Jehovah Nissi

What I Learned from the Homework

The word ‘allegiance’ lingered in my mind as I finished the homework, with good reason.  It’s meaning is very much intertwined with knowing the LORD as Jehovah Nissi, the Lord is my Banner. This week we studied Moses and the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness and God revealed himself to them as Jehovah Nissi.  From their encounters we learned where we should put our allegiance, how it can be challenged, and the way we can always come out victorious.

The Birth of the Israelites Allegiance

The homework took us through several passages in Exodus 14 through 17 that established a pattern in the relationship between God and the Israelites. God parted the Red Sea, giving the Israelites an escape route from the Egyptians. “And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant” (Ex. 15:21).  Following their declaration of allegiance the Israelites were tested many times by circumstances and they responded by grumbling against the Lord. We were asked in the homework to think about how this pattern might be replicated in our own lives.  Because of circumstances we are currently facing, we may forget God’s faithfulness in the past and grumble about a seeming lack of provision.

Going back to the Israelites, in Exodus 17 the pattern continued. “The Israelites quarreled and …they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" (Ex. 17:7).  We then read in verse 8, “The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim”.  The homework makes the sobering point, “Could it be when we express our uncertainty towards God that it is like a banner waving over our heads broadcasting our vulnerability?”(A. Solomon, Jehovah Nissi).  We were directed toward 1 Peter 5:8-9a, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith”.   What really hit me is that we do have what it takes to stand firm in the midst of circumstances. We do not have to broadcast our vulnerabilities - we can stand firm in our faith in the LORD!!

The Partnership of Allegiance

In Exodus 17:8-16,  we read of the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites.  In this battle there was a leader (Moses), supporters (Aaron and Hur), and the one on the battlefield (Joshua).  They all worked together and God brought the victory.  The same is true in our own lives.  In certain situations we may take the role of leader, supporter or the one in the battle but we need to remember we are not in this fight alone!!

The Victory of Allegiance

In the final verses of Exodus 17 it says “Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation. (Ex. 17:7-8).  We will learn more about the banner in the class lesson notes but for now let’s concentrate on the words ‘For hands were lifted’. 

The homework makes the point that the ‘hands lifted’ were not ‘to’ the Lord but ‘against’ the Lord. Here is Exodus 17:16 from the Amplified Version: “Because theirs is a hand against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” The Amalekites had lifted their hands against God’s people and God took this very seriously.  It says in Song of Songs 2:4, “He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love”.  We are God’s, He loves us and He fights for us!!

What I Learned in Class

Our lesson on Tuesday was called The Rod of God…a compelling title! You might wonder what this has to do with the name of God we are studying this week.  By the end of the lesson I had a whole new appreciation for what Moses meant when he wrote in Exodus 17:7, “Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner”.   I hope you will too!

1) The ‘rod of God’ was meant to be a sign to the Israelites.

Before continuing, please read  Exodus  4:1-8.  In this passage God uses the staff (or rod) that Moses had in his hand as a sign to show His power.  When Moses went to Pharaoh God continued to use Moses’ staff as a sign of His power. If you remember back to the parting of the Red Sea, the staff was also used by God.  Arlene made a great point about Moses’ rod – it was already in his hand.  What does this mean to us? God will use what we already have in our hand for His purposes.  We can’t underestimate His power to do this.  “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecc. 9:10).

2) The ‘rod of God’ was a physical representation of God’s power.

Let’s look again at Exodus 17:7 “Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner”.  The word banner comes from the Hebrew word ‘nec’. ‘Nec’ refers to a sign or symbol that represents a cause or person, it could be a pole on which something could be displayed or a flag. ‘Banner’ comes from a root that means to be conspicuous, or raised, or to be high.

Some important things to consider: The banner was not  the altar.  Notice that Moses named the altar ‘The Lord is my Banner’. The banner was not the rod. Banners were rallying points in battle.  As the banner was lifted up above the masses it would shimmer in the sun for the people to see.  The banner was the LORD!  Moses knew that it was God who gave the power for the victory.

3)The ‘rod of God’ was not only a symbol of God’s power but also of His Grace.

Please read Numbers 21: 4-9. “The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live” (Num. 21:8).  Arlene pointed out some things in the passage that clarify it’s significance.  The first is that it was a snake that was mounted on the pole.  This is striking for several reasons:  a) With few exceptions, snakes are universally feared and disliked;  b) Graven images had been prohibited by God because of the dangers of idolatry. (You remember the golden calf?) ; and c) Going back to Genesis, snakes have been associated with Satan.

Despite these three points God indeed did command Moses to make a snake and put it up on a pole.  The Israelites had to demonstrate great faith to do something that ran contrary to human reasoning yet when they did they were delivered from the plague of disease.  This was about God’s grace. 

We then went to John 3:10-15. In this passage Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus.  Jesus uses the story of Moses and the serpent to drive home a point that is the cornerstone of our faith.  “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).  As the Israelites looked at the serpent on the pole for deliverance from physical death, by faith and God’s grace we are able to look to the Son of Man, crucified on the cross, for deliverance from spiritual death.

4) The “rod of God” carries the temptation to be worshiped.

Jumping ahead to 2 Kings 18, Scripture again references the serpent on the pole. In this passage Hezekiah begins to reign in Judah and undertakes the task of purifying the land. “He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)”  (2 Kings 18:4).  We have learned that the Banner is the Lord yet the Israelites fell into worshiping the banner itself, not what it represented. Israelites no longer declared the “LORD is my banner” but rather “the banner is my LORD” Arlene asked us if there might be a ‘Nehushtan’ in our own lives, something, that if it was destroyed, could very well destroy us. This thing may well come as a gift from God. It could be a person, a church, a financial blessing, or even a ministry.  The question we must ask ourselves, “If tragedy strikes, where do I run first?  To the Lord or to the banner?” This is not a question to ask in condemnation, rather, there is freedom on the other side!!

Wrapping It All Up

In conclusion, what will stay with me most from this lesson is that the LORD in MY banner!   As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ I think we can all say that we have pledged our allegiance to Him but we want to truly live in the light of what this allegiance means. He is our rallying point, our  victory is from Him, not only does He give us what we need for victory but He fights for us.  This should give you the confidence in knowing that you are truly more than a conqueror!

“Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.”  Psalm 60:4 (KJV)