Jehovah-Nissi- The Lord Our Banner Series

Jehovah-Nissi - The Lord Our Banner

B.R.: Exodus 17:8-15

TEXT: Exo 17:15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:

________________________________________

As I read in our bible reading, we find that Joshua and the Army of Israel were fighting in the valley below while Moses stood on the top of Mt. Horeb, which is Mt. Sinai, with his hands stretched out before the Lord, with his rod in his hands.

The symbolism in this picture is full of instruction. Moses lifted up his hands in prayer to God and held up the rod, which represented God’s omnipotent power, so that all Israel could see it standing erect, like an immovable banner upon Mt. Sinai.

But when Moses hands got heavy, the rod he held sagged. When the army of Israel could not see the rod, they wavered and the Amalekites prevailed against them.

Aaron and Hur found a stone and put it under Moses to support him. Then they stood by Moses and held up his hands until the going down of the sun.

Thus, Israel defeated the Amalekites. We are like those Israelites.

At times it seems that our spiritual warfare will surely end in defeat. Like Moses, we get weary. Our legs are feeble. Our hands begin to sag.

It appears that we will surely fall to the enemy. But, just when we have no strength, Christ our High Priest, represented by Aaron in our story, and the Spirit of God, represented by Hur, whose name means liberty, inspire us to lift up our hands in prayer to God.

Fixed upon Christ, our sure Foundation, we again see the Rod of God, our Mighty Savior, exalted and lifted up like a banner before us.

As Hebrews 12:2 says:"Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith," we prevail over our enemies.

Our Savior gives us assurance that, when the day of our warfare is over, we shall win the victory over our enemies.

Jesus said in John 16:33:"In this world you shall have tribulation, but Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. And by his grace, we too shall overcome the world.

At the end of the day, "Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-Nissi" (v. 15), which means, "the Lord our Banner".

JESUS CHRIST IS JEHOVAH-NISSI, THE LORD OUR BANNER.

In the majesty of his person,

the merit of his blood,

the perfection of his righteousness,

the certainty of his triumph,

Christ is the Banner of his Church.

Under this Banner we fight and prevail. And to this Banner we rally.

In ancient times the banner of a regiment was far more useful than it is today; but we are still familiar with the symbolism.

What a nation’s flag is to its people, Christ is to his Church. He is Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our Banner.

The banner is lifted up and displayed as the point of union.

Americans in general have a lot of things that bother them.

They may get mad when someone is driving too slow in the fast lane.

They may get upset when someone cuts in front of them in the grocery line.

It may irk them when unruly children throw tandrums in front of their parents.

But let an enemy invade our land. People will come out of the woodworks, patriotic men and women will stand against evil when pushed.

When the chips are down, when liberty and freedom are in danger, all are one. All have one flag as their point of union.

Even so, Christ is the point of union for all believers. All rally as one around Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our Banner.

There are many things which separate God’s saints upon this earth. To us, Christian liberty is important.

We cannot be brought again under any yoke of bondage.

We cannot, in good conscience, yield to the judgments of those that do not hold true the liberties of the word of God which we speak.

And these things distinguish us from many who truly are our brethren.

But there is one rallying point around which all true Christians meet. That rallying point is the person and work of Christ, whose name is Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our Banner.

When it comes to the person and work of Christ, all true believers are one, all true believers rally around and lift up the Banner of the Cross.

Those who oppose and fight against the teaching of Christ,

his eternal Deity,

His effectual atonement,

his imputed righteousness,

His free grace

His sovereign rule over all things, are our enemies.

Don’t get mad at me…

Jesus said in Mat_12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

All who uphold and defend these things are our brethren.