DANGERS ON THE JOURNEY
Exodus 17:8-16 and 18:7-23
August 28. 2011 - Rev. Janet Duggins
Introduction: We’re
continuing with some more stories from Exodus today, more stories from the long
journey through the wilderness. These
are both kind of challenging stories, in that there’s quite a bit here that
isn’t explained and which we don’t completely understand. These texts remind us that the whole Exodus
story has its roots in
read Exodus 17:8-18 and 18:7-23
In that first story we read about what happened when the Israelites came across some another group of people in the desert, who turned out to be rather hostile - their first such encounter in their wilderness wanderings. The Amalekites were a nomadic desert tribe with a warlike reputation, and in fact there will be periodic conflict between the Israelites and Amalekites over many years to come. It’s hard to tell how much of those later conflicts is reflected in this written account of this first skirmish in the desert – which, remember, was only set down at a much later date. The story may have been be told, in part, to explain the roots of that long-time animosity. We don’t know, any more than we know exactly what made the Amalekites so hostile. Maybe it was simply a territorial issue.
At any rate, the hostility toward the Israelites in understood to also mean hostility toward the Israelites’ God; that was how people saw things in those days. The Israelites’ battle with the Amalekites is assumed to be not merely an occasion of defending themselves and their families and livestock against an aggressive enemy, but fighting on behalf of and under the banner and power of their God. We might want to argue with them or with modern-day folks who take a similar stand, or we might be ok with it. Either way, it’s probably too much to take this story either as a defense of war in general or as a reason to judge the Israelites or their God for being warlike. They were people of their time. Their understanding is what it is, and that’s not really what the story is about.
The part of the story that gives us the most to think about is the way Moses’ leadership seems to give strength to the Israelites as they fight off the Amalekites. It’s a little bit mysterious. Is Moses praying, there with his hands lifted up? Do his hands – or maybe his staff? - somehow convey – either symbolically or miraculously – divine power to help the people? Is Moses’ presence on the top of the hill a matter of morale or encouragement for his people as they fight? And how does Moses come up with this plan in the first place? (You may have noticed that we aren’t told anything about God giving him any instructions as happens in some other situations.) We can’t answer any of those questions with certainty.
But we can see that his leadership role here is important, essential in fact. When he holds his hands and staff high, his people fight on with strength and success. When he puts his hands down the tide of the battle turns against them. Something – courage, vision, confidence, God’s presence – is conveyed because they can see Moses there.
We also see from this story that Moses is not a god or superhero, not an invincible or infallible leader – which makes this story different from many other ancient stories of battles. The Bible is very realistic about even the greatest human leaders – they are not God; they are not perfect; their abilities are not unlimited. As critical as Moses presence on that hill is for his people, he needs some help to keep going. Aaron and Hur provide the support Moses needs to be the leader the people need.
But when the fighting is over, Moses and the people
attribute their success to God’s presence with them - not simply to good leadership and the skill
of the troops. There’s a lot to
ponder here: Moses on the hill embodying
the divine calling and strength, Joshua and the men down below in the thick of
the action. This story exemplifies the
tension we always wrestle with when we try and discern the ways God works in
the world: God’s power is shown through
people… who nevertheless at the same time have their own power and freedom and
responsibility. There is no simple formula to explain the
relationship between God and us. The
people of
The other story is also a story with a lot in it to puzzle
even an Old Testament scholar. We know
the connection between Moses and Jethro – Jethro sheltered Moses earlier in his
life when he was on the run from trouble in
Jethro isn’t an Israelite, but a Midianite. He’s described as “priest of Midian,” so it comes as a bit of a
surprise here to read that Jethro seems to acknowledge and honor and, at least
to some extent, to understand the same God Moses and his people follow. We don’t know whether this is because of what
he’s heard from Moses or if Jethro and his people shared some of the beliefs of
the Israelites. What’s most interesting
is that Moses and the people of
And when Jethro has something to say to Moses, Moses listens. Even though what Jethro has to say begins with a criticism, even though Jethro is so bold as to talk about what it is GOD wants Moses to do. Neither Moses nor anyone else questions Jethro’s wisdom, his right to speak, or the legitimacy of a divine message delivered by someone from outside the community. The Amalakites were a threat, to be sure, but clearly an exclusive, suspicious attitude toward everyone except those who “belong” is not a part of this faith journey. Practical wisdom is a gift no matter where it comes from. God can speak through anyone God chooses. Moses is a good enough leader to realize this, and a humble enough leader to be aware that he doesn’t know everything there is to know.
When the people were fighting with the Amalekites, and his strength flagged, he knew he needed, and he accepted, Aaron’s and Hur’s help. But he hasn’t yet made the connection between that crisis experience and the everyday matters of leadership. He’s got a lot of responsibilities and there are a lot of problems to address. It hasn’t occurred to him that there is another choice besides taking on every question, every dispute, every need, from morning until night, with a line of impatient and frustrated people waiting for their turns to be helped. But we sense that the responsibilities have become a burden, and we can almost feel Moses’ relief as he hears Jethro say “What are you doing? Are you crazy? This is far too much for one man to do! Why are you taking all this on by yourself? You will wear yourself out! You must share these duties with other people, and other people must step up and share the work.” The result, Jethro says, will be that Moses will have responsibilities he can manage AND there will be greater peace among the people. They will have healthier leadership and a healthier community.
These two stories reflect challenges of the journey of God’s people that will be ongoing challenges, and in fact are challenges for every community of people trying to make their way together in the world. Life in the world is full of unexpected twists and turns, hard decisions, and troubles as well as blessing and adventure. Along the way, there are things that threaten the unity and well-being of our communities.
Some of those threats are external – like the Amalekites or other enemies or dangers that come from outside the circle. It takes courage, conviction, confidence and God’s help to face those dangers.
Some of those threats are internal – disputes, personality conflicts, differences of opinion, uncertainty about direction, poor decision-making. It takes wisdom, compassion, shared responsibility, and listening to God to face those dangers.
No matter if the threats are external or internal, leadership is important. Leaders must hold up a vision that helps the people hold together. They need to draw strength and seek direction from God. They must be not be idolized or obeyed blindly, but they must given the support that will help them do their work. They must be willing to hear the truth and accept wise advice no matter where it comes from. No one should try to do everything or be everything to everyone. And more than a few people need to share in the responsibilities of leadership.
There’s a lot that puzzles us in these two stories, but we understand those things very well, don’t we? From our life together in the church, we hear the truth in this.
We don’t have Amalekites brandishing weapons and trying to kill us, and thankfully our leaders aren’t responsible for arbitrating every difference of opinion… but in the church today, we do face pressures both external and internal.
Financial realities force hard decisions about ministry priorities. We have to struggle with the expectations created by a consumer culture that tells everyone they should have what they want all the time. We compete with so many other things that look like they might bring meaning and happiness. We feel the pressure of over-scheduled lives and the frustration of over-extended people. We are overwhelmed sometimes by the practical and spiritual needs around us. We contend with all the voices that ridicule and caricature people of faith… when we are not finding the Christian message sentimentalized or marginalized.
And as for internal threats… well, the community that has not had to deal with conflict has never yet existed. From the smallest congregation gathered in prayer to the biggest global communion, every community of faith has its disputes, leadership challenges, broken relationships, bad decisions, failed ideas, and confusion about direction. We get distracted, we don’t support each other like we should, we resist the call to serve or lead, we take the work of others for granted, we don’t listen to new ideas, we take our commitments lightly. Or we over-commit and don’t share the responsibilities… then we burn out, feel resentful, or fail to follow through. Sometimes we are thinking much more about “what it is I want from my church” than about what will be good for us as a community. All these kinds of things, whether they are big or little, can sap the strength of a faith community.
We sometimes tend to “awful-ize” both the external and internal threats, to wonder if this one or that one is going to mean the demise of the church. Reading Exodus helps us to put them in perspective. They are all part of the journey. They are to be expected. They are tough, but they are not the end. We are not to lose heart. The people of God have always faced such things. And God has always been there. God has always provided the resources we need. God has always given us the gifts we need to meet the challenges. God has always sent people to speak a word of wisdom at the right time. God has always called forth the leaders who are right. Above all, God has called us, not to fight our way through life alone, but to be part of a community of which God is also a part. The path may take us to unexpected places but the journey will teach us who we are and what it means to be God’s people.
Resources
The Book of Exodus: A
critical theological commentary (Old
Testament Library) by Brevard Childs
Exodus (Interpretation Commentary series) by Terrence Fretheim