The destiny of Amalek, in the first place, is to have the remembrance of him blotted out from under heaven. In 17:14 the Lord said unto Moses, “I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven” (Heb.). No matter how strong, stubborn, or prevailing the flesh may be, its remembrance will be blotted out. This indicates God’s hatred of the flesh. According to Romans 8:7 and 8, the flesh is an enemy of God. It has neither the intention nor the ability to obey God. Hence, the destiny of the flesh is to be blotted out.
In Exodus, however, Amalek was not blotted out. In 1 Samuel 15 we see that the Amalekites were still in existence and were quite prevailing. Nevertheless, God has decided that the flesh must be blotted out. This will take place during the kingdom age in the millennium. Today is still the time for us to fight against the flesh. But when the kingdom comes, the flesh will be blotted out from under heaven.
God is so strong against the flesh because with Amalek there is a hand against the throne of the Lord. Exodus 17:16 says, “For he said, Because there is a hand against the throne of Jehovah, Jehovah will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Heb.). The flesh is a hand against the throne, against the government of God. Because the flesh opposes the throne of the Lord, the Lord must fight against it. The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
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.
In 17:15 we are told that “Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi.” The name Jehovah-nissi means “Jehovah my banner.” For Jehovah to be our banner means that Jehovah God is our victory. Moses built an altar and then called the name of it Jehovah-nissi. The altar signifies the cross, which deals with our flesh (Gal. 5:24). On the one hand, our flesh must be blotted out; on the other hand, the cross must be a memorial. By the cross we enjoy the victory of the Lord. This means that by the altar we enjoy Jehovah-nissi.
The altar built and named by Moses in Exodus 17 signifies that the cross of Christ is a memorial of our victory. By the cross we experience the Lord as our banner. We enjoy Him as our victor, and we enjoy victory through the cross of the Lord. According to the book of Galatians, the flesh must be set aside, but the cross must become our boast. Paul declares that he did not boast in circumcision, but boasted in the cross of Christ. The remembrance of the flesh must be blotted out, and a memorial of the cross must be built up. We need to remember the cross of Christ through which we enjoy the Lord as our banner, our victory. This cross is the memorial that the flesh has been blotted out.