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 of both boys, however, God saw a different outcome.  Before Esau and his brother were even born, God spoke of them to their mother, Rebekah, as the boys “…struggled together within her” while they were both yet in her womb.  God told her, “Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23).  As the boys grew, it was evident just how different they were.  Esau was a real outdoorsman, “a man of the field.”  He was also very impulsive.  Jacob, on the other hand was plain, and more of a homebody.  He was quiet and calculating. 

 

One day when Esau, faint with hunger, came in from hunting, Jacob was preparing a stew and his brother asked him for a bowl of it.  Jacob, calculating brother that he was, said, “Sell me this day thy birthright.” (Genesis 25:31).  Scripture tells us that Esau despised his birthright that day, exchanging it for the instant gratification of a fleshly need.  As a result, Jacob ultimately received the blessings and birthright that should have been his brother’s. 

 

The same nature that drove Esau to despise his birthright and choose the carnal, temporal things of the world, was passed down through his generations and was also at work in Amalek.  As C. H. Spurgeon writes in The War of Truth, “We think that the journeys of the children of Israel furnish us with many emblems of the journey of God's church through the world; and we believe, that this fight with Amalek is a metaphor and an emblem of that constant and daily fight which all God's people must carry on with sins without and sins within.” God has established a clear link between Amalek and his grandfather Esau.  Amalek, therefore, represents everything of the flesh that would threaten to destroy God’s people through foolish lusts and temporal pleasures. 

 

Exodus 17 furnishes us with a descriptive metaphor of the struggle that takes place within every Christian between the old man (the fleshly, carnal nature), and the new man (the born again spiritual nature).  “For whatever things were written before [in the Old Testament] were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4).  “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted…and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11).

 

Like Esau, our fleshly nature wants to be instantly gratified, and is willing to trade our eternal inheritance for one moment of fleshly satisfaction (Hebrews 12:16, 17).  Our spiritual nature, though, wants to please God by mortifying (putting to death) the deeds of the flesh and learning to live by the faith of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  St. Paul’s description of the struggle between the Spirit and the flesh is right on: “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Galatians 5:17).  Also, in Romans 8, he writes, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:5-10).

 

It was not long after Israel had been delivered from the bondage suffered in Egypt, that the Amalekites attacked them.  The LORD was angry with Amalek at that time, and later He reminded Israel of Amalek’s wrong when He said, “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.  Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.” (Deuteronomy 25:17-19).  The Amalekites fought dirty.  Instead of facing the strength of Israel, and attacking the warriors, they attacked the old, the weary, and the feeble that were straggling behind the main column of Israelites.  For this, God hated Amalek, and pronounced judgment on them when His people entered into the Promised Land. 

 

Similarly, the enemy of our souls doesn’t wait until we are strong or mature to attack, but begins his onslaught as soon as we make a commitment to God.  He looks for areas in our life that are vulnerable: places we are weak, and times when we are weary.

 

Let’s Fast forward in Israel’s history to the time when Saul was selected as the first king of Israel.  God directed Saul to complete His judgment on the Amalekites.  God told Saul, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.  Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” (1 Samuel 15:2).  God intended for the Amalekites to be completely annihilated just as they had sought to annihilate Israel.  Of course, we know that Saul did not completely obey God’s directive.  He kept the best of the cattle and sheep alive, and spared Agag the King of Amalek as well.  For this, God was angry and rejected Saul.  That’s when the LORD sent His prophet Samuel to anoint David to be the next King of Israel.  God referred to David as “…a man after God’s own heart”.

 

It is no less critical that we learn to obey God when it comes to mortifying the deeds of the flesh and following the directives that He gives us through His Word.  God is still looking for those who are after His own heart.  The carnal mind and nature is the enemy of God, and, therefore, must be annihilated.  Jesus was adamant about this when He said, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (John 12:25), and, “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39). 

 

“And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.” (Exodus 17:9).  The battle with Amalek was on!  Moses directed his general, Joshua, to choose the men who would fight for Israel, and go out to engage the enemy.  Moses would climb to the top of a nearby hilltop with the rod of God in his hand as God directed him to do.  Notice that Moses didn’t refer to the rod as “my rod,” or “the rod of Moses,” or even “the rod of Israel.”  No, this insignificant rod Moses had picked up somewhere in the wilderness long before God had even spoken to him about standing before Pharaoh to deliver the Israelites from Egypt had become something much more.  This rod had been transformed into the ROD OF GOD.  It was this rod that became a serpent to confound Pharaoh’s magicians.  This same rod Moses held aloft as God divided the Red Sea for His people to cross over on dry ground.  This same rod Moses used to bring water from the rock when Israel was thirsty.  The transformation of this simple rod was much like the transformation that had taken place in Moses’ own life.  God had remade him from the impetuous, rash, and fearful prince of Egypt into a confident, trusting, and bold servant of God. 

 

“So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.” (Exodus 17:10, 11).  Moses took Aaron and Hur with him to the top of the hilltop.  Moses then lifted the rod of God up above his head, grasping it with both hands.  What happened next was a miracle indeed.  When Moses would raise the rod in the air, then Joshua and the army of Israel would prevail in the battle; but when Moses would lower the rod, then the Amalekites would prevail instead.  It soon became obvious that Israel’s victory or defeat did not depend on the strength or weakness of their army, but in the power of Almighty God and in trusting Him with all their hearts.  Our victory is always by the power of God - and the extent of that power is limitless!  Scripture says, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.  Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20, 21).

 

“But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” (Exodus 17:12).  Moses, being but flesh and blood, grew weary holding his hands and arms up for very long;  so, Aaron and Hur sat him on a rock and each of them held up one of Moses arms to keep them from dropping.  This they did until the sun set and Israel had defeated Amalek. 

 

We, too, grow weary in our fight against Satan and against the temptations of our flesh.  That’s when we must remind ourselves that the battle is not ours, but God’s.  Just as the battle with Amalek was won or lost by what was happening on the hilltop with the rod of God, so our victory hinges on our faith and willingness to let God work in our lives.  Israel’s victory had nothing to do with Joshua’s expert battleground strategy, or in the will or prowess of Israel’s warriors.  It only had to do with the power and will of God.  The rod of God is representative of God’s power moving through the gifts and ministries that God has anointed and ordained for the edification of the Body of Christ.  They are nothing without God’s power – only dry sticks – but under the anointing, they can work miracles, and help us secure victory in the battles that we face.    As St. John writes, “But as many as received Him [Christ], to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12, 13).

 

When we grow weary, God has provided us with those in the Body who can help bear our burden.  They minister to us, support us, strengthen us, exhort us, and pray for us.  Writing to the Ephesian Church about the proper functioning of Christ’s Body under the direction of Christ the head, Paul said, “From Whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16).  Every member of the Body is dependent on every other member.  We are fitly joined together, compacted by what every joint supplies; edified and increased by what every part contributes.  Often, those whose work is most visible in the Body are supported in secret by those who pray and make supplication for them.  It is necessary, therefore, for each of us to learn to hold forth the spiritual gifts that God has given us for the mutual benefit of the Body.  It isn’t the rod or the gift that is so important, but it is the Lord Himself Who breathes His life into it and gives it power.  St. Paul tells us to “…stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:6, 7).

 

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.  And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi…” (Exodus 17:14, 15).  Moses did three things after the battle with Amalek.  First, he wrote an account of what happened there that day in a book in order to memorialize it for the Children of Israel for all time.  Second, he reinforced to Joshua what God had done that day so that Joshua would be reminded for the future that he must rely on God’s power in battle, and not his own strength or wisdom.  Finally, Moses built an altar and called it “Jehovahnissi,” meaning, “the Lord our banner.”  The “banner” in this case was a battle standard or rallying point for soldiers to meet in battle.  It is important for us to remember that the Lord Himself is our standard.  It is to Jesus that we must always rally if we want to be victorious in the battles we face with the world, the flesh, and the devil.  “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” (Isaiah 59:19).  “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.” (Psalms 60:4).  Keep in mind that “…it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13).

 

“For he [Moses] said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” (Exodus 17:16).  The battle over our flesh is not one that will be totally won in one day, one year, or even one lifetime.  Christians from generation to generation must be reminded that God has established this banner, this standard, so that we know we have a place to rally where we will know victory through the power of His might.  We must engage in this spiritual warfare and learn to “…be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”

 

One more thing: the place where this battle occurred, Rephadim, means “place of rest.”  At first glance, it appears that this place was anything but a place of rest.  It was a battlefield after all!  A real struggle between life and death was going on there.  God, however, has promised His people a place of rest from their struggles and from their battles.  “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9).  It is “we which have believed” who can enter into this rest (see Hebrews 4:3).  It is for those who are learning to cease from their own works and trust God for their outcomes that this promise exists (see Hebrews 4:10).  Those who can look to the hilltop and see the rod of God lifted high like a banner and know that the battle is not theirs, but God’s, are the ones who will find rest and peace in the midst of the storms of life.  Hallelujah!