Exodus — Chapter 17

The congregation journeyed by stages and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water. Lapide notes the pattern: immediately after the gift of the manna comes the trial of thirst. God does not grant one miracle to remove all future trials; each new stage of the spiritual journey brings its own new temptation. The soul must learn to trust not only the God of the manna but the God of the arid rock. He cites Bernard (Serm. in Cant. XXI): trials come not to destroy but to prove and purify.

The people contended with Moses and said: \"Give us water that we may drink.\" Moses replied: \"Why do you tempt the Lord?\" Lapide distinguishes legitimate petitionary prayer from tempting God. Petition is lawful when we ask God for what we need while leaving the manner and time to His wisdom; temptation of God is when we demand a sign of His power before we will trust Him. The Israelites demanded water without prayer, with murmuring and threats—this is temptation of God, not trust.

Behold, I will stand there before thee upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, that the people may drink. Lapide identifies the smitten rock as one of the most explicit Christological types in Exodus, citing St. Paul (1 Cor. 10:4: \"that spiritual rock... and the rock was Christ\"). The rock is struck by Moses's rod (the authority of the Law) and pours forth life-giving water—Christ is struck by the rod of the Law's judgment, crucified, and from His opened side pours forth water and blood (Jn. 19:34), the fountains of Baptism and the Eucharist. He cites Ambrose (In Ps. 1) and Augustine.

Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. Lapide identifies Amalek as the type of the devil, who attacks Israel as soon as it emerges from Egyptian slavery: immediately after Baptism the devil assaults the newly freed soul. He cites Origen (Hom. in Ex. XI): \"Amalek did not attack the Israelites in Egypt but only when they had left—so the devil attacks not those already his slaves but those who are striving for freedom.\" This gives the principle of spiritual combat: the fiercer the attack, the closer one is to the promised land.

As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; when he let his hands down, Amalek prevailed. Lapide gives the primary typological interpretation: Moses's outstretched arms are a figure of the Cross of Christ—the victory of the Church over her enemies depends entirely on the virtue of the crucified Redeemer. He cites Justin Martyr (Dial. cum Tryph.) who expounds this at length. Secondarily he interprets the elevation of hands as the figure of prayer: the Church conquers not by human strength but by persistent intercession.

And Moses built an altar, and called the name thereof, The Lord my exaltation. After the victory over Amalek, Moses builds an altar—not a monument to himself or to Joshua, but to God alone. Lapide notes that every victory achieved by God's power must be immediately consecrated back to God in an act of thanksgiving. The failure to do this—attributing divine victories to human merit—is the sin of pride that corrupts spiritual warfare. He cites Bernard (Serm. in Cant. XIII): \"The sign of progress is that you attribute all good to God and all evil to yourself.\"