Mensa Otabil - Jehovah Nissi
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As we learn more about the names of God, we come to understand what to expect from Him and who He is to us. The names of the Lord reveal His nature, His identity, and His actions. Today, we are looking at another of those names: Jehovah Nissi. The text is Exodus chapter 17, verses 14 and 15.
Then the Lord said to Moses, «Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.» And Moses built an altar and called its name, «The Lord is my Banner,» Jehovah Nissi. The Lord is my Banner; that is how Moses called the altar he built after Israel’s battle with Amalek. The Amalekites were the first nation to attack Israel after they came out of Egypt. The Israelites were a very young, untested nation; they had just come out from bondage. They didn’t have an army or anything; they were just traversing the wilderness when the Amalekites came against them. They did not know how to defend themselves.
In those days, nations fought under a banner. The banner was typically a pole that they held, sometimes called a standard, which displayed the image of the god of the nation. Occasionally, it was a piece of cloth or a flag. When they went to battle, they would have this banner or standard leading them to assist in their fight. Today, in our time, the equivalent of a banner would be our national flag and national anthem. That is why when our footballers and other athletes compete on behalf of Ghana, they do so under the banner of the Ghanaian flag and the national anthem. In those days, they marched under the banner of their gods and fought that way.
So, Moses engaged the Amalekites in battle, yet he had no banner; they had no standard, and they had nothing. The Amalekites had their banner. When the battle started, Moses went up a mountain and lifted his hands as if in prayer. He noticed that as he lifted his hands in prayer, the Israelites would win the battle. Conversely, when his hands came down, the Israelites would lose. He realized that lifting his hands was significant, so he kept them raised. Very soon, two of his assistants, Aaron and Hur, stood by his side and helped hold up his hands. When he got tired, they offered him a stone to sit on to sustain his hands.
Now, Moses held nothing in his hand; he simply lifted his hands. Although there was nothing in his hands, he won the battle. When the battle was over, he declared that the one who was our banner was the Lord. Moses indicated that when he lifted up his hands, it was to the Lord, and the Lord was our banner. The Lord was the one who led us into battle and granted us victory.
So, when we also pray and lift our hands to God, we are making a similar declaration: the Lord is our Banner. He fights for us, goes ahead of us, and gives us the victory. Therefore, it is important as you pray-whether you lift your hands partially or fully-to remember you are making a spiritual declaration that the Lord is your Banner. You may not have physical weapons in your hand, but when you turn to the Lord in prayer and trust Him, He becomes your Banner. He goes ahead of you, stays with you, and is behind you; He is your vanguard and your rear guard. The Lord goes with us and returns with us, and He is our Banner in every warfare.
So, when you encounter any struggle in life, whether someone is fighting against you or you face any spiritual conflict, remember that the Lord is your Banner. Lift your hands to Him and trust that He will advance ahead of you and grant you victory. Today, I pray that the Lord will be a Banner over you as you go out and pursue your business interests, academic goals, or whatever you are doing. May the Lord fight for you and grant you victory.
Let’s pray: Say with me, «Heavenly Father, You are my Banner in a time of war. Lift up Your hand over me and grant me victory. In Jesus' name, Amen.»
The Lord is our Banner; He goes with us and accompanies us. I am Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom. Peace and life to you.