«　WEEK 5　DAY 3　»

　　Exo. 17:16 …For there is a hand against the throne of Jah! Jehovah will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

　　Gal. 5:19-21 …The works of the flesh are manifest, which are such things as fornication, uncleanness,… idolatry, sorcery,…divisions, sects, envyings,…and things like these;…those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

　　Amalek was a hand against God’s throne, signifying that the flesh is in rebellion against God and is against His throne, His governmental administration. Every aspect of the flesh, whether good or evil, is an enemy of God’s authority (Rom. 8:7). Hence, God has decided to war against the flesh continually… until it is blotted out (Exo. 17:14). (Exo. 17:16, footnote 1)

　　In Exodus 17:16 we see that Amalek is a hand against the throne of Jehovah. In the eyes of God, Amalek was considered a hand against God’s throne. This indicates that Amalek tried to overthrow God’s throne, just as Satan once tried to do…. Because there is such a hand against the throne of Jehovah, God will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. By this we see that Amalek is versus God’s authority.

　　Every aspect of our flesh, whether good or evil, is an enemy of God’s authority. The flesh does not care for God or for His authority. Whenever we are in the flesh, we regard ourselves as individuals who are not obligated to submit to God’s throne. We think that we have a position and rights of our own. Such a rebellious attitude has its source in Satan. Satan, however, is one with our flesh. Satan’s principle is not to come to us directly, but to come through others or through something in ourselves. For example, Satan came to Eve in the form of a serpent. In Matthew 16, Peter, a disciple who loved the Lord Jesus very much, was utilized by Satan. Satan came to the Lord in Peter and through him. Often our flesh serves as a cloak for Satan. Whenever we exercise our flesh, Satan is hidden within us. Therefore, like Satan himself, the flesh is against God’s authority. According to the portrait in Exodus 17, Amalek is a hand against the throne of God.

　　Our flesh is the first among all our enemies. It takes the lead over sin, the world, and Satan to fight against us. The flesh, sin, the world, and Satan are all related to one another… [and] interwoven. The most prominent among them in fighting against believers is the flesh. Satan, sin, and the world are all subordinate to the flesh. When in our practical Christian experience the flesh is put to death, the world cannot hold us, sin cannot operate in us, and Satan is powerless to work upon us. The reason the world is prevailing, sin is strong, and Satan is active is that we are still in the flesh. These three enemies are all dependent on the flesh. Hence, the flesh is our foremost enemy.

　　The flesh is in rebellion against God and against His throne. The flesh is most ugly simply because it is against the throne, administration, and plan of God. This is a matter of great significance. However, not many believers realize that the flesh is so evil. The flesh does not simply commit minor wrongdoings. It is a hand against the very throne of God. Because the flesh is a hand against God’s throne, God has decided to war against it. Amalek, the flesh, is still a hand against the administration of God. This means that our flesh is in rebellion against God’s governmental administration. Whatever God does governmentally, the flesh opposes it. For example, among many Christians the flesh is strongly opposed to the church, for the church is God’s administration. The church is mocked, and many blasphemous words are spoken concerning it. This is an indication that the flesh in the eyes of God is rebellious. Truly the flesh is a hand against the throne of the Lord. Therefore, the Lord will fight against this rebel and blot out its remembrance. (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 557-558, 535, 539)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Exodus, msgs. 46-47