The Lord Is My Banner Series

Have you ever stopped to think about, what is a flag? It is more than a cloth design hanging on a pole. A flag means more than that for many people. It can represent national pride and patriotism.

As we study the character of God we study the name of God Jehovah-Nissi. The Lord is my banner, or the Lord is my flag. Just two chapters earlier God revealed himself as Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord our healer (Exodus 15:26).

Many times, a stature of a soldiers at a war memorial or holding up their flag. Emotions run high regarding a flag. A flag can become a rallying point. In the American national anthem, they refer to the flag, the star-spangled banner. Seeing the flag helped the soldiers keep their commitment to their cause.

The Israelites have been in battle with the Amalekites. The banner gives them the victory. God reveals himself as their banner. The Lord is my victory.

When God revealed himself at the bitter water as the one who heals (Exodus 15:26) it was following the Exodus, three days after the parting of the Red Sea. Now it is a few weeks later and the traveling group of Hebrews have come to a place called Rephidim. And guess what? They are again thirsty and grumbling against Moses. This time there was no water at all, not even bitter water.

At Rephidim God commanded Moses, take your staff, the staff of God and strike the Rock and water will come out of it. Moses was concerned the people were going to stone him to death. He struck the rock in the presence of the elders of Israel and water flowed from it.

Paul interprets the event that they drank from the “Living Water “in Jesus Christ, They drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).

This same site where water came from the rock, Rephidim, was also the sight where God revealed himself as: Our Banner. Here the children of Israel found they had more foes than simply lack of water. Here they were attacked by Amalek or the Amalekites.

Amalek was the grandson of Esau. Esau’s son Eliphaz also had a concubine named Timna, who bore him Amalek. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah (Genesis 36:12). This conflict stems back to the time Jacob (Israel) convinced Esau to sell his birthright for a bowl of porridge.

Here at Rephidim Israel was attacked by the Amalekites. Moses chooses Joshua to lead the fighting men. This is the first time in the Bible that Joshua, Moses successor is mentioned. Israel might have seemed like an easy battle to win because they were exposed in the desert. They would be except for one thing God would fight for them.

Moses was also armed and ready for battle. He was armed with the staff of God. This was the staff that inflicted the Egyptians. It was used to bring water from the rock. The staff of God Moses held was symbolic of the divine presence of God.

Moses would hold up the staff and the result would be the release of divine power to bring victory in the battle. When Moses held the staff and his hands up before God the Israelites prevailed in battle. When his hands became heavy he began to drop them and the Amalekites prevailed.

Fortunately, Moses had a good support team, Aaron and Hur. They got a rock for Moses to sit on and then they each propped up one of under the raised banner of God victory is assured, no matter what the odds. God’s banner means God’s presence. Without the banner of God defeat is certain. Later Israel battled and lost to the Amalekites because they battled without the presence of God.

Do not go up, because the LORD is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies, 43 for the Amalekites and the Canaanites will face you there. Because you have turned away from the LORD, he will not be with you and you will fall by the sword.” 44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the LORD’s covenant moved from the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah. (Numbers 14:42-45)

There must be the presence of God to experience victory. The banner was the signal for God’s people to rally to Him, to His cause, to His battle. Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands as God’s banner over them until sunset. It is interesting that Joshua was never weary in battle but Moses was. He was weary as he held the staff as a banner for God.