“Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner.” (Exodus 17:15)

Jehovah-Nissi is used one time in Scripture. It is found in Exodus 17:15. Let us set the stage. Moses and the people had left Egypt. They had come to the Red Sea; they had seen the waters part and the army of Egypt defeated as they drowned in the sea. Then they would sing praise to God, “The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name.” (Exodus 15:2-3) After traveling three days looking for water, they came to Marah where the water was undrinkable. They now grumbled about their situation. Moses tossed a piece of wood into the water, at God’s direction, and they were able to drink. They continued on the journey and God brought them to the springs at Elim where they camped by the water. As they continued toward Sinai, they complained, again, about food, saying God only brought them here so they could starve to death. The Lord rained down bread at night so the people could gather it in the morning, just enough for the day. And on the sixth day they could gather twice as much and only of the Sabbath would the bread last two days. So, again, the people grumbled because they did not have meat. Now God sent quail in the evenings. God would provide the bread, which the people called Manna, till they entered the Promise Land. Yet, again, they would complain about water. Now camped at Rephidim, God directed Moses to strike the rock with His staff and water came from the rock. God had shown the people that He would provide for them. He was to be their source and He would lead them.

While at Rephidim, the nomadic people, the Amalekites attacked the people of Israel. This was the first time that they, as a people, would have to do battle. Joshua took men out to fight the Amalekites. Moses, Aaron and Hur would go up on the hill and Moses would raise the Staff of God above his head. As long as Moses held up the staff, Joshua and his men would be winning the battle. When Moses would become weary and lower the staff, the Amalekites would be winning. Moses sat down on a rock. Aaron and Hur would hold up Moses’ arms with the staff in his hands. With the staff held high the people of Israel were victorious.  Moses now builds an altar and names it, Jehovah-Nissi – The LORD is my Banner.

A Banner was a rallying point for the people, much like flags are used today. While the staff, or rod, was the rallying point for the battle, Jehovah was the true rallying point for the people. He was their Banner. God had given and used Moses’ staff, which is called the “Staff of God,” to show the people it was God who had acted on behalf of, and provided for, the people. The staff was used by God in the plagues of Egypt, at the crossing of the Red Sea, in striking the rock and now in the victory over the Amalekites. However, the staff was not to be the rallying point, but God Himself. God is our Banner.

It is so easy to make an object the rallying point for our lives. It is one of the reasons that the second commandment says, “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God.” (Exodus 20:4-5) It is not the things of God, or what God has used which are to be what we rally around; it is to be God Himself. Even today we use the things of God to rally around. We use symbols like the cross or the fish. We use slogans, “What Would Jesus Do,” “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven,” or “Let go and let God.” We even use the Church and the Bible as our rallying points. As with the people of Israel, we must remember that it is God Himself that we rally around because He is our salvation. He is our provider, He is our victory, and He is our life. It is because this is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God is our Banner.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block