I assume you are referring to Exodus 17:9:
So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
The events leading up to this event:
The people of Israel under Moses, were in the wilderness near Rephidim. They complained to Moses of lack of water. Under God’s instruction, Moses and some of the elders proceeded to Horeb where Moses struck the rock resulting in water gushing out. As this was happening, Amalek attacked the stragglers of Israel.
Moses instructed Joshua to choose men and lead them out to fight the next day with Amalek. While they were fighting, Moses was on the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in his hand. When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, when Moses lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. To keep Moses’ hands steady, Aaron and Hur held them up while Moses sat on a rock.
We see several types in this incident:
- Amalek represents the flesh
- Joshua represents Jesus leading us in the battle against the flesh
- Moses, on the hill with his arms raised with the rod of God above his head, flanked on either side by 2 men –– represents Jesus crucified between two men
- The rod in Scripture represents power — so God was the source of Moses’ power
Just as Moses on the hill with his arms lifted up allowed Israel to prevail against Amalek, so the crucified Christ allows us to prevail against our fleshly enemy of sin and death.
Gal 5:17 & 24-25 ESV For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. … And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
In our battle against the flesh, Jesus exhorts us to take up our cross daily and follow him (Luke 9:23). Just as the rod represents power, we read that the word of the cross represents the power of God:
1Co 1:18 ESV For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Romans 6 sheds more light in this idea of voluntary crucifixion by taking up our cross daily:
Rom 6:10-13 ESV For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. (11) So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. (13) Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
The fight against Amalek was useless unless Moses had God’s rod raised. The fight against the flesh is useless without the atoning work of Jesus.
Act 5:30-31 ESV The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. (31) God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.