GOD’S WORD FOR YOU
NUMBERS 24:20
Balaam’s Final Messages
20 He looked at Amalek, took up his oracle, and said:
First among the nations was Amalek,
but his end will come to destruction.
Balaam’s fifth oracle is about Amalek. The Amalekites were enemies with Israel from ancient times. The original Amalek was the grandson of Esua through his son Eliphaz (Genesis 36:12). When the Amalekites attacked Israel on their way from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai, God gave the victory to Israel as long as Moses was holding up his arms, so Aaron and another man (Hur) held up his arms while he sat on a stone, and the Lord gave them the victory. It was then that God said, “I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven” (Exodus 17:14).
A legend says that Daniel lived into the reign of King Artaxerxes (Esther’s husband and king, Esther 2:17), and that he was killed by Haman, the wicked enemy of the Jews (Esther 3:6). Haman was an Agagite (Esther 3:1), a descendant of the royal family of Agag, king of the Amalekites in the time of King Saul (1 Samuel 15:8-9). King Agag was put to death by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 15:32-33), and the last descendant of the Amalekites, royal or not, seems to be wicked Haman, who was put to death for trying to wipe out the Jews in the days of Queen Esther (Esther 9:24-25). David also executed an Amalekite who claimed to have killed King Saul. Even though the young man might have been lying, trying to ingratiate himself with David, King David took him at his word and put him to death for raising his hand against God’s anointed king (2 Samuel 1:14-16)
The overthrow of Amalek is all there is to this brief oracle (just six words in Hebrew), but the Holy Spirit has deeper things in mind. What, spiritually, is the point of such a prophecy?
1, The grammatical meaning of the passage cannot be ignored, and therefore we see that the physical destruction of God’s enemies, in this case the Amalekites, gives glory to God and shows that he is just and righteous in his judgments. Paul warns the unrepentant sinner: “You are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:5).
2, Spiritually, we also see that those who oppose God’s word cannot prevail no matter what their argument, by word or by sword. “It is I,” says the Lord, “who have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord” (Isaiah 54:16-17).
3, Eternally, we also see that the final destruction of Amalek was not just destruction in this world, but everlasting punishment in hell. Asaph cried out, “O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still… They form an alliance against you– the tents of Edom… Ammon, and Amalek” (Psalm 83:1,5,6,7). Asaph numbers ten enemy nations in all, to show the completeness of sin at work in the world. But the Holy Spirit assures us: “If you make the Most High your dwelling, then no harm will befall you. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:9-12). And Jesus caps all other prophecies: “The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:49-50).
When we consider the warnings about judgment and the true punishment of hell for those who reject Christ, we should also remember that along with the comfort that the doctrine of heaven and eternal salvation give to us, there are also challenges in living out our faith until then:
1, In the present life, we will want to repent of our sins and put our faith in Christ alone for our salvation. This is the chief part of our religion, and faith in Christ and trust in his crucifixion for our forgiveness needs to be a part of our daily and nightly prayers and the most important reason for our weekly worship. “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31; John 3:16; Matthew 24:13).
2, We Christians live ‘in’ the world, but we are not to be ‘of’ the world (John 17:14-16). We should avoid worldliness, and we must not conform ourselves to the ideas and ways of the world or “the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
3, We should not set our affections and desires on the things of this earth, but “set our minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2). Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).
4, Our eager expectation of heaven should incite us to greater efforts in our holy living; our life of sanctification. We should “lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20) rather than treasure on earth. Be zealous in good works (Titus 2:11-14), not as if we are saved through them, but doing them because we are saved.
5, In this lifetime we will be hated by all people because of Christ (Matthew 10:22), but we can still rejoice because of our great reward in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12).
6, The work of those people whose labor is “in the Lord” and in his word will be unappreciated and even scorned, not only by outsiders but even by some within the church. Still, we are gaining “a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ” (Philemon 1:6), we are harvesting “a crop for eternal life” (John 4:36), and we have many unexpected blessings from God along the way (James 1:12) despite our many troubles (Acts 14:22). Keep in mind, “we will shine like stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).
7, The knowledge that eternal life is in store for us fills our hearts with courage and joy. At that time, death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54-57), and we will receive the crown of life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10).
Amalek was destroyed, wiped from the face of the earth, and most or all of the Amalekites were condemned for their unbelief. Only unbelief damns (Mark 16:16), but it condemns completely and eternally. Rejoice that your name is written in heaven (Luke 10:20), and strive to share your faith with the people that you love.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Listen or watch Bible classes online. Search “Invisible Church Video” in YouTube, or go to splnewulm.org, click on “Watch Worship Live” and scroll to the bottom of the page for archives of sermons, audio Bible studies and video Bible studies.
Additional archives by Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel: www.wlchapel.org/connect-grow/ministries/adults/daily-devotions/gwfy-archive/2021
Week 1141 (No. 6848)
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, New Ulm, Minnesota
God’s Word for You – Numbers 24:20 An end for Amalek