Have you ever wonder what might happen if you disobey a command God
gives specifically to you? The answer may not be as dramatic as that of
Amalek and the Israelites, but it might be. We have a limited view as to
how our actions can affect the future. The Book of Esther gives us
great insight into how one person's actions can greatly influence the
lives of many in the generations to come.
In Genesis
36:12, we are introduced to Amalek. "And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz
Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah
Esau's wife."
Jewish tradition holds that Timna was
from royal Egyptian lineage. She wanted to be part of Jacob's family;
however, she was not accepted. After being rejected, Timna did the next
best thing she could think of, she attached herself to Jacob's brother's
family, Esau. Remember that Esau and Jacob were twin brothers. Jacob
bought the first born rites from Esau for a bowl of stew (Genesis
25:29-34). Jacob also received the favored blessing from his father
Isaac after deceiving him (Genesis 27:1-29). Esau had a son named
Eliphaz. Timna became Eliphaz's concubine and bore Amalek. Thus, Amalek
was Esau's grandson.
Although Genesis 36:12 proclaims
the birth of Amalek, the Amalekites are first mentioned all the way back
in Genesis 14:7. ("And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is
Kadesh, and conquered all the country of the Amalekites.") If one counts
the Hebrew letters from the first letter of the word Amalekites and
counts until the last letter in Amalek's name in Genesis 36:12, one
counts 12,110 Hebrew letters. The Book of Esther also has exactly 12,110
Hebrew letters. God knew from the beginning that that Amalek's birth
would be a thorn in Israel's side for many, many generations.
Leaving Egypt
When
the Israelites left Egypt and had crossed over the Red Sea, the first
person to attack them was Amalek. "Then came Amalek, and fought with
Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said onto Joshua, 'Choose us out men, and
go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill
with the rod of God in my hand'" (Exodus 17:8-9). All the nations feared
the Israelites when they heard how God delivered the Israelites through
the Red Sea and destroyed Pharaoh and his army. However, Amalek's
attack on Israel cooled some of the surrounding nations' fear. As one
rabbi said, "Israel coming out of Egypt was like a boiling pot. No one
wanted to get near them. When Amalek attacked Israel, he cooled down the
pot. This gave courage to the surrounding nations that Israel could be
defeated."
God's anger is stirred up over Amalek
attacking His people. God gives several promises to Amalek that his end
will be destruction. "The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation
to generation" (Exodus 17:16). "And he looked on Amalek, and took up
this parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end
shall come to destruction" (Numbers 24:20). "Blot out the remembrance
of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget it" (Deuteronomy
25:19).
Lastly, God gives Israel one last command regarding Amalek: once Israel is settled in the land, they should destroy Amalek.
"Remember
what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he
attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your
tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God.
Therefore when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your
enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for
an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from
under heaven; you shall not forget." (Deuteronomy 25:17-19)
Saul's commission to utterly destroy the Amalekites
Saul
was Israel's first king. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and the son
of Kish. "Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son
of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the
son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. He had a son, whose name was
Saul" (1 Samuel 9:1-2a).
Once Saul was established as
king, he received instructions from the prophet Samuel to go to war with
the Amalekites and completely destroy them. "Then Samuel said to Saul,
'The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people Israel; now
therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts,
"I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself
against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and
strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him;
but put to death both men and women, child and infant, ox and sheep,
camel and donkey"'" (1 Samuel 15:1-3).
Saul goes to war
with the Amalekites and defeats them. However, Saul fails to carry out
God's complete command to destroy Amalek and everything associated with
the Amalekites. "So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go
to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He captured Agag the king of the
Amaleites 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, the oxen, the failings, the lambs, and all that was good, and
were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and
worthless, that they utterly destroyed" (1 Samuel 15:7-9).
Saul
seems blind to his disobedience. He believes he has fulfilled God's
command. Samuel, however, can see through Saul's lies and knows Saul has
disobeyed God. "Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, 'Blessed are
you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.' But
Samuel said, 'What then is the bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the
lowing of the oxen which I hear?'" (1 Samuel 15:13-14) There is an
interesting play on words here in the Hebrew. To obey in Hebrew is shema which
translates to hear, listen and/or obey. Samuel is saying if you heard
and obeyed the word of the LORD why is it I hear sheep and oxen which
God commanded to be destroyed?
Saul's disobedience to
spare Agag and the best of the things from the Amalekites has many
implications for the future. First, God takes away the kingdom from
Saul. "Samuel said, 'Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion
is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and
idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also
rejected you from being king'" (1 Samuel 15:22-23). "And Samuel turned
to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to
him, 'The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has
given it to your neighbor, who is better than you'" (1 Samuel 15:27-28).
Second,
Agag's descendants live on. If Agag and all his descendants would have
been executed, the Amalekite's lineage would have been cut off. However,
since Saul spares them, their descendants continue into the future.
Nearly 400 years later, Agag's descendant, Haman, attempts to craft a
plan to exterminate the Jews. ("The king took off his ring from his
hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the Jews'
enemy" Esther 3:10.) This is the basis for the Book of Esther.
Interestingly, the heroes of the story, Esther and Mordecai are
descendants from Saul. ("There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa,
whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of
Kish, a Benjamite" Esther 2:5.) So, although Saul does not obey God,
his descendants do.
The Book of Esther
Set
nearly 400 years after the reign of king Saul, the Book of Esther takes
place in the Persian kingdom in a city called Susa. In a nutshell, the
king becomes very angry at his wife and dethrones her. He holds a beauty
contest, and Esther is chosen. Esther never discloses her heritage as
being a Jew. Mordecai, Esther's uncle, is an official in the king's
gate. Mordecai refuses to bow down to the king's second in command, a
man named Haman. Haman becomes enraged and learns Mordecai is a Jew.
Haman devises a plan to kill all the Jews and deceitfully gets the king
to sign the decree. Before the decree is carried out, Esther reveals her
Jewish lineage and begs the king for his help. The king allows Esther
and Mordecai to send out another decree stating the Jews may take up
arms and defend themselves against anyone who attacks them. Esther and
the Jews win the war. Haman and his sons are hung. God's command to
execute the Amalekites is completed nearly 400 years after Saul was
supposed to obey God. One man's disobedience almost causes the complete
extinction of the Jewish people. It is amazing to see how one act of
disobedience can completely change history.
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