Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord My Banner
Farther along in the wilderness (Exodus 17), the children of Israel run into the warlike Amalekites, the descendants of Esau. This is not good for the Israelites who haven’t picked up a sword in 430 years. And now the Amalekites don’t want a couple million Israelites trespassing through their territory.
Moses sends Joshua out to fight with Amalek and takes Aaron and Hur to the top of a mountain with him to pray during the battle. When Moses lifts his hands up to the Lord in prayer, Israel prevails. When he takes his hands down to rest, Amalek prevails. So Aaron and Hur hold Moses’ arms up so his hands remain lifted to the Lord in prayer until the battle is over and Israel defeats Amalek. To celebrate the victory the Lord had given, Moses builds an altar and names it “The Lord Is My Banner,” or Jehovah-Nissi.
“Banner” is not like a large banner or flag we might hang on the wall of a church or school today. The root of the Hebrew word reflects the meaning “to be high, raised, or conspicuous,” and refers to a standard or rod raised as a rallying point for troops. Therefore, the Lord was to be Israel’s rallying point in all things, the one around whom they would gather in times of need.
In that place, Moses celebrated the Lord around whom we gather for victory.
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