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Blot Out the Memory of Amalek
25: 17-19

Blot out the memory of Amalek DIG: What would Isra’el never forget about the Amalekites? How did King Sha’ul lose his dynasty because he spared Agag, the king of Amalek? How was David faithful to the mitzvah of the Torah regarding the Amalekites? How was this “unfinished business” for Isra’el?

REFLECT: What do you think of the cherem judgment of God in blotting out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens? Does it seem unusually cruel? Or holy? Why? Can your holiness be seen in your actions? Why? Why not? Is your name written in the Book of Life?

As God blotted out the line of Cain during the great Flood, now Isra’el must blot out the copycat evil twin nation. God co-partners with Isra’el to blot out evil.

Deuteronomy 19:1 to 26:15 (to see link click Dl – The Social and Family Mitzvot) deals with individual mitzvot, and to today’s readers they might appear irrelevant at first, but the very principles behind these commandments were the ones that have brought dignity to mankind. We need to examine these mitzvot in depth to discover the spirit in which they were given, so that we can still live in obedience to God’s Word today. For example, in Numbers 18, the Israelites were to bring their tithes to the Tabernacle because the priests and Levites had no inheritance. But today we have no Temple and no priesthood; however, we bring our tithes to our place of worship. That is the spirit of the mitzvah.

From 23:15 to 26:15, Moses deals with twenty real life situations that the nation would need to function in a godly manner, and valuable lessons for us today as well: number twenty. There seems to be a clear message that stands out in all the various mitzvot dealt with in these twenty real life situations. The Israelites were to be a holy nation. Therefore, Isra’el’s holiness of heart and of mind needed to be seen by her holiness of action.559

Recall how Timna, the granddaughter of Seir the Horite (Genesis 36:22), wished to mother a great nation that would live forever. Timna married into Abraham’s line when she became a concubine to Elifaz, son of Esau (Genesis It – The Clans of Esau). This union produced a son, Amalek, crossing a Canaanite with the line of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother who despised his birthright (Genesis 25:34).

Amalek matured into a tribe that did not fear God (25:18b), which became self-evident after the Exodus. When Isra’el left Egypt triumphantly, most nations quaked in fear over the obvious power of YHVH! But Amalek wasn’t afraid and preyed upon the elderly and children at the rearguard of the Israelites near Rephidim (see the commentary on Exodus Cv – The Amalekites Came and Attacked the Israelites at Rephidim). But later, the Israelites were defeated by them when she tried to enter the land of Canaan after YHVH’s pronouncement of judgment (Num 14:44-45). This passage ignores the details of the battle at Rephidim and focuses on the Amalekites’ attack of those least capable of defending themselves, those who were weary, worn out, and lagging behind. Remember what Amalek did to you along the way as you came out from Egypt – how he happened upon you along the way and attacked those among you in the rear, all the stragglers behind you, when you were tired and weary (25:17-18a). There is a special remembrance of that cowardly attack on the Shabbat immediately preceding Purim (see the commentary on Esther Cd – Shabbat Zachor and Special Purims).

Because of this cowardice, Ha’Shem declared the Amalekites to be cherem, or devoted to destruction. Now once the Israelites were established in the Promised Land, when ADONAI your God grants you rest from all the enemies surrounding you in the land ADONAI your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, you are to blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens (see Ag – The Problem of Holy War in the TaNaKh). At the end of these twenty real life situations, it’s as if the righteous Judge of the universe inspired Moshe to write a postscript. PS: Do not forget to wipe out the Amalekites for what they have done to the apple of My eye (25:19)!

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your great love and praise Your mighty power that You use when there is sin. You wrote every word perfectly in the Holy Scriptures and it is shocking that the last time Moshe’s strong command, “Do not forget,” is heard in the book of Deuteronomy is that the Amalekites were to be cherem, “devoted to destruction,” because of how they attacked the Israelites.

Though you welcome the Gentiles who love and worship Yeshua as their Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-12) into the family of God (Ephesians 2:11-22), Isra’el has a special place in Your heart and You have promised from the beginning: I will bless those who bless you, but whoever curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12:3). 

“Now when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  And He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on His left.  Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in;  I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink?  And when did we see You a stranger and invite You in? Or naked and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

 “And answering, the King will say to them, ‘Amen, I tell you, whatever you did to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’  Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Go away from Me, you cursed ones, into the everlasting fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink;  I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in; naked and you did not clothe Me; sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

 “Then they too will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not care for You?’  Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Amen, I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me (Matthew 25:31-45). Praise You that you always bless those who bless Isra’el (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Jy – The Sheep and the Goats). I love to bless Isra’el. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The underlying hostility of ADONAI and Isra’el to Amalek can be seen in the book of Esther, where Haman is seen as an Agagite, that is, an Amalekite (see the commentary on Esther Aq – Haman the Agagite: The Enemy of the Jews). Unfortunately, however, Isra’el did forget, and King Sha’ul lost his dynasty when he failed to heed the words of the Torah seen here. Four hundred years after the Amalekites attacked the Isrealites at Rephidim, King David defeated the Amalekites (The Life of David Cb – David Defeats the Amalekites), but they were not completely wiped out until Hezekiah’s day, another three hundred years later (First Chronicles 4:41-43). This is the last time Moshe’s strong command, “Do not forget,” is heard in the book of Deuteronomy.

The Amalekites were not judged merely because they had been anti-Isra’el, but because they were anti-human by disregarding basic human obligations instilled by the Creator. The prophets proclaimed Ha’Shem’s punitive judgment on Isra’el also, when the lack of fear of ADONAI led to similarly barbaric behavior toward the weak and defenseless in Isra’el’s own society (Micah 2:1-2 and 8 for example). In our day of mind-numbing violence, from muggings, rape, and robbery in “civilized” cities, to horrendous war crimes around the world, it is difficult to know how to cope with such reality alongside our faith in the God who cares for the weak and claims to defend the defenseless. We know that the command to exterminate the Amalekites is no longer an issue today. Yet we need to recognize God’s historical justice, and the reality of judgment on those who persist, with no fear of God, in trampling on other human beings made in God’s image. If the crimes of Amalek were “written in the Book,” then we know that there will come a day when the book will be opened, which is the Book of Life (Revelation 20:11-15), and the Judge of all the earth will do right.560

Haftorah Shof’tim: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 54:1-10
(Messianic adaptation: start the reading at 52:13)
(see Af – Parashah)

This haftarah is the fifth of seven Haftorah of Consolation following Tisha B’Av (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Mt – The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple on Tisha B’Av in 70 AD). All seven selections are between Isaiah 40:1 to 63:9. Last week’s haftarah (Shof’tim, Isaiah 51:12 to 53:12) ended at the beginning of the Suffering Servant passages (see the commentary on Isaiah Iy – The Death of the Suffering Servant), and this week picks up at the end of those passages. It is tragic that these verses are regularly passed over by the non-Messianic Jews when true consolation and comfort are only found in the One who fulfilled this saving promise. This week’s haftorah continues to look ahead to the time when ADONAI would regather the exiles to the Land and pour out His love and compassion (Isaiah 54:10) upon His people. Ki Tetze (see Dr – When You Go Out to War) Isra’el the path of life and blessing by obeying God’s covenant mitzvot. Because YHVH is faithful and merciful He will keep His covenant promises by drawing His people back to Himself despite their hardheaded unbelief. Soften your own heart by spending some time sitting at the Master’s feet, praising Him, speaking to Him and most of all, listening to Him through His Word and obeying Him from the heart.

B’rit Chadashah suggested readings for Parashah Shof’tim:
Mattityahu (Matthew) 5:31-21,19:3-12, 23-32; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; Galatians 3:9-14; First Corinthians 9:4-18; First Timothy 5:17-18

The Sadducees were one of the main Jewish sects arising sometime during the Maccabean period and disappearing within a couple hundred years after Messiah. Those Jews knew their Torah. Or so they thought. Drawing upon Deuteronomy 25:5-10 (see Et – The Leverite Marriage), they came to ask Yeshua a question (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ja – Whose Wife Will She Be at the Resurrection?). Notice that since those Jews didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead, the question was extremely disingenuous. What do you think is their motive in approaching Him? What does Yeshua say was their real problem? The Jews in Isaiah’s day had the same problem. So do many Jews today. Many believers today have this same problem as well. Keep digging into the written Word and pressing on to know the Living Word who reveals the power of God and comforts all who follow Him alone (Mark 12:18-27).