JEHOVAH-NISSI – THE LORD OUR BANNER

We continue our study of the names of God with a look at the name Jehovah-nissi, the Lord our banner.

Exodus 17:15–16 “And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

The context of this scripture is again during the wilderness wanderings.  The people of Israel had fought with the Amalekites, and their success was dependent on Moses keeping his hands holding the rod of God raised toward heaven.  After their victory Moses built an altar and named it Jehovahnissi.   The Hebrew indicates that the name makes reference to a standard, a sign pointing to the one under whose authority they were fighting.  The people of Israel were fighting under the “banner” of the self-existent, eternal God, the all-powerful Creator. 

Every person that places faith in God through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus benefits from that same protection and empowerment.  I think it is significant to note that this name appears in direct reference to victory in warfare against the enemy.  Our enemies are God’s enemies when we are striving to act in obedience and submission to His will. 

The fact that victory was dependent on the lifted hands of Moses I think is a picture of the importance of prayer as we engage in the fight against the enemy—be it the flesh, wicked men or the devil and his cohorts; and I think scripture supports this thought.

Psalms 28:2 “Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.”

Psalms 141:2 “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

Lamentations 3:41 “Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.”

1 Timothy 2:8 “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

The fact that Moses was holding the rod of God in his lifted hands testified to the fact that those prayers were rooted in their faith in the power of God.  They were not fighting in their own strength; they were looking to God to provide the victory.

The Exodus account also points out that Moses had to have help in keeping his hands raised; he got weary in the midst of the battle.  Though we too will often find ourselves becoming weary and weak in the midst of the battle, we can be assured that Jesus Himself is interceding on our behalf.

Romans 8:27&34 “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God….It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

It was interesting for me to find that this word for banner is the same word that was used in reference to the pole upon which was lifted the fiery serpent to which the people could look and find healing from the poisonous bites of the serpents that God had sent in judgment upon them. 

Numbers 21:6–8 “And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.”

This is an obvious picture of the salvation that is offered every person who will look in faith to Jesus who was lifted up on the cross in sacrifice for our sin.  It is consistent with the picture of the Lord as our banner, the One from whom we can seek protection and strength through the prayer of faith.

There was one other reference to the Lord as our banner that stood out to me in light of prophecy.

Isaiah 11:10 “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.”

In context this scripture is addressing the time when Jesus is on the throne of David as the King of kings when He establishes His earthly kingdom for 1,000 years.  It is a time when many of the effects of the curse will be lifted, and peace and safety will be the norm rather than the exception.  Jesus Himself, the root of Jesse, will be the “banner” to whom the Gentiles will seek as the people of the world finally acknowledge their true King.

(to be continued...)