Fighting the Spirit of Amalek
Why antisemitism has been skyrocketing since October 7—and how to stand against it
In their book Why the Jews? The Reason for Antisemitism, authors Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin state, “Hatred of the Jew has been humanity’s greatest hatred. While hatred of other groups has always existed, no hatred has been as universal, as deep, or as permanent as antisemitism.”1
I would add that hatred of the Jewish people is also illogical and must be understood as a spiritual conflict. We see this truth clearly through the tragedy of October 7, 2023, the most significant and brutal exposure of antisemitism since the Holocaust. The logical reaction to such horrible suffering would be empathy and support for Israel in its fight against terrorism. Yet, October 7 triggered the opposite response: hostility toward Israel, as well as prejudices, falsifications, and contradictions that obscure the facts rather than expose the truth.
Christians who support Israel also face increasing pressure and opposition that challenges a biblically literal interpretation of Israel’s distinct role in God’s plan for human redemption. While we can and should bless Israel, it is crucial to recognize that our struggle is part of a broader spiritual conflict described in the Bible.
Hostility Toward God
Hostility toward Israel is the fruit of hostility toward God. It reflects opposition to God’s sovereign choice and is not merely typical international animosity. To dismiss antisemitism as just another ethnic conflict is to profoundly misunderstand the nature of what is arguably the greatest spiritual battle manifesting itself in our physical world.
From the outset, the Bible reveals that behind the hostility toward Israel lies a pivotal conflict concerning the fate of and dominion over all creation. The unfolding drama of world redemption realized through history hinges on Israel’s role as the Chosen People destined to bring forth the Messiah—the promised Descendant.
Almighty God could have chosen a different course—perhaps sending a Savior to a different nation, born to random parents at an arbitrary time. That Savior might have ministered to a tribe and been misunderstood, killed, and resurrected. However, this is not the case. That is why the Gospels open by presenting the Messiah’s genealogy.
Jesus (Yeshua) was born a Jew in Bethlehem, fulfilling the prophetic declarations found in the Holy Scriptures and entering into the lineage of the Messianic line. This connection integrates Him into the entire narrative of God’s Chosen People, prepared earlier and simultaneously imbued with profound significance and purpose.
But the story does not end there. Israel’s history will climax triumphantly as foretold by the prophet Zechariah when someday the feet of the Lord Jesus, the victorious Messiah, Son of David, will touch the Mount of Olives. He will vanquish the enemy forces encircling Jerusalem and trying to destroy the Jewish people.
Israel’s return to its land and the world’s opposition to Israel signify that we stand at a critical juncture in God’s resolution of this conflict. Living in such a unique moment on God’s timeline of history is a privilege and a great responsibility. It is a privilege because we can witness Israel’s presence in the land, as God gathers His people from all corners of the Earth, as the prophet Ezekiel foretold (Ezek. 34:11–14). But it is also a tremendous responsibility because we have limited time to warn people not to make the deadly mistake of joining the opposition against God and His chosen nation, Israel.
The Spirit of Amalek on October 7
The sheer brutality of October 7, with Hamas showing no mercy for even the most vulnerable, evokes the spirit of Amalek in the Bible. Amalek has become the embodiment of evil and an eponym for the timeless spirit of hatred against God’s Chosen People.
The historic Amalekites disappeared sometime in antiquity, but their sinister name and hateful spirit are doing well in our day. Wearing the masks of new ideologies, Israel’s enemy is surprisingly successful in finding new hands and minds to plan and carry out further attempts to destroy God’s elected nation.
Before the Israelites entered Canaan, God reminded them of the cruelty of the Amalekites and their incomprehensible ruthlessness (Dt. 25:17–19). We can imagine the scene in the wilderness. Jacob’s descendants were weary. Tired and thirsty, they mustered the last of their strength, desperately seeking a place to rest.
Gradually, the strongest and most persistent—those who were armed—moved to the front of the column; and the weak—women with children, older men, and the sick—gathered at the rear. Passing through Rephidim, they entered the stone bed of a dry stream, surrounded on all sides by high, steep rocks, almost obscuring the sky. And there, the Amalekites attacked them—not against the warriors leading the way, but against the weakest families in the rear of the formation.
The massacre was shameful and ruthless. Driven solely by a desire to annihilate an entire nation, Amalek’s aim was genocide. The Amalekites did not want to demonstrate tribal superiority, defend territory, negotiate, secure slaves, or impose tribute. Though plundering the possessions of the dead was certainly a benefit, their primary goal was the extermination of the Israelites, regardless of the disgrace it brought.
Even more harrowing, the Bible reveals that the progenitor of this clan, Amalek (Gen. 36:12, 16), was a grandson of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. This profound tragedy within the human family echoes the primordial crime of Cain against Abel. Like Cain, who defiantly claimed he was not his brother’s keeper, Amalek similarly displayed no reverence for God. The lust for murder and the denial of a person’s right to exist are satanic stings that deeply pierce the loving heart of our Creator.
Amalek displayed a searing hatred for all mankind, which was first manifested by the serpent (Satan) in the Garden of Eden. Satan knew that the Chosen People, when they settled in the land promised to them by God Himself, would birth the Redeemer-Messiah who would crush the head of the Evil One’s world domination (3:15).
Exterminating the Jewish people would wipe from the face of the earth humanity’s only Messianic hope, our only chance for salvation, our only opportunity to be freed from Satan’s kingdom (cf. Col. 1:13). Amalek’s action was like committing suicide for all humankind. It not only brought suffering to God’s Chosen People, but it represented the worst kind of betrayal of man against man.
How to Counter the Spirit of October 7
Despite millennia of development and technological advancements, October 7 shows that the fallen human nature is still obsessed with annihilating the critical component of God’s plan for redemption.
Only a biblical perspective can help us understand this illogical, destructive hatred. As Bible-believing Christians, we must teach God’s Word, which clearly exposes the Satan-led hatred toward the Jewish people. The most effective weapon in this fight is the same one that was revealed to Israel at Rephidim:
And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so 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 the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword (Ex. 17:11–13).
The weapon is in our hands, constantly and persistently raised in prayer and praise to God. We must pray. We will not win this fight with the weapons of the world. Heaven must invade Earth, and then the victory will be the Lord’s.
ENDNOTE
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- Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin, Why the Jews? The Reason for Antisemitism (New York, NY: Touchstone, 2003), Loc. 200, Kindle.
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Photo: Adobe Stock
