Deuteronomy 25:11-1911When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets: 12Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her. 13Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. 14Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. 15But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 16For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God. 17Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; 18How 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. 19Therefore 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 25:11‑19)
IN THESE numerous short exhortations the Lord is warning us of dangers on every side, and from within as well. Undue familiarity is rebuked in the sternest and most solemn manner. As Christians we need to walk carefully and prayerfully.
Righteousness in all our dealings with others is insisted upon. "Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small: thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small: but thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have. . . ." How good it is when a Christian has the reputation of being fair and honest in business and in all his dealings with others. The Lord delights to honor those that honor Him thus. On the other hand how sad it is for one who bears the name of Christ to be unfair and dishonest. "For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God."
Next Amalek is not to be forgotten. He was the first enemy to attack Israel after they had come up out of Egypt and were in the wilderness. His method of warfare is quite different to that of other enemies. He "smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God."
Amalek was a mean dastardly foe, who lay in wait for every opportunity to attack God's people and hinder their progress. He represents Satan working by the flesh, waiting to take every subtle and unfair advantage against our souls.
If we indulge the evil fleshly nature, we are feeding Amalek instead of fighting him. The most effective way of fighting him is by cutting off his supplies. Still he lingers on, and shows up at the most unexpected places.
"He smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee." We need to put forth that energy of faith to go on with the Lord and His people, and to keep close to Him. If we lag behind spiritually we are sure to come under Amalek's (or Satan's) power.
But God has sworn to destroy Amalek, and He has commanded, "Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it." Other foes might be treated leniently, but not Amalek. There was to be no truce with him, and no sparing him. As long as we are in these bodies down here, there will always be conflict with Satan using the flesh in us, but when we reach the glory the flesh will be gone forever, and Satan will be gone too. Conflict will all be over and we shall be at rest with the Lord.
Messages of the Love of God 12/14/1975