Why did the battle against Amalek go Israel's way only while Moses' hands were held up?
The battle went Israel's way while Moses' hands were held up because God was in control and fought the battle for Israel. The raised hands served as the providential sign of divine aid, not human military strength. Moses named the altar Jehovah Nissi, meaning 'He is our banner,' confirming God as the one who fought.
Les explains that God used the Israeli men, but the outcome depended on Moses' uplifted arms. As long as Moses' arms were held up, the battle went on Israel's side; if they fell, it went against them. This demonstrated that God was in control. Moses later built an altar and called it Jehovah Nissi, which means 'He is our banner,' showing it was God who fought the battle. Les connects this to Zechariah, where the Lord will go forth and fight against the nations as when He fought in the day of battle, and Christ will return from glory.
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
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