Who was Amalek? 

The Amalekites represent Satan and the flesh and their war against God’s people and all that is right.

Amalek was the grandson of the infamous Esau, Jacob’s brother, Isaac’s son. The Amalekites are the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob (Genesis 36:12,16). By his sin, Esau forfeited the birthright to his brother Jacob. So, it stands that this lineage of Esau, including Amalek (his grandson), has forfeited the place of rulership to the seed of Jacob, which is Christ and His people.

Esau and Amalek are a type of Satan who was ousted by Jesus’ redemptive cross and lost his place of rulership over all who possess the born again birthright via being bought and paid for by the precious blood of the Lamb (Romans 5:9; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21; Colossians 2:14-19; 1 Peter 1:18-19, etc.).

Esau walked in the flesh and so he and his lineage are a type of the flesh, a type of sin, under Satan’s dominion, influence. Those in the flesh cannot please God and will forever be Satan’s children, bound in sin, until submitted to God (James 4:7).

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

Jesus defeated Satan and Sin

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8

Overcoming the flesh requires continually delighting in the LORD, worshipping Him “in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24)

Amalek is the father of the Amalekites. When thinking of the Jewish people, the root from which they sprang forth into history, we are to always remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Bible records 33 verses which include the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of which Jesus was a descendant in His human capacity.

“Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Luke 20:37

“The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.” Acts 3:13

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob…” Matthew 1:1-2

Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. The Amalekites are the descendants of Esau, who sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of soup and in doing so forfeited his firstborn birthright (Genesis 25; Hebrews 12:16).

The birthright (bekorah) that Esau forfeited and Jacob procured, involves both position and inheritance. In Israel, by birthright, the firstborn son inherited the leadership of the family and the judicial authority of his father. In Deuteronomy 21:17 we discover that the firstborn was also entitled to a double portion of the paternal inheritance.

Even though He did nothing to influence the degenerate heart and downward plunge of Esau, the LORD God, who “is love”, foreknew the rebellion, the willful wickedness of Esau (1 John 4:8, 16).

“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Romans 9:13

“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.” Hebrews 12:16

Amalek and Amalekites appears 48 times in God’s Word.

One commentary states: “The Amalekites were a formidable tribe of nomads living in the area south of Canaan, between Mount Seir and the Egyptian border. …refers to the descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau, as Amalekites (verses 12 and 16).”

Scripture records the long-lasting feud between the Amalekites and the Israelites and God’s direction to wipe the Amalekites off the face of the earth (Exodus 17:8–13; 1 Samuel 15:2; Deuteronomy 25:17).

When you think of Esau, you should picture his short sighted sin to trade the eternal for the temporal, and how it cost him his birthright.

Esau, the Amalekites, are a type of the flesh, sin, Satan – think: steal, kill, destroy (John 10:10). This was the first fight, battle against the Israelites upon leaving Egypt/the world and the ongoing battle – which is the same for every believer – a perpetual test as to whom we love most, God or self (Romans 6:16).

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16

Think with me here ….. The Amalekites were the first ones to attack the Israelites upon their exodus from Egypt, the world. This Red Sea experience, miracle is a picture of the salvation of God’s people from Egypt, the world. The Amalekites (the flesh, Satan) were the first to attack Israel as they departed from the world/Egypt (salvation) toward the promise land (sanctification, ultimately eternal glory). Typology: What’s the first attack we encounter after being saved? The flesh, right? Sanctification, being set apart to Christ, choosing to love and obey Him over self – is the primary battle of the believer, from the moment Jesus saves him, as he’s on his way to the promise land of eternal glory (Romans 6-8, etc.).

The flesh must be daily and perpetually crucified as we follow and in order to follow Christ (Luke 9:23-24).

“The LORD will have war with Amalek (the flesh) from generation to generation.” Exodus 17:16

The flesh is not going away until we’ve gone away – to Heaven! So, the flesh must be crucified or we will die, sin will separate us from God – not from His love but from His life. The LORD will love us into hell if we choose to become and remain separated from Him in sin. He is “Holy, holy, holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8)

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:13-14

Just as God’s people had “war with Amalek from generation to generation”, so the people of God under the New Testament, have a war God has granted us grace (divine enablement) to win – through the cross (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

This daily battle, this need to be crucified with Christ to the deeds of the body and to the world, will wage till the saint is in eternal glory (1 Corinthians 9:27; 15:31; Exodus 17:16).

Esau was the son Isaac, who was the son of Abraham (first Jew). As a son of the promised child Isaac (type of Christ), Esau chose rebellion instead of righteousness, the temporal fix instead of eternal favor. He chose sin instead of the Savior. And, so can New Testament saints. Every believer will choose sin and self or the Savior. Those who reject Jesus Christ for their own temporal agenda will also forfeit the birthright.

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:13-14

Holding Up Your Own Hands in Worship and the Hands of those Around You in Prayer and Edification

The Amalekites Attack Israel upon the Exodus – Amalek represents the flesh and worshipping God is the only victory over the flesh! Get those hands up! Worship Him! – non-stop.

Exodus 17

8  Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

9  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

10  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.

11  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12  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.

13  And Joshua discomfited (wasted!) Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

The holding up of Moses’ hands represents present surrender in worship to God – “I can’t do it LORD, but You can.”

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30

The enemy is defeated through proper, thorough biblical worship – all that the Bible teaches about knowing and walking with Jesus! Repentance, the cross! Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Grounded daily in the Word. Fasting and Prayer. etc.

Joshua wasted or convincingly defeated the flesh and Satan, represented in the name Amalek! Joshua is a type of Christ here who conquered all sin, death, hell, and the grave. As children of God, as we are “crucified with Christ”, keeping our hands and hearts upward in worship-filled obedience to the LORD, we will defeat, discomfit the flesh and the evil one! (Romans 6-8; Galatians 2:20; James 4:6-10, etc.). Also, the “sword” here represents the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). Those who adhere to it will have victory over the enemy!

16  For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

v. 16 “the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

God’s people were being destroyed by Amalek. Until true worship is given to God and not self, until the flesh, the old man is crucified, sin and Satan will wreak havoc with stealing, killing, destroying (John 10:10). Upon leaving the world, Egypt, God’s people quickly realized the fight with the flesh as Amalek attacked them. Wake up call: the flesh cannot be cast out and will not go away, but rather must be crucified. Begin memorizing and reciting the declaration of Paul recorded in Galatians 2:20.

Amalek was not completely eliminated at this time. See 1 Samuel 15:9-15.

King Agag, king of the Amalekites, was spared by Saul.

Saul was rejected, lost his kingdom.

Finally, Saul, he who had spared the Amalekite from the sword was slain by the hand of an Amalekite, 2 Samuel 1:8-10. So those who refuse to kill the flesh, to be crucified with Christ, shall have the flesh, sin, kill them, bring death to them now and forever.

More…

Deuteronomy 25:17-19

17  Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;

18  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.

19  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.

Amalek – the flesh, a type. 1 Cor 9:27; Gal 5:24; Col 3:3

The Flesh will Never be Reformed it Must be Crucified [podcast]

One source notes:

“Genesis 36:12 (c) The meaning of this word is “a people that take away all.” Originally Amalek was a grandson of Esau. Esau is a type of the flesh, and Amalek is also a type of the flesh which has no place in the economy of GOD. He was outside the family of GOD, and no effort was ever made to bring him into the family of GOD. So the human flesh is at enmity with GOD. That which is born of the flesh remains flesh. The flesh never gets converted, and never becomes holy in itself. There is no help for the flesh found in the Scriptures.

Exodus 17:14 (c) Amalek was to be kept in subjection by Israel, and this is a type of our flesh which is to be kept in subjection by the people of GOD. As the flesh lusts against the Spirit (Galatians 5:17), so Amalek fought against Israel constantly, and the Lord declared that this battle was to continue and never cease.

Deuteronomy 25:17 (c) Here again Amalek is represented as a type of Satan and of the flesh, both of which attack GOD’s people, especially when they are weak, weary and sick. Those who lag behind in the service of the Lord thus separating themselves from Christians who are on the march, will find that this enemy Amalek will make inroads in their souls and lives.” Studylight.org

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