For Christian Sisters

The defeat of our enemies before we begin to fight them

09 November 2017 AnneT Blog, The Amalekites An ordered list of links for each blog series is on the Archive page. (0)

The Amalekites — Sixth in a series

At the end of the last post, Israel was marching north, near the Moabites whose king had hired Balaam to curse them, but Balaam could not resist the Lord's power and blessed them instead. God had promised Abraham that Canaan would belong to his progeny and was close to fulfilling that promise.

The Moabites were not to be disturbed (Deut 2:9); they were cousins not Canaanites. But they were persistent in their desire to confound Israel. At Balaam's counsel (Num 31:16), Moab's daughters drew the Israelites into whoredom and idol worship (Num 25:1, 2), helped by their neighbors, the Midianites. (Num 25:6)

God told Moses to slay each Hebrew who had fallen to their schemes. When one man brought a Midianite woman into their midst and then into a tent, Moses' great nephew, Phinehas, followed them in and speared both in one thrust. For his zealous deed, God's anger was turned away, and Phinehas was promised God's covenant of peace, And he shall have it, and his seed after him, [even] the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. (Num 25:12, 13) Indeed,

the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. (2 Ch 16:9)

The Lord commanded Moses, Vex the Midianites, and smite them. (vs 17) This was to be Moses' final work before he died. We recall that Moses' wife was a Midianite: the Lord is not sentimental.

For the Israelites to take the land, there was urgent necessity that they honor and obey all of God's commands and punish any among them who would not. As they did so, victories began to mount up: first, Jericho, then Ai, though there was a step backward for the disobedience of Achan who hoarded some of the spoils from Jericho.

Again and again, the Lord urged them to victory, saying, The LORD your God has delivered them into your hand (Jos 10:19) or giving similar encouragement. All the battles had been won before the fight if obedience were at hand.

Finally, the enemy nations (except for the Gibeonites of the Hivites who deceived Israel to gain their protection) were defeated — there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. (Jos 21:44)

However, small pockets of enemies were left to test the Israelites' faith and zeal for obedience, and after a time, as God's people joined with those remnants in idol worship, they had no strength to hold their land. (Judg 2:14) Even so, if they cried out for deliverance, God was faithful to restore their possessions.

When Deborah and Barak called the Israelites to battle against the Canaanites, many of the tribes, but not all, responded. The ones who did were commended in Deborah's song (Judg 5). Ephraim was praised for battling the Amalekites, who once again had joined the Canaanites to defeat Israel, (Judg 5:14) as they had done many generations prior in their second attack on Israel.

We recall that Moses had built an altar after the Amalekites' first attack, to mark God's promise to war against the Amalekites from generation to generation (Ex 17:14-16). Evil is persistent, but is never as determined, irresistible and successful as the LORD in all his plans.

As we consider these lessons from the Old Testament, we can see their application to us:

  1. God's people must be wholehearted and careful in their obedience to all of his commands.
  2. Amalek, the personification of presumption and arrogance, must be leveled in every generation. For us, this is a charge to defeat these tendencies from ruling our hearts.
  3. Those in Christ have been given a land, the kingdom of heaven, a place of our security in the Lord here on earth and for all eternity, and by our obedience, its borders and walls are retained or reestablished.
  4. To the Lord a thousand years is as a day (2 Pet 3:8), and we are never to overlook any of his commands, no matter how long the world goes on. They do not change.

As we are obedient, we will be empowered to resist the devil and to win each battle. (Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8-10) We cannot be obedient without God's love and help.

The first shall be last or even worse!

30 October 2017 AnneT Blog, The Amalekites An ordered list of links for each blog series is on the Archive page. (0)

The Amalekites — Fifth in a series

It was time for Canaan to make way for Israel! On the brink of the Hebrew's invasion, the Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.” (Num 13:2)

After more than a year since their troubles at Rephidim where Amalek had attacked, much had been accomplished: the law – moral, ceremonial and civil – had been given; the tabernacle had been built and all its accompanying articles and vestments for worship had been created for the Levites; a census had been taken and the people had been instructed about their role in God’s covenant. As they traveled, they would camp according to tribe in a prescribed formation around the tabernacle, and there was always plenty of manna. It was a secure life, if one will reflect on it.

The familiar was evidently more appealing than the new, for when the spies returned from their exploration, all but two expressed fear and determination NOT to enter the land. Yet, the Lord makes us secure, sure of his law and presence, so that we will go forth and conquer, not to make us comfortable in our surroundings.

Because of the discouraging reports, the people once again complained and even threatened to choose a leader to take them back to Egypt. (Num 14:4) Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes and pleaded with the assembly not to rebel, but the tribes wanted to stone them. That was enough! The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.” (Num 14:12)

However, Moses interceded so that the Lord relented; nevertheless he stated that anyone over 20 years of age who had rebelled would never enter the land but instead wander in the desert for 40 years. The men who spread the bad report were struck by a plague and died.

The Israelites mourned bitterly and wanted to make amends, so the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the LORD promised. Surely we have sinned!” (Num 14:39-40) Perhaps they sought the hill country recalling how the Lord had helped them win in Rephidim with Moses on the hill.

But Moses warned them not to proceed because the Lord was not with them. “You will be defeated by your enemies.” (Num 14:42) They were.

The Amalekites along with the Canaanites attacked the Hebrews, and won! Had God’s promise to utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven failed? (Ex 17:14) Did the Lord change his mind? No, the Glory of Israel does not change his mind like a man (1 Sam 15:29), nor was his hand unable to save, nor his ear heavy (Isa 59:1, 2), but the people sealed their own fate by their sinful moaning, lack of courage and trust in God, and verbal attacks on Moses, so that once again the Amalekites were permitted their heart’s desire.

Even though God’s people repented, there are consequences to our disobedience. Otherwise, where would be the fear of God?

The name Amalek means dweller in the valley. This attack on Israel was near, possibly within, their homeland, which was to the west of Edom and south of Canaan.

Evidently, the Lord was not in a hurry to fulfill his word in respect to Amalek. Nevertheless, they were doomed to challenge and prove Israel’s faith and obedience to God for generations to come, even though they were not named among the Canaanite nations marked for Israel to defeat. How did they gain this distinctive? We find a clue to this in the story of Balak and Balaam.

After 40 years when the Israelites traveled toward their entry point to Canaan where they crossed the Jordan River on dry land (Josh 3:17), the Moabites provoked them. Balak the Moabite king called on Balaam, a false prophet, to curse Israel, but the Lord prevented him, charging him to bless her instead. (Num 22:12) Not only did he bless Israel, he confirmed God's prophecy about Amalek: And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek [was] the first of the nations; but his latter end [shall be] that he perish for ever. (Num 24:20)

Their distinctive among the nations was being first to go up against Israel. Be very careful about any movements you initiate. Initiators who oppose God’s purposes will be doubly culpable.

The Lord is the only carefree initiator. Whatever he starts he finishes and all his works are perfect.

A just sentence

14 October 2017 AnneT Blog, The Amalekites An ordered list of links for each blog series is on the Archive page. (0)

The Amalekites — Fourth in a series

The tribe of Amalek was first among the peoples to attack Israel as she was led by the Lord away from Egypt. For this impertinence, God swore to erase the remembrance of Amalek from the earth.

Yet, that attack was obviously God's design, to give Israel a taste of her own medicine, or bitter tonic, as it were.

The Hebrews had provoked the Lord by habitually complaining and by challenging Moses' leadership as they journeyed in the Sinai, so Amalek's attack led them to see their dependence on Moses and to experience what it feels like to be battered and reviled in the same manner as they had behaved toward their Lord.

Nevertheless, if Israel deserved the beating she received from Amalek, then why was Amalek forever doomed for the attack? After all, Israel won the battle. Was that not enough humiliation to subdue Amalek? Why did God swear to utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven (Ex 17:14)?

There are aspects of the Lord's nature that, in passing, seem unfeeling and frightening. It is as though we are walking through a meadow or forest whose breezes are warm and fragrant when suddenly a cold pocket of air disturbs our comfortable walk.

This incident provokes fear of God, a good thing, and reminds us that we must maintain faith, hope and charity in our hearts, and respect those in authority over us as we wait for God's help in our distress. We understand that God must discipline us for persistent disobedience: that is fair and logical.

However, it is unsettling to reflect upon the poor Amalekites. They did not deserve their sentence of death! How can we think God's thoughts and desire to be like Him in these instances of His providential judgment? Why not let Amalek go on his way? Punish them, but do not blot out their name altogether, please!

Alarmed, we now think through this harsh sentence.

First, consider first the spectacle of Israel's presence in the Sinai: Here was a mass of humanity delivered from cruel bondage, led forth across a sea whose waters had been literally shoved apart by the hand of God. These people were awkward, unaware of the dangers of life beyond Goshen where they had resided roughly 400 years (Gen 15:13).

The neighboring people knew what was occurring: this was the prophesied return of Israel to the land. The Amalekites had been preserved by Joseph's store of grain in Egypt. They knew the old stories — the entire region knew. Recall when Rahab said, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. (Josh 2:9)

Imagine the arrogance, to have heard of the miraculous deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery, yet not to respect their right to journey forward under their mighty God's care and guidance. If you saw a lame and underfed lamb set free from a cruel taskmaster, now being guided by a supernaturally powerful man, would you terrorize it and try to kill it? If so, you are a fool. Could you not see what this man would do to you? We will study a prophecy in a future post about Amalek being first to go up against Israel. Amalek had no fear of God; his latter end [shall be] that he perish for ever. (Num 24:20)

Second, in regard to the Lord's right to punish the Amalekites severely, consider that the Lord SHALL defend his glory, thank heavens, or we are doomed. Amalek sneered at God's works and sovereign plan that displayed his glory so that God needed to punish their disrespect. Many years ago I read an excellent book on what the righteousness of God is, and why God must defend his glory. I'm sorry I do not have the book title nor author's name, however I still have some notes I made, and I believe these are direct quotations:

For God to condone or ignore the dishonor heaped upon him by the sins of men would be tantamount to giving credence to the value judgment men have made in esteeming God less than his creation. It's not so much saying that sins or justice do not matter but that God doesn't. But for God to act as if the disgrace of his holy name were not important is the heart of unrighteousness. For him to be Righteous, he must repair the dishonor done to his name by the sins of those whom he blesses. It is pointless to object that God never is trapped in a situation where he must do something. The only necessity unworthy of God is a necessity imposed on him from causes not originating in himself. To say God must be who he is — that he must value what is of infinite value and delight in his infinite beauty — is no dishonor. What would dishonor him is to deny he has any necessary identity at all and to assert that his acts emerge willy-nilly from no essential and constant nature … God is trustworthy because his righteousness depends on his unswerving commitment to preserve the honor of his name and display his glory … Therein consists his unimpeachable righteousness and the contrite heart that flees to him for refuge finds hope on this basis. (Ps 71:1-5; 143:1-11)

Finally, Amalek did have a choice; he desired to harm God's people and to prevent their prophesied journey to Canaan. Though he gained divine permission, he is blamable for his sinful heart of rebellion.

So, there we have three reasons God was right in his judgment of Amalek.

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