His Banner over Me...
"Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means the Lord is my Banner)"
- Exodus 17:15
Names in the Bible are significant and carry great meaning. Whether given after a great victory or after a hard season, the name you are given in that moment carries great weight for the future and the circumstances that come with it. At this point in Exodus, God has revealed his character through 4 main titles: Yahweh(YHWH), El Shaddai(God Almighty), Elohim (God) and Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh( I am that I am). In this story of the 2nd book of the Bible, Moses, by God's hand, has drawn the people of Israel out from under Pharaoh's rule and they are now wandering in the desert on their way to the Promised Land. Along the journey, they encounter many opposing nations who try to wipe them out; one such nation being that of the Amalekites. The army of Israel, led by Moses' second-hand man, Joshua, go out in the beginning of the day and begin to try to ward off the enemy. The army fought valiantly, but it soon became apparent that they would only have victory if Moses, who was watching the battle from the top of the hillside, had his arms up in the air, holding the rod of God, basically just Moses's walking stick. Ask any person to stand up and hold their arms up, with a rod in their hands. Most will be able to perform the task for a while, but even the strongest man will begin to lose strength in his arms and they will begin to droop. Now picture 80 year old Moses having to keep his arms up long enough to allow time for the Israelites to claim victory. I don't imagine he would be able to support himself very long. The 17th chapter of Exodus gives us the account of what took place. At the start of the battle, Moses, hands lifted up to heaven, was able to stand on his own. But as the sun grew hot and the sweat began to form on his brow, his arms became really heavy. So Aaron, brother of Moses, and Hur get a big rock for Moses to sit on. After a little while longer, Moses' arm must feel as if on fire, because he slowly starts to lower his arms, and the army of the Amalekites begin to gain back some ground. But thanks be to Aaron and Hur, because at this point, one man on each side, they lift up Moses' arms and support him until nightfall, upon which Joshua and the Israelites claim the victory. After the battle, God commands Moses to construct an Altar of remembrance near the battlefield. In the dedication of the altar, Moses records a new name of God- Yahweh Nissi( The Lord is my Banner).
In our day and age, this might hold different meaning than it did in Bible times. When I think of a banner, I think of a piece of material that holds information, like a billboard. During the time when this event was recorded, a banner symbolized who the nation or individual was fighting for, like a family crest on a Knight's suit of armor. This banner would be the flag that the army would wave to show the enemy who they were fighting against. For Moses to declare God as the Banner over Israel, he was declaring that strength of the people came not from the size of the army or the number of chariots and horses they were able to scrounge together, but from the God who had carried them from slavery to victory. The God who would prove time and time again that as long as His name be lifted in reverence above all other gods, His people would walk in victory, covered by His strength and protection.
We are not promised an easy life just because we have been washed by the blood of the perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ, who died for pour sins to keep us from death and the grave. In fact, claiming Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our hearts and lives tends to put a target on our back that the enemy, the devil, tries to destroy. IF we try to fight him on our own with our own strength, we will fail. Eventually, our arms will get tired and begin to droop, giving the enemy a foothold. But with God as our banner, Yahweh Nissi, the victory has already been won on our behalf, we must simply choose who we lift up and what God we choose to serve. Go forth in Victory, and God will go before you all the days of your life.
Adam Semple- A Young Man discovering What's in a Name?
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