Amalek: The Flesh

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, Choose men for us, and go out; fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand. 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. And when Moses lifted his hand up, Israel prevailed; and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 

Exodus 17:8-13

In typology, the Amalekites signify the flesh—the fallen man. It literally means warlike. Exodus 17:8-13 shows us how to fight against Amalek. In the description of the battle against the Amalekites, there are four persons, Moses, Aaron, Hur, and Joshua. The spiritual significance of these four persons is marvelous. 

Moses lifting up his hand on the mountaintop typifies the ascended Christ interceding in the heavens—Exo. 17:9, 11.

Joshua fighting against Amalek typifies the indwelling Spirit fighting against the flesh 

vv. 9, 13.

Aaron, the highpriest signifies the priesthood, related to the priestly service in the Holy of Holies, which in experience is our spirit.

Hur, a tribe of Judah, signifies the kingship, to which we must submit ourselves to and be in proper order under the headship of Christ.

The relationship and spiritual significance of the four persons involved in the battles against the Amalekites portrays a wonderful and complete picture of how to fight against the flesh. Our fight against the flesh is not by ourselves. The victory of the battle depends on all the four persons coordinating together, meaning our victory depends on how we are rightfully related to God's ordained authority, how we live before God and man as priests, and how we cooperating with the interceding Christ in the heavens in His ascension with the fighting spirit indwelling in our spirit. Basically, the key to victory lies in our praying life in oneness with the interceding Christ by being in the spirit and living under the kingship of Christ. The practical application of this picture is the key to victory in our fight against the flesh. Excerpts from The Crystallization-study of 1 and 2 Samuel, msg 5:

We fight against Amalek by the interceding Christ and the fighting Spirit—Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; Gal. 5:17.  

We need to be in union with the interceding Christ in order to cooperate with the fighting Spirit—Col. 3:1-3, 5; Rom. 8:34, 13; Gal. 5:24, 17. 

In the battle against Amalek, we need to cooperate with the Lord by praying and by putting the flesh to death—Luke 18:1; 1 Thes. 5:17; Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:24. 

When we pray, we are one with the interceding  Christ—Rom. 8:34. 

When we put the flesh to death, we are one with the fighting Spirit—Gal. 5:17. 

On the one hand, we must pray with Christ; on the other hand, we must slay the flesh by the fighting Spirit—v. 24. 

Crucifying the old man was God’s responsibility; crucifying the flesh is our responsibility— Rom. 6:6; 8:13; Gal. 5:24.

Lessons from Saul

Go now and strike the Amalekites; and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, oxen and sheep, camel and donkey.

Then Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah as you go toward Shur, which is opposite Egypt.

And he captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings, and the lambs and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but everything that was despised and worthless, this they utterly destroyed. 1 Samuel 15:3, 7-9

Saul was commanded to destroy the Amalekites utterly, but he spared its king, Agag, and the best of the spoils. This signifies that while dealing with the flesh we must deal with it thoroughly. God hates the flesh and the Spirit is against the flesh. Sauls's failure lies mostly in his preserving the good spoils purportedly to offer to God. But God would not want anything good or bad from the flesh as the flesh has its source in Satan. It must be exterminated completely. No mercy in dealing with the flesh. 

Oftentimes, we are aware of the evil flesh and deal with it, but we may preserve the good flesh thinking it might be useful to God to some extent. But the flesh is the flesh, the good flesh is as evil as the evil flesh. Therefore, the flesh must be dealt with thoroughly and absolutely.

In addition to dealing with my evil flesh, I have also been learning to deal with my good flesh, especially the sympathy and kindness I used to show when God would want me to deal with it otherwise. In my natural goodness, I often try to sympathize with people and help them when their situations touched me emotionally. Of late, I am beginning to learn that even in doing "good" I must be in the spirit, otherwise, it is as evil as doing evil by doing good in my good flesh. This is not an easy lesson to learn, I admit. I am still learning and I pray that I learn this lesson thoroughly will until my flesh is completely dealt with to the uttermost.

O, the grace to live by the spirit all the time! O, the grace to pray unceasingly! O, the grace to deal with the flesh utterly!