Crystallization-Study of 1 and 2 Samuel
Message Five
War with the Amalekites
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Exo. 17:16 …For there is a hand against the throne of Jah! Jehovah will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
Gal. 5:17 … the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these oppose each other that you would not do the things that you desire.
24 But they who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and its lusts.
Word of Appetizer
Why did God determine to exterminate Amalek and to have war with him from generation to generation?
It is because Amalek in the Bible typifies our flesh. Esau and Jacob were twins, but their descendants, the Amalekites and the Israelites, were mutual enemies…. Likewise, our fleshly old man is very close to our spiritual new man; the two are also mutual enemies and cannot stand together. The fact that God would have war with Amalek shows us how God hates the flesh and desires to exterminate it. If the flesh is not exterminated and there is no dealing with it, our spiritual life will have no way to grow. The two can never compromise or coexist.
Spiritual Burden
First Samuel 15 is a record of Saul’s disobedience in his conquest of the Amalekites; this chapter contains an important lesson for us today: experientially, we treasure the good aspects of our flesh, our natural life, and do not wish to destroy them.
In everything we must crucify our flesh and faithfully exercise our spirit to follow the Lord, who is the life-giving, consummated Spirit indwelling our spirit and who is one with us. If we follow the Lord’s word to utterly destroy the flesh and live and walk according to the spirit, we will have the kingship and will be in God’s kingdom.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
First Samuel 15 is a record of Saul’s disobedience in his conquest of the Amalekites; in typology, the Amalekites signify the flesh—the fallen man.
In 1 Samuel 15:2 Jehovah declared that He would punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they fought against Israel; God commanded Saul to “strike the Amalekites” and to “utterly destroy all that they have” and not spare them, but he did not obey Jehovah’s command.
Doing good according to our own will is actually an act of rebellion against God’s throne and His economy.
Saul lost his kingship because he did not utterly destroy Amalek.
The Experience of Life
Experientially, we treasure the good aspects of our flesh, our natural life, and do not wish to destroy them. Whatever we do apart from God’s grace and apart from depending on Him and trusting in Him is of the flesh; every aspect of the flesh, whether good or evil, is in opposition to grace and God’s kingdom and keeps us from enjoying Christ.
Practice and Application
We fight against Amalek by the interceding Christ and the fighting Spirit; we need to be in union with the interceding Christ in order to cooperate with the fighting Spirit.
In the battle against Amalek, we need to cooperate with the Lord by praying and by putting the flesh to death; on the one hand, we must pray with Christ; on the other hand, we must slay the flesh by the fighting Spirit.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 [Amalek] meaning warlike…typifies the flesh, which is the totality of the fallen old man (1 Sam. 15:2; Gal. 2:16)
(Please illustrate that our flesh is the first among all our enemies.)
T2 The flesh and the spirit are mutual enemies and cannot stand together (Gal. 5:17)
(Please illustrate that why did God determine to exterminate Amalek and to have war with him from generation to generation?)
Day 2
T1 For the sake of the church life, we need to deal with our flesh (Gal. 5:19-21)
(Please illustrate that the importance of dealing with the flesh.)
T2 To cooperate with God in what He has done by crucifying the flesh (Gal. 5:24; Rom. 8:7)
(Please illustrate that as long as we remain in the status of the flesh, we are an enemy to God.)
Day 3
T1 Amalek signifies that the flesh is in rebellion against God and is against His throne (Exo. 17:16)
(Please illustrate that every aspect of our flesh, whether good or evil, is an enemy of God’s authority.)
T2 Amalek is a hand against the throne of God (Exo. 17:16; Rom. 8:3)
(Please illustrate that the flesh is most ugly because it is against the throne, the administration, and the plan of God.)
Day 4
T1 To be in union with the interceding Christ in order to cooperate with the fighting Spirit (Exo. 17:11; Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:24)
(How should we fight against Amalek according to Exodus 17:8-13?)
T2 Crucifying the old man is the responsibility of God, but crucifying the flesh is our responsibility (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:24)
(Please illustrate that we have the responsibility to take the initiative in crucifying the flesh with experiences.)
Day 5
T1 To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed, than the fat of rams (1 Sam. 15:22-23)
(Please illustrate that how we learned that Saul was trying to build up his own monarchy within God’s kingdom.)
T2 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and insubordination is like idolatry and teraphim (1 Sam. 15:22-23)
(Please illustrate that how Saul was exposed as being a rebel against God and an enemy of God.)
Day 6
T1 Not to do anything in the kingdom of God by our flesh; (Gal. 5:24-25)
(Please illustrate that what warning we should take from this account of Saul’s disobedience.)
T2 Not to take any excuse for sparing any aspect of the flesh within us. (Gal. 5:16)
(Please illustrate that we will destroy the negative things of the flesh, but few are willing to destroy the good aspects of the natural life.)
