The Power of Fervent Prayer — Joseph Hall on Exodus 17

The Power of Fervent Prayer

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.

Exodus chapter 17 verse 12

The hand of Moses must be raised, but not empty: neither is it his own rod that he holds, but God's. In the first meeting of God with Moses, the rod was Moses', it is like, for the use of his trade; now the propriety is altered; God has so wrought by it, that now he challenges it, and Moses dare not call it his own.

Those things which it pleases God to use for his own service, are now changed in their condition. The bread of the sacrament was once the baker's, now it is God's: the water was once every man's, now it is the laver of regeneration. It is both unjust and unsafe, to hold those things common, wherein God has a peculiarity.

At other times, upon occasion of the plagues, and of the quails, and of the rock, he was commanded to take the rod in his hand, now he does it unbidden. He does it not now for miraculous operation, but for encouragement.

For when the Israelites should cast up their eyes to the hill, and see Moses, and his rod, (the man, and the means that had wrought so powerfully for them) they could not but take heart to themselves, and think, There is the man that delivered us from the Egyptian, why not now from the Amalekite? There is the rod which turned waters to blood, and brought varieties of plagues on Egypt, why not now on Amalek?

Nothing can more hearten our faith, than the view of the monuments of God's favour: if ever we have found any word, or act of God cordial to us, it is good to fetch it forth oft to the eye. The renewing of our sense, and remembrance, makes every gift of God perpetually beneficial.

If Moses had received a command, that rod which fetched water from the rock, could as well have fetched the blood of the Amalekites out of their bodies. God will not work miracles always; neither must we expect them unbidden.

Not as a standard-bearer, so much as a suppliant, does Moses lift up his hand. The gesture of the body should both express and further the piety of the soul. This flesh of ours is not a good servant, unless it help us in the best offices. The God of spirits does most respect the soul of our devotion; yet, it is both unmannerly and irreligious, to be mis-gestured in our prayers. The careless and uncomely carriage of the body helps both to signify, and make a profane soul.

The hand and the rod of Moses never moved in vain; though the rod did not strike Amalek, as it had done the rock, yet it smote heaven, and fetched down victory. And that the Israelites might see the hand of Moses had a greater stroke in the fight, than all theirs, the success must rise and fall with it. Amalek rose, and Israel fell, with his hand falling: Amalek fell, and Israel rises, with his hand raised.

O the wondrous power of the prayers of faith! All heavenly favours are derived to us from this channel of grace. To these are we beholden for our peace, preservations, and all the rich mercies of God which we enjoy. We could not want, if we could ask.

Every man's hand would not have done this, but the hand of a Moses. A faithless man may as well hold his hand and tongue still; he may babble, but prays not; he prays ineffectually, and receives not; only the prayer of the righteous avails much; and only the believer is righteous.

There can be no merit, no recompence answerable to a good man's prayer; for heaven, and the ear of God is open to him; but the formal devotions of an ignorant and faithless man, are not worth that crust of bread which he asks: yea, it is presumption in himself, how should it be beneficial to others? It profanes the name of God, instead of adoring it.

But how justly is the fervency of the prayer added to the righteousness of the person! When Moses' hand slackened, Amalek prevailed. No Moses can have his hand ever up; it is a title proper to God, that his hands are stretched out still, whether to mercy or vengeance. Our infirmity will not suffer any long intention, either of body or mind. Long prayers can hardly maintain their vigour, as in tall bodies the spirits are diffused.

The strongest hand will languish with long extending: and when our devotion tires, it is seen in the success, then straightway our Amalek prevails. Spiritual wickednesses are mastered by vehement prayer, and, by heartlessness in prayer, overcome us.

Moses had two helps, a stone to sit on, and a hand to raise his: and his sitting and holpen hand is no less effectual. Even in our prayers will God allow us to respect our own infirmities. In cases of our necessity, he regards not the posture of the body, but the affections of the soul.

Doubtless Aaron and Hur did not only raise their hands, but their minds with his. The more cords, the easier draught. Aaron was brother to Moses: there cannot be a more brotherly office, than to help one another in our prayers, and to excite our mutual devotions. No Christian may think it enough to pray alone. He is no true Israelite, that will not be ready to lift up the weary hands of God's saints.

All Israel saw this: or if they were so intent upon the slaughter and spoil, that they observed it not, they might hear it after from Aaron and Hur; yet this contents not God; "It must be written." Many other miracles had God done before, not one directly commanded to be recorded: the other were only for the wonder, this for the imitation of God's people. In things that must live by report, every tongue adds or detracts something.

The word once written is both unalterable and permanent.

As God is careful to maintain the glory of his miraculous victory, so is Moses desirous to second him; God by a book, and Moses by an altar, and a name. God commands to enrol it in parchment; Moses registers it in the stones of his altar, which he raises not only for future memory, but for present use. That hand, which was weary of lifting up, straightway offers a sacrifice of praise to God.

How well it becomes the just to be thankful! Even very nature teacheth us men to abhor ingratitude in small favours; how much less can that fountain of goodness abide to be laded at with unthankful hands! O God, we cannot but confess our deliverances! Where are our altars? Where are our sacrifices? Where is our Jehovah-nissi? I do not more wonder at thy power in preserving us, than at thy mercy, which is not weary of casting away favours upon the ungrateful.