Deuteronomy 25:17,18
17“Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, 18how 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.”
There were a lot of people that left Egypt with Moses. The book of Numbers chapter 1 provides a military census to be 603,000 men of fighting age. So, it’s been estimated to be around two to three million people. The average amount of people at Disneyland is 52,000. Multiply that by five and that’s the number of people in the exodus.
This group moved slowly. However, Moses referred to the stragglers at the rear. These weren’t ten feet behind, but more like a mile. They were easy prey for robbers. In this case, Amalek had his army attack them. These were the weakest among Israel. A sad situation.
All the events of the bible are analogous to our lives (Romans 15:4). We will have (or have had) people that bully us. If not that, then unfair situations.
Bible characters had bullies and bad circumstances. David was anointed king by the prophet Samuel. However, he didn’t begin his reign immediately. Saul wouldn’t abdicate the throne. Rather he pursued David for seven years in an attempt to kill him. In Job 1, we see satan seeking to destroy Job. Paul was harassed often in his ministry (2 Corinthians 7:5). He was wearied by it.
We are also bothered by people and unfairness. Just as the weak ones were attacked at the exodus. We will be treated unfairly. These are tough times. I can recall the frustration. It plagues our minds to where it’s difficult to focus. David describes this in Psalm 23, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with me.”
David shared what got him through, “Thou are with me”. That makes all the difference. We need to deal with people in integrity and trust in The Lord. It gets easier, the more we trust. We have to commit our reputation and future to God. We can’t stress about it. Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Don’t focus on the circumstance, but on God. It’s then, He’ll give us peace.
Thanks Lord for the promise of protection, direction and peace. Help us to trust You.
numbers 1:20-46, 603K