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It will also be noticed that the Amalekites are associated with Midian; and together
they represent the flesh, which, in its various manifestations, brings the redeemed of the
Lord into bondage.
The King of Mesopotamia, and the Philistines, and the Canaanites were descendants
of Ham--a people connected with Babylonian idolatry and high-handed rebellion.
Altogether a formidable host.
The Six Foes of Israel.
A | CHUSHAN-RISHATHAIM.--The Cushite of Double Evil.
B | EGLON.--A Bull Calf. A Fat Man.
Moab related through Lot and associated with Amalek.
C | JABIN.--Intelligence. Canaan the Cursed Seed.
C | MIDIAN.--Contention.
Associated with Amalekites, and with Israel through Keturah.
B | AMMON.--Fellow-countryman. Related to Israel through Lot.
A | PHILISTINES.--Related to Cushite (Gen. 10: 14). Migrator.
The "double evil" of the first oppression seems to cover the last also, indicating that
both the King of Mesopotamia and the Philistines represent the same evil thing, namely
the world as opposed to God. Moab and Ammon clearly represent the flesh, for both are
associated with Lot and his daughters. Midian also, as well as Israel, could claim descent
from Abraham, but they were never "in Isaac" and so were not "counted for the seed".
They, too, represent the claim of the flesh intruding into the realm of the spirit. Canaan
are particularly the people of the curse, a people not to be evangelized or tolerated, but to
be exterminated. They stand for the Devil and all his works. Israel's six foes, therefore,
represent most clearly the three elements of the redeemed--the world, the flesh, and the
Devil.
The weapons used by the deliverers, although insignificant and weak in themselves,
are of importance in their typical teaching.
In the case of Othniel and Jephthah no weapon or instrument is mentioned. All that
the Scripture records is:
"The spirit of the Lord came upon him . . . . . . . and the Lord delivered
Chushan-rishathaim, King of Mesopotamia, into his hand" (Judges 3: 10).
"Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah . . . . . . . and the Lord delivered them
into his hands" (Judges 11: 29-32).
Apart from the jaw-bone of the ass, Samson accomplished his deliverance of Israel by
a power whose source was not evident to the outward eye. With regard to Ehud, we read
that his weapon was a dagger with two edges, and that he was a left-handed Benjamite.
The name "Benjamin" means "Son of my right hand", yet in spite of this the Hebrew of
Judges 3: 15 records that Ehud was "shut of his right hand". Here we have a picture of
grace and the power of the Spirit, in contrast to all the boasted powers of the flesh--