2021.10.10

The Scary Bible: The Amalekites

For the remainder of October, I’d like to look at some stories from Scripture that we don’t look at very often. These stories aren’t the ones we tell our kids. In fact, some of us may get upset if someone told these stories to our kids. I figure as the world celebrates an evil kind of scary this month, we’ll look at some Biblical stories that might scare us a bit if we’re paying attention.

Have you ever heard the story of Moses holding his hands up while Israel was battling another nation? It’s recorded in Exodus 17. As the battle raged on, Moses grew tired. When his arms drooped, Israel started losing. So Aaron and Hur put a stone under him so he could sit, and they held his hands up while he sat. Joshua wins the battle that day.

Do you know the name of the leader they defeated? Amalek!

After the battle is over, in Exodus 17:14

Exodus 17:14 NASB 2020

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

Amalek and the Amalekites have been pestering Israel ever since they crossed the Red Sea. They have been one of the many thorns in the flesh, and God tells Moses that one day he will be done with them.

The Scary Bible: The Amalekites

In today’s passage, that day has come! The prophet Samuel relays the word of God to Saul regarding the Amalekites, and the word is stark and scary!

Leave absolutely nothing!

Kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.

Leave absolutely nothing!

Did Saul? NO!

He spared the King and the best of the livestock (“everything of value”). They destroyed everything that had no value! Woopity Doo!

God not only predicted utter destruction … he not only commanded utter destruction … He calls Saul out for having not fulfilled the command.

Saul’s arrogance shows as he boldly tells Samuel, “I’ve done what Yahweh said.”

And I hear sarcasm in Samuel’s reply, “Then what, may I ask, is this bleating of sheep and mooing of cattle in my ears?”

As much as I love biblical sarcasm (and I do), today’s message is not about Saul’s disobedience or Samuel’s sarcasm.

The Scary Bible: The Amalekites

Today’s message is about Yahweh’s command! Because Saul’s disobedience isn’t scary to anyone but Saul, and Samuel’s sarcasm doesn’t scare anybody. But Yahweh’s command … telling Saul to completely wipe the Amalekites from the face of the earth … THAT’S SCARY!

What can we learn about God’s character from this passage? Well, here is the really scary part (and perhaps the reason we avoid these stories most of the time):

Extreme violence is consistent with God’s character. It’s not constant or even regular, but it is clear! Violence is consistent with God’s character, and denying that is denying the Scriptures we say we believe.

In this case, one rationalization could be that the Amalekites had assailed the Isrealites throughout their history. They were ruthless in battle and in ruling over the areas they had conquered.

At some point, we HOPE God gets angry, don’t we?

Miroslav Volf is a theologian from Croatia. You may remember in the 1990s the civil war that wrecked Serbia and Croatia as the communist regime in Yugoslovia collapsed. Volf wrote that his idea of a wrathless God gradually died during the conflict:

“My villages and cities were destroyed, my people shelled day in and day out, some of them brutalized beyond imagination, and I could not imagine God not being angry."

Volf came to the realization that he would have to rebel against a God who did not get angry about the world's evils. We hear often that God is love. Volf proposes:

"God isn't wrathful in spite of being love. God is wrathful because God is love.”

The Scary Bible: The Amalekites

God’s command to Saul is something we would call an atrocity in today’s world. But it was intended to halt another terrible atrocity that was continually thrust onto God’s people. And honestly … if we are to believe the Bible, I see consistency in this command. I see God at multiple points in time approving, authorizing, and even ordering destruction and violence. This is not a one-time occurrence.

When the Israelites first entered the Promised Land, God’s desire wasn’t really to wipe out the Canaanites, but rather to wipe out their religion. Perhaps this one is a bit different. From Exodus through 1 Samuel, God’s desire is that the people known as Amalekites no longer exist.

Maybe God’s justice would have been satisfied if the Amalekites had become completely different people … but they didn’t, so we don’t have that answer. Perhaps some along the way had ‘converted’ and become Hebrews (which was permitted and entirely possible), but God clearly wanted nothing to remain of Amalek and his peoples. His position can be summed up bluntly:

“Convert or be wiped out!”

When I look at my own experience with God, the level of his patience is astonishing!

[Only Second verse on slide]

2 Peter 3:8–9 NASB 2020

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

His patience is unbelievable at times … but his patience is not infinite! Peter’s next statement is:

2 Peter 3:10 NASB 2020

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered.

Peter goes on to describe the ‘utter destruction’ of nearly all of the creation with fire.

“Convert or be wiped out!”

Great violence is consistent with God’s character, and if we aren’t careful, we could be the target. If that frightens you … perhaps that’s a good thing.

Proverbs, the book containing Solomon’s wisdom begins with these words:

[Only last verse on slide]

Proverbs 1:1–7 CEB

1 The proverbs of Solomon, King David’s son, from Israel: 2 Their purpose is to teach wisdom and discipline, to help one understand wise sayings. 3 They provide insightful instruction, which is righteous, just, and full of integrity. 4 They make the naive mature, the young knowledgeable and discreet. 5 The wise hear them and grow in wisdom; those with understanding gain guidance. 6 They help one understand proverbs and difficult sayings, the words of the wise, and their puzzles. 7 Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

So maybe God smoking the Amalekites scares your socks off! It’s entirely possible that that’s a good thing. Maybe you’re seeing the beginning of wisdom.

The Scary Bible: The Amalekites

I can’t change what it says. I can only try to find some usefulness. We can learn a couple of things from this passage that are consistent throughout Scripture:

God is patient, but not infinitely! His patience is not infinite and he is capable of horrendous violence toward those who insist on continuing as his enemies.

At some point, God will offer to us all “Convert or be wiped out!”

If that sounds a little scary to you ...

Let him who has ears hear!