6. A Stone of Foundation and Victory in Exodus

This is the sixth in a series of articles about stones in the Bible.  We know that stones were used as an instrument of capital punishment in Israel, but these articles will look at stones in a different light.  Instead of a weapon of judgment, we will “pick up” stones that will be stones of instruction.  These “stones” will “teach” us and help us remember our God.

Throughout the Bible, stones have had great significance.  The past weeks we’ve covered:

Stone 1:  A Stone and a Name—in Genesis and Exodus
Stone 2:  A Stone of Rest—a pillow of comfort in Genesis
Stone 3:  A Stone Covered Well in Genesis
Stone 4:  A “Mizpah” Stone of Blessing—and God’s faithful watch in Genesis
Stone 5:  A Stone of Precious Promise—Jesus, My Rock

This week…Stone #6

Last week, we added the Stone that is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.  This week we add the Stone of Strength and Support.  Jesus is our Foundation Stone and our Banner of Victory.  We know well that the Bible tells us, when we are weak He is strong.  

2 Corinthians 12:9  And he [Jesus] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

This assurance is followed by the revelation that we can find comfort, peace, and even please in troubled times because of His precious promise that He will uphold and strengthen us:

2 Corinthians 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

He is strong for us!  What a gift we have in His strength.  Therein lies a revelation of the power of the resurrection.  He gives us His strength!  In Exodus, we find an account of Moses’ weakness, a lesson about how God provides, and…

A Stone of Support

Following the miracle of Moses striking the rock and water coming out from it (Exodus 17:1-7), there came opposition from the Amalekites.  Moses instructed Joshua to choose men to fight.  Joshua chose his fighting men and they went into battle.  As the battle commenced, Moses stood atop the hill with the rod of God in his uplifted hand.  Whenever Moses’ hand was up-stretched toward Heaven, Israel prevailed, but when Moses lowered his hand due to fatigue, the Amalekites prevailed. 

Exodus 17:10-11  …Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

This clearly shows that God was with them in the battle and He would be their strength.  Recognizing Moses’ fleshly weakness and that he could no longer hold up his hands, Aaron and Hur placed a stone under Moses for him to sit on.  They then stood on each side of Moses and helped him to hold his hand up “until the going down of the sun.” 

Exodus 17:12  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.

God’s people were victorious because God was with them in the battle.  He was their rock-solid foundation, their stone of strength, support, and victory.  Not only did God give them the power and strength to defeat the Amalekites, God also used two of His people to uphold and strengthen Moses when He was weak.  This reminds us of the importance of fellowship among God’s people.

It was not the mighty men who won that war with the Amalekites.  It was the Foundation upon which they fought.  It was God who gave them the strength to be victorious, and to His Name belongs all the glory.

Following the victory, God instructed Moses to record this battle so future generations would remember His great works.  “And Moses built an altar [with stones], and called the name of it Jehovahnissi” (Exodus 17:15 ).  

Jehovah Nissi is a compound name for God that means, the Lord is my Banner.  This name occurs once in the Bible.  It is found only in Exodus 17:15 it is a name for God that testifies of His faithfulness to His promise of providing for His people. (Read more about the Names of God: In addition to Yahweh (YHVH), Yeshua and Jesus, what other names for God are in the Bible?)

Take your Stone of Foundation and Victory that represent your Banner and add it to the memorial pillar.  

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37  

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57  

 …And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. 1 John 5:4 

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Memorial Stones

1:  A Stone and a Name—in Genesis and Exodus
2:  A Stone of Rest—a pillow of comfort in Genesis
3:  A Stone Covered Well in Genesis
4:  A “Mizpah” Stone of Blessing—and God’s faithful watch in Genesis
5:  A Stone of Precious Promise—Jesus, My Rock
6:  A Stone of Foundation and Victory—Jesus, My Banner
7:  A Stone of Deliverance and Memorial—Jesus, My Saviour
[12 stones you can’t pick up, but you need to know are there]
8:  A Stone of Help in 1 Samuel–an Ebenezer Stone—Jesus, My Hep
9:  A Stone of Remembrance of God’s Power and Provision—Jesus, My Provision
10: A Stone of Praise—Jesus, My King
11 & 12: A Lively Stone in a Living Stone —Jesus, in whom we live, and move, and have our being.