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It was a wicked deed, for Israel had in noway provoked the onset, and the Amalekites
were, as descendants of Esau, closely related to them.But there is yet deeper meaning
attaching both to this contest and to its issue. For, first, we mark therecord of God's
solemn determination "utterly to put out the remembrance of Amalek from
underheaven," (Exodus 17:14) and His proclamation of "war of Jehovah with Amalek
from generation togeneration" (17:16). Secondly, we have in connection with this the
prophetic utterance of Balaam tothis effect: (Numbers 24:20) "Amalek the first-fruits
of the heathen" (the beginning of the Gentilepower and hostility), "but his latter end
even to destruction;" while, lastly, we notice the brief butdeeply significant terms in
which Scripture accounts for the cowardly attack of Amalek:(Deuteronomy 25:18) "he
feared not God."
The contest of Amalek therefore must have been intended, not so much against Israel
simply as anation, as against Israel in their character as the people of God. It was the
first attack of thekingdoms of this world upon the kingdom of God, and as such it is
typical of all that have followed.Strange as it may sound, in such a contest God will
not fight for Israel as at the Red Sea. Israel itselfmust also fight, though success will
be granted only so long as their fight is carried on under thebanner of God. That
banner was the rod which Moses had received, and with which he was toperform
miracles. This rod represented the wonder-working Presence of Jehovah with His
people astheir Shepherd, their Ruler and their Leader. Yet in the fight which Israel
waged, it was not enoughsimply to stretch forth the rod as over the Red Sea. The hand
that holds the rod must also be liftedup to heaven - the faith that holds the symbol of
God's wonder-working presence must rise up toheaven and draw down in prayer the
pledged blessing, to give success to Israel's efforts, and ensurevictory to their arms.
Thus we understand this history. Moses chose a band to fight against Amalek,placing
it under the command of Hoshea, a prince of the tribe of Ephraim, (Numbers 13:8,
16;Deuteronomy 32:44) whose name, perhaps, from that very event, was changed to
Joshua (Jehovahis help).
In the mean time Moses himself took his position on the top of a hill, with the rod of
God in his hand.So long as this rod was held up Israel prevailed, but when Moses'
hands drooped from weariness,Amalek prevailed. Then Aaron and Hur - the latter a
descendant of Judah, and the grandfather ofBezaleel, who seems to have held among
the laity a position akin to that of Aaron (Exodus 24:14) -stayed the hands of Moses
until the going down of the sun, and the defeat of Amalek was complete.
This holding up of Moses' hands has been generally regarded as symbolical of prayer.
But if thatwere all, it would be difficult to understand why it was absolutely needful to
success that his handsshould be always upheld, so that when they drooped, merely
from bodily weariness, Amalek shouldhave immediately prevailed. Moreover, it
leaves unexplained the holding up of the rod towardsheaven. In view of this difficulty
(^)