
as the Amalekites.
Amalek, chief of the Amalekites, was
the grandson of Esau. Recall that Esau
is known to us by way of the Book of Genesis as the hairy-skinned hunter and
slightly older twin of Jacob whose parents are Isaac and Rebekah. Further recall that Jacob had a supplanting
grip on his Esau’s heal at their birth and that Jacob also eventually completely
cheated Esau out of his birthright. There
was fierce enmity between the two; so strong that at one point Esau had been determined
to kill Jacob (Gen. 27:41). Though they
eventually had a measure of reconciliation, the bloodlines of Esau (known in
the Bible as the Edomites) were historically in conflict with Jacob’s
bloodlines (known in the Bible as the Israelites). Given this bad blood, it makes additional
sense why Esau’s grandson, Amalek, an Edomite chief, saw an opportunity to
pounce on the Israelites as they were escaping to a holy promised land.
The exodus of the Israelites,
however, was sacredly safeguarded. Moses
was the central representative spiritual leader of God’s holy bond with his
Hebrew people. Every step of the
exodus, including every lament and every attack upon them, was thus taken in
the merciful, delivering power of the Almighty.
Today’s passage from Exodus is the
first time we meet Joshua in the Bible.
Moses had instructed him to lead the fight against the Amalekites. It
may seem like Joshua, as the military leader, would have the greatest influence
on the outcome of the conflict. This is true enough in terms of how the bloody
battle was fought on the ground. But
again, this battle was also one being fought from the heavens. There can be absolutely no underestimating
how powerful and inspiring that sight of Moses was to the faithful engaged in
defending their people. The act of raising his holy shepherding staff high
up was the great hope and empowerment
of the Israelites. It’s how they were
reminded of God’s powerful presence and divine promise of deliverance during
that battle in the wilderness of Sin.
When I read of times and places and
people in the Bible, I find it helpful to use my imagination to
help me really relate to it all. So as
I reflected on this morning’s scene over the past few days, I found myself
picturing Moses (and try as I may and might, I just couldn’t quite shake the
image of Charlton Heston) standing atop the rock lookout point in the park near
the top of Schooley’s Mountain. I envisioned him standing there with his holy
staff uplifted triumphantly high as myself and many people act in defense of an
enemy attack down below in Long Valley.
In my mind’s eye, the power of the great spiritual leader’s presence
stirred my faithful passions and energized me for the mission.
Stepping away from this sidebar of
imagination, let’s get back to the text.
Adding depth to this historic account is something else we are
told. We are told that for all his
faithful stamina, Moses was unable to stand tall for the whole battle. He was unable to continuously hold up the holy
staff, that emblem of holy hope. He
was only human, after all, and who knows how long that defensive fight went
on. Yet the powerful symbol of the
staff needed to continue to be on display for the benefit of the bedraggled
Israelites in battle.
The good news is we are also told Moses
was not alone in this important mission.
He had his older brother Aaron and a loyal friend named Hur by his
side. Seeing that their spiritual
leader physically needed support, Aaron and Hur found a rock for Moses to sit
and rest upon. As you heard the
Scripture read, did you catch what they did next? They didn’t take turns holding the staff …
that was truly for Moses alone to do.
Instead, they each took and lifted up an arm of the seated spiritual leader. This
faithful act of support enabled the holy staff, the reminder of God’s abiding
and strengthening presence, to remain above the fray.
What a beautiful image this is of a
leaders working together as a spiritual team at a time it was desperately
needed. And, I may be the only one, but
I also interpret this three-part blessing over those in battle as symbolic of the
Holy Trinity. God’s blessed presence has always been and
continues to be as community.
How does this written account of an
ancient event come to bear on our more recent human history? Why might this witness be important for us to
embrace and emulate as spiritual heirs of God’s promises to the Israelites? Especially at a time when our country remains
engaged in freedom-defending, democracy-building wars?
This past Friday was 11-11-11, a fun
date to say but much more importantly to remember. It was the 93rd anniversary of eleventh
hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 when an armistice for
the cessation of hostilities was signed between the Allied Western Front of
World War I and Germany. The New York
Times reported that day how the US State Department had made the armistice
announcement at 2:50 A.M.., and that the end of the war was declared at 6 A.M.
Washington time. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson
officially birthed a new American federal holiday, Armistice Day, to honor
those who had died in the world-shocking war and to help further encourage
peace.
As we all lamentably know, lasting world peace
was not realized and so World War II and the Korean War soon after grasped the
heal of the first great conflict. More dutiful
war dead and surviving veterans needed to be remembered and honored. In 1954, Armistice Day was therefore
declared by President Eisenhower to be henceforth known as Veterans Day. And so it remains … now incorporating honored
memorials and celebrations for all those serving our country through other
major conflicts including the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation
Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.
As I faithfully
reflect on the heart-wrenching reality of ongoing warfare in our world, I find
this morning’s Bible passage reminds us of a central duty for all people who
profess trust and hope in our promise-giving, spiritually delivering God. We are to be spiritual leaders. We are to hold up the holy staff. We do so by uplifting prayer and faithful
witness for all of our veterans and all of our active men and woman of the
armed forces, that they may know God’s constant, safeguarding and powerful
presence is alive within their hearts and minds. As Father David Sivret, who served as a
chaplain and was severely wounded during Operation Iraqi Freedom tells it, “In
all the sermons, I tried to focus on God’s saving acts and how He is
compassionate in love, there for us at all times, no matter where we find
ourselves.”[i]
“The Lord is my
banner,” declared Moses following the military victory of Joshua and the Israelites
over the Amalekites. The Hebrew word
for “banner” that is used in Exodus 17:15, is not a reference to some colorful
fabric. It translates to simply mean a
symbolic rallying point. The rallying
point is belief in God’s power to deliver all humanity from evil, to lead us all
into holy promises for peace and justice, freedom and equality. We hold high and together this rallying
point like a holy staff belonging to the Good Shepherd, the Savior of the
World, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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