Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for
our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Cor 10:11-12)

How do we define victory? In Exodus chapter 17, Israel fought its first battle at Rephidim. The people had already learned of God’s miraculous provision of manna and water. In each situation, the provisions were given by direct instruction from the Lord to Moses. In Exodus 17:8, they were faced with an army. How were they to defend themselves? This is when Moses instructed Joshua to select men to fight against their attackers, the Amalekites.

Moses took Aaron and Hur with him to the top of a hill overlooking the battlefield. When he held up his staff, Israel prevailed. When he lowered his staff, the Amalekites prevailed. Aaron and Hur helped him hold up his staff until sunset, and Israel realized their first victory. There were several lessons for Israel to learn in this first victory.

First, there is no reference to God giving instructions. God was present, to be sure, but the impression might be that Moses provided the victory. Aaron and Hur assisted, but it was Moses’s staff. Centuries later, John records that when the Jews asked for a sign from Jesus that He was authentic, they attributed the giving of manna in the wilderness to Moses and not God. (Jn 6:31; cf. Ex 16:34-35) They did not learn from the first lesson of this victory.

Second, God promised to “utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” (Ex 17:14b). Note that Moses was “to write in a book as a memorial (of this victory).” (Ex 17:14a) A quick overview of the internet today reveals countless articles and speculations as to who the Amalekites were and what it all meant. What did God mean when He said He would blot out the memory of them? Victory over the Amalekites was a type, i.e., a historical event or person in the past, which foreshadowed an antitype, i.e., a future event or person. The antitype is always greater than the type. The lesson was that the ultimate victory over Israel’s enemies would be future and still is future.

Third, the staff Moses lifted represented God Who was the ultimate Victor:

And Moses built an altar, and named it The Lord is My Banner; and he said, “The Lord has sworn; the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.” (Ex 17:15-16)

One commentator wrote:

Abram (Gen 12:7), Isaac (Gen 26:24–25), Jacob (Gen 35:3), David (1 Chron 21:26), and Gideon (Judges 6:24) all built altars and worshiped after having a unique encounter with God. An altar usually represented a person’s desire to consecrate himself fully to the Lord. God had worked in a person’s life in such a way that the person desired to create something tangible to memorialize it. (see)

This example of victory was only a skirmish. We live in a moment when these lessons are more important than ever.