The Lord is My Banner

Many of God’s “names” that people write about are really names of places where God did something miraculous. But it is fitting because it describes an aspect of God’s character, which is why the people in the Bible commemorate that particular place or building an altar in God’s name. The name of God we are discussing today is one of those examples. After a great battle is won, it was obvious that God was behind Israel’s victory. We are in a battle every day and through Christ we can have victory over our battles, in life.

In this account in the Bible, the Israelites are approaching the promised land. But many were afraid because there were giants in the land. But God promised that He would give them this land and that He would fight their battles with them. He used Moses in mighty ways to accomplish this. God uses the mighty, and He uses the weak; more often He uses “the least of these” to accomplish great things.

Exodus 17:8-16

Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 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.

Then the LORD [Yahweh] said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner [Yahweh Nissi]; for he said, “Because the LORD [Yahweh] has sworn: the LORD [Yahweh] will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

The Lord is our banner. Our identity is in Him, much like a country flies its flag to represent the country. But God is so much more than that. He is the real thing, not just a representation. He is our King. He is our Savior. Unlike a flag, He will fight for us. As Moses lifted His staff up toward heaven, God showed His might by defeating the Amalekites. This story showed that over and over, as we look to Him, He will give us strength. As we look to Him, He will get us through our battles. As we look to Him, He will save us. And Jesus did that when He was lifted up on the cross. He died for you and me so that we can be saved when we believe and trust in Him.

John 12:27-36

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

Much as a banner is lifted up in victory, so Jesus was lifted up on the cross to give us victory over sin and death. He came to this earth to pay for our sins by dying on the cross for you and me. When we trust in Him, we can be conquerors, for the Lord is our Banner.

Romans 8:37-39

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are conquerors, not because of what we do or how strong we are. No, we are far from able. But God gives us the tools and strength to fight our battles. He is the one that accomplishes our victories.

Ephesians 6:10-13

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Our strength is in the Lord. He is our banner. He is our savior. No matter what we go through on this earth, He is the one who stands firm and guides our paths. He is the one who defeats our enemies. Jesus defeated sin and death by dying on the cross and being raised to life. There is nothing He can’t do. There is no battle too great. We need to trust in Him and lift our banners high to show the world that He is by our side.; He is who we live for. Jesus was talked about throughout the Old Testament. Isaiah told of him 400 years beforehand, that a descendant of Jesse (father of David) would come and bring righteousness to the earth. When Jesus began His ministry, He read this very scripture aloud and proclaimed that this prophecy is fulfilled in Him.

Isaiah 11:1-5, 10

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD [Yahweh] shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD[Yahweh] . His delight is in the fear of the LORD [Yahweh], and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist…

“And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner [nes] to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious.”

And Jesus did everything that was prophesied, but He was not accepted because He didn’t do it in the way they wanted. But as He was lifted up, He would be our banner, He would be our Savior, He would be our Advocate who fights for us and declared us righteous as He was raised up on that cross and defeated our enemy, sin, and death and the devil, and not only for the Jews, but also the gentiles as Isaiah had proclaimed. That gives us reason to rejoice and celebrate the victory that Christ has won for us.

Psalms 20:5-8

We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the LORD [Yahweh] fulfill all your petitions. Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God[Yahweh Elohim]. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright.

We can always trust in the Lord. No matter what we go through, He is there. No matter what our struggles are, He will get us through them. Our strength can only come from the Lord. Pray to Him. Ask Him for help. He will hear you.

Psalms 60:2-4

You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it; heal its breaches, for it is shaking. You have shown Your people hard things; You have made us drink the wine of confusion. You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah

Sometimes God allows us to go through trials, which will make us stronger, but He is always with us. And through that, we can lift our banner high and know that we can trust Him. One day we who follow Jesus Christ will be with Him for all eternity where all of our tears and pain will be wiped away.