258
Patriarchs and Prophets
As the Hebrews triumphed when Moses was reaching his hands
toward heaven and interceding in their behalf, so the Israel of God
prevail when they by faith take hold upon the strength of their mighty
Helper. Yet divine strength is to be combined with human effort.
Moses did not believe that God would overcome their foes while Israel
remained inactive. While the great leader was pleading with the Lord,
Joshua and his brave followers were putting forth their utmost efforts
to repulse the enemies of Israel and of God.
After the defeat of the Amalekites, God directed 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.”
Just before his death the great leader delivered to his people the solemn
charge: “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.... Thou shalt blot
out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not
[300]
forget it.”
Deuteronomy 25:17-19
. Concerning this wicked people the
Lord declared, “The hand of Amalek is against the throne of Jehovah.”
Exodus 17:16
, margin.
The Amalekites were not ignorant of God’s character or of His
sovereignty, but instead of fearing before Him, they had set themselves
to defy His power. The wonders wrought by Moses before the Egyp-
tians were made a subject of mockery by the people of Amalek, and
the fears of surrounding nations were ridiculed. They had taken oath
by their gods that they would destroy the Hebrews, so that not one
should escape, and they boasted that Israel’s God would be power-
less to resist them. They had not been injured or threatened by the
Israelites. Their assault was wholly unprovoked. It was to manifest
their hatred and defiance of God that they sought to destroy His people.
The Amalekites had long been high-handed sinners, and their crimes
had cried to God for vengeance, yet His mercy had still called them
to repentance; but when the men of Amalek fell upon the wearied
and defenseless ranks of Israel, they sealed their nation’s doom. The
care of God is over the weakest of His children. No act of cruelty or
oppression toward them is unmarked by Heaven. Over all who love
and fear Him, His hand extends as a shield; let men beware that they
smite not that hand; for it wields the sword of justice.