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THE LORD OUR BANNER

“Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. (Exodus 17:8).   Amalek and his people, the Amalekites, were one of Israel’s earliest and most ruthless enemies.  It was Amalek who attacked the Jews without provocation shortly after they had escaped the bondage of Egypt.  They sought to destroy Israel before they even had a chance to step one foot in the Promised Land that God had given them.  In studying Exodus 17, it’s good to have an understanding, therefore, of who the Amalekites were, and what they represent in scripture.    Amalek was a grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12), firstborn son of Isaac.  Isaac was the son of Abraham, father of the Jewish people.  Esau was one of a pair of twins, and was born first before his brother, Jacob.  According to Jewish norms, Esau would have been heir to the greater blessing from his father and a double portion of the inheritance upon Isaac’s death.  Having foreknowledge of the nature ...
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PURE OF HEART

God is searching for a people who are pure and clean within, so that He can then manifest His glory and beauty to the world.   “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him,” (II Chronicles 16:9).   The psalmist David understood this when he said, “Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts,” and, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” (Psalm 51:6, 10).   After Saul had been rejected as king over Israel, God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint a new king from among the sons of Jesse.   Jesse had eight Sons; and when Samuel had come down to Jesse’s house, Jesse had his oldest son, Eliab, come before Samuel.   When Samuel saw Eliab, he said to himself, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before me,”    The Lord spoke to Samuel, however, and said, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I h...
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ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Saul of Tarsus, who is better known as the Apostle Paul, is a very interesting study in the grace of God.   If there ever was one whom the early Church considered unreachable with the Gospel message, it was Paul.     Naturally speaking, Paul was equipped with everything that he needed to become a great man of God.   He was born into a respected tribe of Israel, highly educated in the Law of Moses (which he observed religiously, and considered himself blameless in its precepts).   Overall, he was viewed as a “Hebrew of the Hebrews.”   Just as his father had been, Paul was a member of the Jewish sect known as the Pharisees.   This faction was the most influential of the three main Jewish sects of the day.   He was a student of the famous and respected teacher, Gamaliel.   Paul was also born a Roman citizen.   This gave him special privileges throughout the Empire.     Paul was a doer.   He wasn’t content to just sit ...
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