Amalek To Be Punished For Their Guilt (Deuteronomy 25:17-19).
This sudden introduction of this curse on Amalek may seem to take us by surprise, but it in fact a closing echo of Deuteronomy 23:1-9, while at the same time finalising the whole section from Deuteronomy 12 onwards (see below). In Deuteronomy 23:1-9 we saw described those who were excluded from the assembly of Yahweh. Here was a people who were to be more than excluded, they were to be blotted out completely. Thus here it stands alone as a conclusion to the whole.
Nevertheless it contrasts with the ensuring of the perpetuation of Israel (Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Deuteronomy 25:15), and the perpetuation of the names of the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 25:6). And it brings to a close this final section of regulations with a stern reminder that God is not mocked, and that He watches over His covenant people, and that all who come against them and deal treacherously with them will perish. It will then be followed by Israel's submission to the people to the Overlord Who has so delivered them (Deuteronomy 26:1-15).
Analysis in the words of Moses.
a Remember what Amalek did to you by the way as you came forth out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 25:17).
b How he met you by the way, and smote the hindmost of you, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God (Deuteronomy 25:18).
b Therefore it shall be, when Yahweh your God has given you rest from all your enemies round about, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it (Deuteronomy 25:19 a).
a That you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget (Deuteronomy 25:19 b).
Note that in ‘a' they are to remember what Amalek did and in the parallel they are not to forget but must blot out the remembrance of Amalek. In ‘b' they are reminded how Amalek made them ill at ease and restless, therefore in the parallel, when they are at rest in the land which Yahweh is giving them they must proceed against them.
‘ Remember what Amalek did to you by the way as you came forth out of Egypt, how he met you by the way, and smote the hindmost of you, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God.'
We must recognise in what is said here that God knows men's hearts. He was aware of the total degradation of the Canaanites, and the untrustworthiness of Moab and Ammon, but He was even more aware that Amalek could not be redeemed. They were totally treacherous. They did indeed later combine with Edom and Moab in continual merciless raids on Israel (Judges 3:12-13). And like the Canaanites they must be totally destroyed
They had only to think back to see why this should be so. For even as they were coming forth from Egypt the Amalekites were lying in wait and treacherously attacked the rear of the exhausted party, where the weak and most vulnerable were. They had no fear of God (Exodus 17:16). To them the weak and vulnerable, clearly escaping from Egypt, were not seen as an opportunity to show kindness or to give hospitality, but as an easy target to be taken advantage of. They had revealed themselves as totally devoid of that fear of God which alone could make a man redeemable (Exodus 17:8-15). Indeed it was then that, at Yahweh's command, Moses had written down the whole incident as a permanent record against them, and as a testimonial to the fact that God would ‘put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven' (Exodus 17:14).
‘ Therefore it shall be, when Yahweh your God has given you rest from all your enemies round about, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it, that you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.'
And it was now confirmed that that was what He would do. Once Israel had been given rest from all their enemies (it could wait until they were safely established in the land) then He would blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven, as He had previously declared in Exodus 17:14. They were under the Ban. For the partial fulfilment see 1 Samuel 15:1-33, and for its completion 1 Chronicles 4:43. Amalek was the ultimate picture of those who do not fear God and who refuse utterly to obey Him.
“When Yahweh your God has given you rest from all your enemies round about.” This is a marker which connects these verses with Deuteronomy 12, which began this section of the book. There it had led in to the establishment of the place which Yahweh would choose and to their abundant worship of Him (Deuteronomy 12:10-12), here it was to lead in to the blotting out of Amalek. The section began in glory, it ends in judgment. Light must triumph. Darkness must be obliterated. And in between His people must do His will.
We can therefore see in this description a picture of the destruction of Satan and his forces. Like the Serpent, the Amalekites had sought to destroy God's project right at the beginning. But Yahweh will bring His people into the land and bring them into rest, then He will establish His name there and dwell among them, while their darkest enemies both within (the Canaanites) and without (the Amalekites) will be removed for ever. So one day will it be with Satan.
There is also the stark warning that it is possible for people to come to such a state that turning to God becomes impossible because their hearts are too hardened. If we do not seek Him wile we are young, we might find that age has hardened us so that we never seek Him.