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Exodus 17:14–16
“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven’ ” (v. 14).
With the Amalekites defeated at Rephidim (Ex. 17:8–13), the Lord gave directions so that the Israelites would never forget the great victory that He gave them by His grace and so that they would understand the attitude they were to have toward Amalek. As we see in today’s passage, Moses was to write as a memorial in a book that God would utterly destroy the Amalekites and recite the words to Joshua (Ex. 17:14).
Of course, Moses did record the curse in the book of Exodus, for that is where we find it today, but the prophet may have written it first in another book now lost to us, such as the “Book of the Wars of the LORD” mentioned in Numbers 21:14. In any case, that the Lord singles out Joshua as the one to hear the curse is the first hint that he will eventually succeed Moses as leader of Israel. He would need to hear the curse so that he would be reminded to treat the Amalekites just like the Canaanites should Israel encounter them again.
Exodus 17:15–16 tells us also that at this point, Moses built an altar, calling it “The LORD Is My Banner.” The Hebrew word translated as “banner” refers to a signal pole held high that was usually used in battle to indicate a rallying point for troops to regroup and receive instructions. Here we have a call back to the staff of God that Moses lifted up in order to secure Israel’s victory at Rephidim (see Ex. 17:8–13). The staff actually represented the Lord, so the idea is that the Lord was the signal over the Israelites to which they were to pay heed in order to defeat their enemies. Moses, then, intended the altar as a memorial of Israel’s win and a sign to the people to look to God and His direction for success in their battles.
It would take some time for God’s promise to blot out the Amalekites to be fulfilled. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel record Saul and David’s victories over the Amalekites some 450 years or so later. Even then, final victory over the Amalekites was not achieved until the days of Queen Esther five hundred years after that when she thwarted the plans of Haman the Agagite, who was related in some way to Agag, the Amalekite king whom Saul defeated (see 1 Sam. 15; Est. 9). Yet though Amalek’s defeat took time, it was nonetheless accomplished, giving us a picture of the kingdom of Jesus. Matthew Henry comments, “Amalek’s destruction was typical of the destruction of all the enemies of Christ and his kingdom. Whoever make war with the Lamb, the Lamb will overcome them.”
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
The victory over the Amalekites took several generations, but it finally came. God’s final victory in Christ over all His and our enemies may likewise take many generations, but it is nonetheless sure. Our task is to look to the Lord and to trust Him to accomplish all His purposes, praying for His kingdom to come and working to spread the gospel in our homes, among our friends, and elsewhere.
For Further Study
- Deuteronomy 25:17–19
- 2 Peter 3:1–1