Nathan Stone
reminds us that...
"Only a few weeks had elapsed from the
time the children of Israel left Marah, the place of bitter waters, till
they reached Rephidim, the scene of Jehovah's revelation of Himself to them
as Jehovah-nissi, Jehovah my banner. At Marah, we will recall, in healing
the bitter waters of that place, He had revealed Himself as
Jehovah Rapha
(Jehovah Rophe), Jehovah Who heals, the One Who alone has the remedy for the
sins of mankind, the balm for the sorrows and sufferings of His people; Who
has sweetened the bitter waters of human misery and death through Christ,
the Tree of life and the sweet and living waters. The children of Israel had
gone from Marah to Elim, the place of refreshing and rest (Ex15:27). From
there they journeyed to the wilderness of Sin (Ex 16) where they murmured
against Moses because there was no food, and where they longed for the
fleshpots of Egypt. There, Jehovah appeared in the cloud of glory and began
to feed them with the wilderness manna. Then they came to Rephidim where
there was no water (Ex 17). At Marah the waters were bitter. Here there was
no water at all. Hunger is difficult and discouraging enough to bear, but
the sufferings and torments of thirst are unbearable. Their murmurings and
threatenings against Moses were rather a tempting of Jehovah. They doubted
God. Forgotten, the marvelous passage of the Red Sea and the drowning of
Pharaoh and his hosts; forgotten, the miraculous healing of Marah's waters!
Ignoring the coming down of the manna from heaven, they questioned God's
goodness and even His presence. "Is the Lord among us, or not?" they said.
And there from the rock in Horeb, that rock which Paul tells us was Christ
(1 Cor. 10:4), Jehovah caused waters to spring forth to quench the
multitude's thirst. Then came the experience which occasioned Jehovah's
revelation of Himself to His people as Jehovah Nissi. Israel discovered that
perhaps there were worse enemies than even hunger and thirst. They now
learned that their pathway was to be contested and barred by implacable
human foes." (Hemphill,
Nathan: Names of God. Moody. 1944)
Through the
circumstances Israel had just experienced (Exodus
17:1-7) they
had
learned
how God provided water (and food in Ex 16 "manna"). Israel's "learning"
however was at best incomplete for they continued to grumble and quarrel with
God even after clearly and indisputably seeing Jehovah's gracious hand of
provision for their every essential need...but don't I likewise as a blood
bought, heaven bound believer often manifest the same forgetful, ungrateful
spirit? And yet despite these great lessons from God, Israel had not yet
experienced individual combat in
warfare.
Two observations are
worth commenting upon...
(1) "Rephidim" means
"rests" (plural). One cannot take this too
far but it does at least raise the thought that we are often most vulnerable
when everything seems calm and restful. The point is that our enemy never
sleeps and we too must remain ever vigilant and on guard...even when we
"rest"!
(2) The verb "fought" is translated in the
Septuagint
(Greek
translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) with the verb
polemeo
meaning to make war or fight and is in
the
imperfect tense.
You say "so what?" The point is that the imperfect tense conveys the picture
of a repeated action, and thus one begins to understand that the Amalekites
were attacking over and over again.
God Himself had fought for them when
Pharaoh's army pursued them, backing them up against the Red Sea. At that
"battle" they were instructed to
"stand by and see the salvation of
Jehovah which He will accomplish for you today...Jehovah will fight for you
while you keep silent."
(Ex 14:13-14)
(offsite
commentary)
Although one must use considerable caution in interpreting "Type" (Click for
well done discussion of
types in ISBE - see also
Approach to Interpretation of God's Word
for caveats) (cf Paul's use of
tupos in
1 Corinthians 10:6 and 10:11)
in the OT, there is a consensus among most conservative expositors that the
Amalekites
(Torrey's
Topic - Amalekites)
are representative of all evil forces
opposed to God's people throughout all the ages.
And in the light of NT teaching, those enemies are most
"conveniently" grouped into
3 categories:
(1)
The "FLESH" which is
the "Sin principle" (see study of
sarx
as the evil disposition)
that every human born has inherited (see note
Romans 5:12)
theologians call it "inherent sin") from Adam (every human born has
inherited the deadly "Sin virus" from Adam and we pass on this "Sin
virus" to all our offspring) which in turn produces in them the desire
and
propensity to commit personal sins. In other words, "Sin" (singular
and in the original Greek in Romans usually modified with the definite
article "the" = the
Sin)
is the power of sin to rule over man (see notes
Romans 6:1;
6:2;
6:3).
Personal "sins"
(plural) are the outworking of the power in thoughts, words and deeds = sins
that are committed. For a believer the
Flesh
or "Sin
principle" has been rendered inoperative when we were crucified with
Christ (see notes
Romans 6:6;
6:7;
Galatians 2:20)
releasing us from the power that
Sin
as a principle or ruling force once had in our lives. The practical import
of this truth is that believers have been delivered from the power of
Sin
(see notes
Romans 6:7;
Romans 6:11;
6:12;
6:13;
6:14 )
and now have the ability to say "No" to the "lusts (strong
desires) of the flesh". And yet the
Flesh
does remain in "latent" form in our physical bodies and is still capable of
rearing its ugly "Amalekite-like" head to wage war against us (see
notes
Romans 6:12;
6:13;
Romans 8:13).
Paul emphasizes this perpetual
(until our glorification - Hallelujah!) struggle in
Galatians 5:17
teaching us that the
Flesh
sets (present
tense = continuously)
its desire against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, for
these are (present
tense = continuously) in opposition
(literally lined up face to face against!) to one
another so that you may not do the things that you please (or that you
"continuously desire" =
present tense).
(see
notes)
Peter also reminds us that understand that we
are
"Aliens
(parepidemois)
and
strangers" on earth
and as such must
continually "abstain (Gk means hold oneself away from ~
put some separation between)
from fleshly lusts, which (continually =
present tense)
wage war (see
word study on
strateuomai related to English "strategy" or "stratagem"
= trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy! - meditate on this
verse now with these added insights)
against the soul." (see note
1 Peter 2:11)
One should be able to see the parallel between these NT truths and
Ex17:16 which teaches that "the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation."
And beloved, if the Amalekites war against God, they will also continuously
carry out war against His children (Jn 1:12).
(2) The "WORLD"
represents sum total of the thoughts, ideas
and actions that are opposed to God, which continually suppress His truth in unrighteousness and which influence
and
drive all men and women still "dead in their trespasses and sins" (see
notes on
Ephesians 2:1;
2:2;
2:3).
"WORLD"
(kosmos,
aion)
(click
word study on
aion) in this sense does not refer to the
literal physical creation but to the world’s system of values and way of
doing things -- these put pressure on each person to try to get them to
conform to the world's way (see note
Romans 12:2). The unregenerate person either consciously or unconsciously
is controlled by the
values and attitudes of this world and behaves accordingly. The leader
of this "WORLD"
is
Satan for John teaches us that "whole world
lies in the power of the evil one."(1Jn 5:19). (See
Piper's comment on "world")
(3) The third "Amalekite"
who continuously wages war against God and His children from generation to
generation is
"the great dragon...the serpent of old who is called the
devil
(see
diabolos)
and Satan,
who (continuously)
deceives
(planao) the
whole world" (see note
Revelation 12:9).
As
believers we have been
"delivered
(see word study on
rhuomai)
...from the domain (exousia
= right and might -
see word study)
of darkness and transferred...to the kingdom of His beloved Son" (see
note
Col 1:13)
And so as we study this section on warfare, let us keep in mind that
"these
things happened to them (Israel) as an
example, (tupos)
and they were written for our
instruction (click
discussion of verb form),
upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1Cor 10:6,11)
Paul adds that if any one of us thinks he or she can stand in our own strength against
the "Amalekites" then we need to
"take
heed lest (we) fall." (1Cor 10:12)
Thus Israel
had to learn in warfare that even though they were to personally "fight
the good fight of faith", victory was found ONLY in Jehovah Nissi, the
LORD our Banner, their rallying point. This is the same lesson all believers
must learn (and re-learn), lest we become overwhelmed and dismayed by the "Amalekites"
who attack unfairly, unexpectedly and unremittingly! Also keep in mind that
every "physical battle" is but a picture and manifestation of the
underlying eternal spiritual struggle between good and evil. Israel's physical
enemy in this battle was the Amalekites
who were descendants of Esau's grandson,
Amalek (Ge 36:12).
They were nomads in the desert south of Canaan (1Sa 15:7;
27:8) who
because they
did not fear God (Dt 25:18)
attacked God's people Israel. Their mode of attack was from the rear,
assaulting the stragglers
(Dt 25:17-19
Nu24:20) who
were "faint and weary".
I don't know what your experience is but when I
am tired and weary that is often the very time that the "Amalekites"
mount their "sniper" attacks. This is why Jesus warned His disciples,
commanding them to
"(present
tense = continuously) keep
watching (click
in depth discussion of
gregoreuo) and praying that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing but
the flesh is weak." (Mt 26:41).
In a similar way Peter also warned us to
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.
Your
adversary
the devil, prowls about like a roaring
lion, seeking someone to devour. But
resist
him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same
experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in
the world. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all
grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect,
confirm, strengthen and establish you." (see notes
1 Peter 5:8;
5:9;
5:10).
In
Deut 25:17-19,
just before the 2nd generation of Israelites from Egypt enters the promised
land, Moses reminds them that when the LORD gives them rest from their
enemies, they are to completely blot out the memory of Amalek and that this
command is not optional! In a similar vein, believers likewise cannot strike
a truce with any of the "Amalekites", Satan, the world (Js 4:4,1Jn 2:15-17) or our flesh (see
note
1 Peter 2:11;
Galatians 5:17).
When there is compromise with SIN ("Amalekites") by God's people, SIN
begins its insidious work to corrupt and ultimately to destroy
(see relationship between sins
and outcome
of battles in
Nu 14:42-45, Jdg 6:1-4).
The
Amalekites must always be utterly blotted out. We must not deal
lightly with the presence of sins in our life (see notes
Hebrews 12:1;
12:2).
Sadly many
often quote
1Jn 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness"' as if it were little more than a "spiritual
band-aid" and then turn right around and immediately commit that sin again. We can
be tempted to think that these personal sins are small (cf to the "little foxes" in
Song of Sol 2:15
and
see
Our Daily Bread "Tiny Evils, Big Fall")
and that they really do not impact our lives and that we have a "forgiveness credit
card" that lets us commit sins with impunity and without consequences. But
we forget that our sins grieve the heart (cf
Gen 6:3 et al:)
of a thrice Holy God and they negate our spiritual victory and disturb our
inner peace (see above - study
Numbers 14
and
Jdg
6 for effect of sin on war with Amalekites).
Our sins are like a silent but potentially deadly malignant tumor -- once
the cancer gain a foothold, it begins to metastasize to other parts of the
body and ultimately brings death to the body. The best cure for aggressive
cancer is total obliteration of the cancer cells -- to "utterly blot them
out".
And so we began to appreciate the severity and seriousness of God's
command to Israel to
"blot out the memory of the Amalek from under heaven"
in (Dt 25:19),
noting that in (Ex 17:14)
it is God Who says
"I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from
under heaven."
These seemingly contradictory verses remind us that
in spiritual warfare,
we are responsible for our part of the "blotting out" process, but it is ultimately our
Jehovah Nissi Who gives the victory. Paul echoes this mysterious interaction of man's responsibility
and God's sovereignty
in (see notes
Philippians 2:12;
2:13) exhorting us as believers to
"(continually) work out (our) salvation with fear
and
trembling,
for it is God who is at work in (us), both to will and to
work for His good pleasure."
(Click
for a schematic depiction of this important spiritual principle)
As Puritan John Owen wrote "Kill sin or
it be killing you." (see John
Piper's sermon "How
to Kill Sin, Part 2")
The Old
Sin
Nature
Is a Unredeemable "Beast"
An illustration of the deadliness of sin
comes from the tragic tale that began with a frantic 911 call from a woman
who could only state that she needed help because she was being killed.
When the police arrived, they found a bloody knife beside her lifeless body
on the kitchen floor. Blood was spattered across the room, yet when the
police examined the body, they found to their amazement not a single cut or
puncture wound. The only evidence on her body was a large mark across her
chest and neck. They then noticed a trail of blood leading into the next
room. Following the blood they found a dying boa constrictor.
The woman had
apparently raised the snake as a pet. On this particular day, the snake had
apparently wrapped itself around the woman as she prepared food in the
kitchen. For whatever reason, she had allowed the snake to entwine her body.
Once the muscular snake began to constrict itself, the woman had apparently
sensed the danger. In a panic, she had grabbed a knife and began to slash
away. She managed to mortally wound the snake, but she was killed in the
process.
This story is an incredible example of the
power of
Sin in our
lives. We often take subtle compromises into our lives like an innocent pet. We think we can handle the snake without any real risk. Although we hear
stories about the destruction of other people, we rationalize that they were
simply weak. We can handle it! We think we know how far we can go. Thus we
deal with sin flippantly and lightly. (from Hemphill, K:
The Names of God) (cf the similar
story of
Tiny Evils, Big Fall)
