Gods Three Arrows, Section 42
§. 42. Of the interpretation and reſolution of the eleventh Verſe.
EXOD. XVII. XI.
And it came to paſſe when Moſes held up his hand that Iſrael prevailed: and when he let downe his hand Amalek prevailed.
THe *See § 1.Iſſue of Moſes his being upon the mount is here noted to be different, according to the ſteddineſſe or weakneſſe of his hand.
The firſt phraſe, And it came to paſſe, or word for word, aforeignAnd it was, is an uſuall tranſition in Scripture. dialect, whereby one point is knit to another.
By Moſes holding up his hand is meant the ſteddineſſe of his faith in prayer. bMetonymia Adiu…cti.The outward ſigne is put for the inward thing ſignified thereby. We have c§. 22.before ſhewed that by lifting up of hands (as this action hath relation to God, and that in prayer) is meant a deſire and expectation of Divine help, and a readineſſe to receive it. Holding up hands, implieth a continuance therein without fainting. dforeign à foreign Hiphil.The Hebrew word is of ſuch a conjugation, as intimateth both a reciprocation, and alſo a continuance of the action. eforeign quoad.The particle prefixed before this clauſe, and tranſlated, when, importeth as much: for it ſignifieth, ſo long as: in which ſenſe it is uſed in the very next clauſe of this verſe.
fforeign a foreign Tremel. quieti dabat.The other word tranſlated, let downe, in the conjugation wherein it is uſed, ſignifieth, to give to reſt, or to make to reſt. This is ordinarily done upon wearineſſe.
It appeareth hereby that Moſes waxed weary with holding up his hands, and being weary, to reſt them, let them downe. Whereby it is implied, that in his continuance to pray, his ſpirit waxed faint, and his faith weake, which made him ſomwhat to intermit that duty.
As therefore Iſrael had the better, while Moſes with a ſtedfaſt faith continued to pray for them: ſo while, thorow weakneſſe, he intermitted that duty, the enemy had the better.
The Summe of this verſe is, A demonstration of the power of faithfull prayer.
This is manifeſted by the difference betwixt perſiſting therein, and deſisting therefrom. Anſwerably there are two parts of the forenamed Summe.
1. The joyfull effect of perſiſting in faithfull prayer.
2. The wofull event of deſiſting therefrom.
In both theſe there is one thing implied, another expreſſed.
In the former, 1. The Cauſe is implied; which was, that Moſes ſomewhile continued ſtedfaſt and fervent in faithfull prayer, ſignified by holding up his hand. For where it is ſaid, When Moſes held up his hand, is it not intimated, that he did hold up his hand?
2. The Effect is expreſſed, Amalek prevailed.
In the latter likewiſe, 1. The Occaſion is implied, which was that Moſes ſomewhat fainted in ſpirit, failed in the vigour of his faith, and intermitted to pray as he had begun. This is ſignified by letting downe his hand. If he had not at all let downe his hand, why is mention here made thereof? Why was ſuch means uſed to enable him to hold it up the more ſteddily, as is noted in the next verſe? But, to put this out of all doubt, in the next verſe it is expreſly ſaid, that Moſes hands were weary.
2. The Event is thus expreſſed, Amalek prevailed.
1. From the Generall Scope of this verſe, (whereunto every clauſe therein tendeth) I obſerve, that,
I. Faithfull prayer is powerfull.
2. From the Connexion of the Cauſe (which is, Moſes his holding up of his hand) with the Effect (which is, Iſraels prevailing) and that by this particle of time, when, or, *foreignſo long as, I collect, that,
II. By continuance in faithfull prayer divine ſuccour is continued.
3. From that which is implied by Moſes letting downe his hand, I inferre, that,
III. Saints are prone to faint in their fervency of prayer.
4. From the Event following thereupon (Amalek prevailed) I gather, that,
IIII. Intermiſſion of faithfull and fervent prayer oft proves very prejudiciall.
5. From the different iſſue of this warre, that one while Iſrael prevailed, another while Amalek prevailed, I conclude, that,
V. Warre is wavering. Succeſſe therein ſomtimes hangs one way, ſomtimes another way.