A nation of escaped slaves from out of Egypt: Hebrew Israelites, cattlemen, priests, elders and prophets, traveling with women, children, oxen, bulls, steers and cows conquered the Promised Land because they had something no seasoned army had: a pillar of fire and a cloud of smoke.
When the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt, by way of the Red Sea's wilderness:
He "went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead the way: and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." (Exodus 13:21-22)
This was before the ark of the covenant was built.
The fired-up Israelites overran the Amalekites in a city called Rephidim: the same place that Moses smote a rock and drew enough water for the grumpy Israelites to drink.
The Amalekites were a tribe descended from Esau, Isaac's oldest son. They were the first army to both battle against and be defeated by the Joshua-led Israelite army.
This is the same battle where Joshua first formed the men of Israel into a military formation, at Moses' instructions. When Moses, hence, famously held up his hand and Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, the Amalekites did.
Aaron and a man named Hur held Moses's hands up until the sun went down, and the sword-wielding Joshua led the Israelites to an immaculate victory.
Moses knew Him, who led by smoke cloud and fire, as Jehova-nissi (Exodus 17:15).
Jehova-nissi fights His people's battles. Sometimes we will prevail. Sometimes our enemy will prevail. But at the end of the day, by the pillar of fire and cloud of smoke that is the Lord, we will rejoice in a smashing victory.
Long live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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