Exodus 17:9-14 KJV
(9) And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
(10) So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
(11) And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
(12) But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
(13) And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
(14) And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

Joshua first battle would be rehearse with him. Bringing him into memory of his first battle of victory as a leader. One might wonder why it was important to rehearse the battle over and over that was won. To teach it. Joshua one day would be leader and his first victory would be important to remember. Would Moses understood the significance or the fact that a tribe of people called the Amalekites would one day be destroyed. Yet they only be knocked down during Joshua life time, David would set fire in a battle taking woman and children alive. Is it possible for descendants of those people still exist today, maybe through intermarriage into Israel, or another tribe, but not of their own group of people.

This is one war that was fought by the power of God through demonstration of God’s power through obedience. Moses was called to hold his hands up through the entire battle in order to win by instructions of God. This was a military battle lead by God and his chosen leaders. No one wants to go into battle without God being on their side. Israel did not always have God on their side in battle. Yet this one battle would be won through obedience. This would be Joshua first lesson that was public to obedience to God, by the observance of Moses’ hands being raised and how the battle was winning. It would be easy to declare such a battle psychological with Moses hands being raised being the strength motivator for Joshua and his men. Or the use of God and the hands being a psychological motivator. However what is clear is someone had to help hold Moses’ hands up after awhile.

Why cast even a shadow of doubt on this battle, one has to look at the Bible as a skeptic might. Someone analyzing the Bible as a war game and psychological battle field of information of ancient times. When one studies some culture the war games of the supernatural world of witch doctors come into psychological contest or a real demoniac issue of spiritual warfare. If one study the art of trickery long enough one gets the idea of how psychology could play a big role in war. It like football player having to have a particular pair of socks for the game, or some lucky charm. If one look at Israel battles as strategy mental game, would God come up short. It would depend on who’s side you are on the devils or the Lord’s side. Standing on the Lord side is where you want to stand. After all despite your belief of this war, the one thing that is true this would begin to influence Joshua through out his career as a warrior and eventually leader over Israel entire camp.

Was Joshua letting the enemy win when the arms of Moses fell or did he not pull back but lost men’s lives. By pulling back to allow it to appear the enemy was winning is like allowing one man to take a punch so that when battle was being won, the punch that was given would be in victory. Playing chess one learns you have to sacrifice some men to win. What men are on the frontline that you sacrifice can depend on if you will win. The prophesy of total defeat against a people was future generations, but the second prophesy of continue war was for each generation until final victory.

Now to look at the battle as being a victory won by God is clear that whether being able to see a sign from God of how the battle was going helped, was God using a sign of His power before Israel. It was like fire by night and cloud by day in the wilderness. It required teamwork of aiding the leaders to be able to hold those hands up to the Lord and giving the battle to God in obedience. Did it have its psychological benefits no doubt it did. After all each test of faith in a believers life is going to have a psychological effect. However if a battle of psychologically was proven to be the only cause for a victory in a person’s life then that would not be God.

Now if there was no reason for victory because of the size of the army force, then yes it is God hands down on that, yet if the war is proven defeatable because of your military strength then it would be whose victory? It can be both God and man. To be a leader you have to know how to motivate and how to win even when outnumbered or having to many to fight with.

To claim God in this battle scripturally is easy, but you have to believe the scripture truth first. How many testimony of a victory through unusual means to win, will it take to believe in the power of God being more then psychological. This story was repeated to Joshua as the power of God so he would not claim the victory has his triumph, keeping him humble before the Lord. Yet it is these stories that give way to skeptics not to believe everything they read. Yet it is one story that is note taking to add to the list of miracle battles for a skeptic. I choose to believe before I even understood simpleness of human psychology. Does the psychology change my view. Only if I had not known the power God before clear understand of the situation of the story. God builds faith over time. It not instant accepted, but within time, belief of past events are more clearly seen as act of God, if one never seen it has act before. If it takes all of the Old Testament battles to understand God’s authority in the heat of battles before and during to the end. Then let it be. Because I can not convince only God’s word can convince you have His power. Do not be ashamed if you can not swallow the whole story at once, be truthful with yourself and “study and show yourself approved a workmen not to be ashamed“. Approved by God and one that has proved the reality of God in His own life by increase of mustard seed faith. If you can receive the truth by just believing you are giving much more hope of the reality of God without the rest of the knowledge of His Word. Joshua would become a strong man of God. Remember a fish hook for some fish is all it takes to swallow and others only like to nibble, what kind of fish are you? What kind of faith do you have in God’s ability.

Dear Heavenly Father thank you for the beginning of faith in the battle to believe your word. Help us to believe hook, line and sinker your word. In Jesus precious name, Amen.