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Deuteronomy 25:17 - "Remember the Amalekites" - Day 171

Good afternoon,

Today's passage highlights one of the realities of the fall.  Nations typically don't get along with their neighbors even if they are related.  All of history is full of conflict and remembering what "your people" did to "my people".   For example, "Remember the Maine" was the justification for the Spanish-American War.  European powers were constantly at war with each other for centuries.  Hope for "world peace" and "co-exist" are misplaced because man is fallen.  The only place we find all nations, tongues and tribes at peace is in heaven.

Blessings,

Jeff

Exodus 17:8-16 tells the story of the battle between Israel and Amalekites.  Joshua led the army, but it was Moses holding up the staff of God with the aid of Aaron and Hur that enabled the victory.  This occurred before Israel reached Mt Sinai.  So God is reminding Israel just before the enter the Promised Land.

From Complete Word Study Bible

Amalek was the son of Esau’s son Eliphaz and his concubine Timnah. Hence, he was a grandson of Esau’s wife Adah who was Canaanite and Hittite (Gen. 36:2, 10-12). His descendants became the Amalekites according to the biblical record. They were hostile toward Israel after the Exodus and threatened God’s people through guerrilla warfare (Deut. 25:17-19). God placed a curse on them to exterminate them for attacking His people (Ex. 17:8-16). They ranged far and wide, but the Negev was a central location for them (Num. 13:29). God confirmed His intent to destroy them through Balaam’s prophecy (24:20).  They teamed up with the Ammonites to attack Israel (Judg. 3:13) and with others (Judg. 7:12; Ps. 83:7[8]). Saul defeated them but failed to destroy them (1 Sam. 14:48; 15:1-32; 28:18). David removed them as a national threat (1 Sam. 30:1-12; 2 Sam. 8:12).

If you remember, Esau's marriage to Canaanite women was the excuse the Rebekah used to send Jacob back to her family (after the theft of the birthright).  We are not told why Amalekites were so hostile to Israel.  Esau had taken his family out of Canaan after Jacob returned.  So maybe this grandson was hoping to move back into Canaan someday and wanted to keep Israel out.  However, it has been almost 500 years and the Amalekites were still outside of Canaan.  Maybe they were just angry with God - He loved Jacob but hated Esau.

In any case, these distant relatives had no love for Israel.

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