Pattern of the 2nd throughout scripture, love and hate

[Brother Mark]

Good morning brothers and sisters. This morning, the Lord reminded me of a sermon my pastor preached some time ago on Esau and Jacob. It is very encouraging and I thought some of you may appreciate it. But first, a little background.

God has set a pattern in scripture that is amazing. Throughout the scriptures we see firsts and seconds. But the emphasis is on the second. For example:

1. It's not the first Adam, its the Second Adam
2. It's not the OT, it's the NT.
3. It wasn't Ishmael, it was Isaac.
4. Not King Saul, but King David.
5. Not Esau, but Jacob.

And on and on. Now, we have some interesting scriptures about Esau and Jacob to get into that are greatly encouraging. But a little more back ground on them first. Let's start with Amalek.

Amalek battled against Israel very early after they left Egypt. This was something that God did not like! As a result, he promised to wipe them out. This was the main reason he commanded Saul to kill them all.

Ex 17:8-16

8 Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." 10 Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. 13 So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, " Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." 15 Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner; 16 and he said, " The Lord has sworn; the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation."
NASU

Now this passage brings up an interesting question. If God is going to wipe them out from memory under heave as he says in vs. 14 above, how is it that he will war with them from generation to generation?

Many commentators believe that Amalek is a type of the flesh for many reasons. 1. He is a descendant of Esau who sold his birthright because of a desire of the flesh. 2. Amalek was the very first battle that Israel had after getting released from Egypt. 3. The Lord was going to wipe them out and he was going to fight with them from generation to generation. IOW, while one generation may conquer their flesh, or one person may, the battle must be waged with each coming generation too. 4. The battle is not won through hard work, but rather through a miracle from God. Note too that we need help! As Moses got tired, he need friends to assist him. (As a side note, some commentators also see Esau as a type of the carnal nature.)

So we battle with Amalek until he is destroyed. I suggested above that Amalek was a descendant of Esau. Here's the scripture:

Gen 36:15-16

15 These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau, are chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 16 chief Korah, chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These are the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah
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Another side note, why is it that the flesh always rises up when we are tired and weary? The scripture confirms this is when it happens.

Deut 25:17-18

17 " Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, 18 how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God.
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Now fast forward to the New Testament!

Rom 9:10-13
10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, 12 it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." 13 Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED."
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Each of us has a dual nature. Both Esau and Jacob are within us just as they were within Rebekah, or within Isaac. We have the flesh and the spirit. The flesh is born first. But the promise is, that the younger (the spirit) will rule the older (the flesh)! Can I get an amen! And do you not hate your fleshly side? God hates Esau too! That part of us that builds for it's own self, that part of us that we war against, that would sell the birthright if it had it's way. This is the person that God hates! But wait, Jacob he loved! He loves your spirit! Ah yes! And we have a promise from God concerning our flesh, God will war against it and help you war against it until it is conquered. But the promise is more than that! He will do the same for your children that are saved, and for their children for thousands of generations. Every generation can have victory over Esau/Amalek.

Now back to Esau who was called Edom.

Gen 25:30-31
30 and Esau said to Jacob, "Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom.
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Here are the verses from the OT that Paul was quoting out in Romans 9. It gives further light on the issue.

Mal 1:2-5

2 "I have loved you," says the Lord. But you say, "How have You loved us?" "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the Lord. "Yet I have loved Jacob; 3 but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness." 4 Though Edom says, "We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins"; thus says the Lord of hosts, "They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the wicked territory, and the people toward whom the Lord is indignant forever." 5 Your eyes will see this and you will say, " The Lord be magnified beyond the border of Israel!"
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A funny thing about the flesh, it will want to rebuild! But the Lord promises to tear it down! Every thing we build up in the flesh, God will tear down.

I am thankful that God helps me against my all my enemies, including my own flesh.

Grace to you,

Mark

[Brother Mark]

A. W. Pink states this

The second thing to be noted is the time when Amalek made his assault upon Israel: "then came Amalek and fought with Israel." The Holy Spirit has called our attention to the time when this occurred. It was when Moses smote the rock and the waters were given. Then. for the first time, Israel was called upon to do some fighting—contrast 13:17. They had done no fighting In the house of bondage, nor had the Lord called upon them to fight the Egyptians at the Red Sea, But now that that which typified the Holy Spirit had been given, their warfare commenced; yea, It was that which typified the Holy Spirit that caused the Amalekites to attack Israel! Wonderfully accurate is the type.

It is not until the Christian has been made partaker of the Divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4) that the inward conflict begins. Previous to the new birth, he was dead in trespass and sins; and therefore quite insensible to the claims of God’s holiness. Until the Holy Spirit begins to shed abroad His light upon our wicked hearts, we do not realize the depths and power of the evil within us. Ofttimes the believer is astounded by the discovery of the tendencies and desires within him, which he never knew before were there. The religious professor knows nothing of the conflict between the two natures nor of the abiding sense of inward corruption which this experience conveys. The unregenerate man is entirely under the dominion of the flesh, he serves its lusts, he does its will. The "flesh" does not fight its subjects; it rules over them. But as soon as we receive the new nature the conflict begins.

It is striking to note that it was not Israel who attacked Amalek, but Amalek that attacked Israel. The new nature in the believer delights to feed upon the Word, to commune with God, and be engaged with spiritual things. But the flesh will not let him live in peace. The Devil delights to rob the believer of his joy, and works upon the flesh to accomplish his fiendish designs. The anti-type is in perfect accord. Note how that in Galatians 5:17 it is first said that "The flesh lusteth against the spirit," and not vice versa.

http://www.pbministries.org/books/pi.../exodus_25.htm

[JohnDB]

Also look to the Joseph in Egypt account in Genesis as well as the story of Esther. The number two figures prominantly in both of these tales as well.

[ClayInHisHands]

Kind of like.....the last shall be first.

[Brother Mark]

Also look to the Joseph in Egypt account in Genesis as well as the story of Esther. The number two figures prominantly in both of these tales as well.

The pattern is everywhere for sure.

[Brother Mark]

Kind of like.....the last shall be first.

Yea. I never thought of that verse in connection with this. I like it! My flesh was first born, but it shall be last. My spirit was born last, but it shall be first. Now that's enough to make anyone shout!