Exodus 17

As the Israelite throng leaves the Desert of Sin (a rather unfortunate but somewhat apt moniker), guess what they do? If you answered, "They write villanelles with their armpits," you'd be close, but not quite there. As if on cue, they start complaining about the lack of water, prompting Moses to ask (rhetorically), "Why do you put the LORD to the test?" (verse 2) God had admonished them pretty clearly in the last chapter about testing Him, and yet they seem to have the memory spans of goldfish. Moses enters drama queen mode, claiming that the people are about to "stone" him (verse 4). I don't know if this is actually true or if Moses was being hyperbolic, but I'd be pretty exasperated too. This is how the Israelites show their gratitude after the miracles in Egypt and the provision of manna and quail? Then, of course, God reminds me that I can be an ungrateful little snit, complaining to Him--if indirectly, but does that really make a difference?

Ever forbearing, God provides water from a rock. I guess Charlie Brown's Halloween treats suddenly don't look so bad if a) you're in the middle of a parched desert, and b) you have Moses along with you. Water definitely trumps candy and popcorn in such an arid environment. Interesting to note is that Moses doesn't perform this miracle in front of everyone (though with more than 600,000, not everyone could have seen it clearly anyway), but only "in the sight of the elders of Israel" (verse 6). At first glance, this seems awfully elitist, but this does show that Moses respected older people. Age does not automatically correlate with wisdom, but I think that all too often, we disregard older folks in favor of younger folks. This is especially prevalent in Silicon Valley, where Google, Facebook, Apple and other tech start-ups overflow with "cool" young employees always trying to "break the rules." Not that we should spurn the millennial generation or call them lazy--I'm part of said generation, after all--but people of all ages have much to offer.

As the Israelites fight the Amalekites, we receive out first glimpse of Joshua, who will become Moses's right-hand man and, eventually, his successor. Oddly, the tide of the battle fluctuates depending on whether Moses is holding his hands up; when they're up, the Israelites are winning, and when they're down, the Amalekites are winning. Anyone who's held their hands up knows that your arms get tired surprisingly quickly, so it makes sense that Moses has Joshua and Hur help hold them up.

Using physical gestures is a rather peculiar way for God to reveal His power (though who am I to judge)--it reminds me a bit of Magneto in X-Men. He can move manipulate metal with his mind, but for some reason, he always needs to flail his arms around, writhing like a stuck pig. Other psychic characters in films and TV do this as well, and even Darth Vader needs to make a choking sign with his hand in order for his Force-choking to work. I've always found this trope a little silly, though I suppose it does let you know that the character is doing something. But really, if you're Charles Xavier and can read people's minds, won't holding your finger to your forehead insinuate that you may be doing something nefarious?