Last week we looked at Jehovah Rapha. God led the Israelites through the desert for three days, to an undrinkable pond of water. He then revealed a new name to them which seems to be God's most effective way of revealing Himself - when He has our attention. He showed them that He can take all the bitterness of the life in Egypt miraculously away if they just trust in Him. Did they? Lets look at the following passages;
The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Ex.16:1-3
We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.
All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Numbers 14:2-4
Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!” Numbers 20:5
they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Numbers 21:5
So many instances of wanting to go back to Egypt! And what was waiting for them? Slavery, pain, despair, no future, no hope, not to mention killing of their children. They remembered how the flesh was fed and forgot the negatives. How does this relate to us? Egypt is a symbol of the world or Kosmos, or Kingdom of the Earth. They were delivered from there by the Passover lamb symbolized by Christ, through the sea symbolizing baptism, and headed to the promised land symbolizing Heaven or The Kingdom of Heaven or God. We struggle with the same things; even though we have been delivered from slavery of sin and the Devil, we still end up desiring to go back or at least get as close as possible so we can partake in some of it. Is this an option for us? What does the Bible say?
" But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” 1Kings 18:21,39
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matt 6:24
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Col.3:1-3
Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica 2Tim 4:9,10
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Note that the Bible says to be on both sides is impossible! You can't love the Kingdom of Earth that caters to the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life while loving the Kingdom of God which teaches us to put away lust and deny self. The Bible calls that adultery or being a traitor. And why would we want anything to do with the world when we remember all it leads to is slavery, pain, despair, no hope, no future, death and is led by the Prince of Darkness himself. What does this have to do with Jehovah Nissi? Look at Exodus 17;
Water From the Rock
17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”
Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
The Amalekites Defeated
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”
15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner.(Jehovah Nissi) 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord,
Notice in verses 1-7 the Israelites once again wanted to go back to Egypt and in verses 8-16 God reveals Himself as their banner. The significance and meaning of a banner back in those days was - a flag, a pole, or standard that led into battle or that people rallied around or identified with. Look at the following videos and note the banners;
Here are some modern day banners;
We in America proudly align ourselves under this flag. We don't pledge to another. Nothing moves us like raising it at the Olympics, planting it on the moon or raising it in times of victory or tragedy
Nothing insults us more than when someone desecrates it
or when someone aligns themselves with something that wants to destroy us
Why? Because we have chosen a side even if it is a sports team
we can't align with another one, it just doesn't work!
So what does the name Jehovah Nissi mean? Well, among other things it means, I am a God that demands you pick sides. You are either with me or against me. Come over to my banner and align with Me. I will give you freedom, hope, purpose, and certain victory but you have to be "all in". Look on the mountain what happened. When the kingdom of God, the banner of God, was lifted high and looked to victory was attained. In the same way in Hebrews 11:13-16 we see
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. (they were under a different banner) 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, (they didn't want to go back to Egypt) they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
We are under the banner of God and will be in the future for all eternity;
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. Isa. 11:10
and we are carrying the banner of God in the world as we represent Him. How are you representing Him?
You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Psalm 60:4
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Psalm 60:4
Not only that but your family has a banner. Do people say about your family, "that is a Christian family" or do they identify you by some other characteristic?
The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.” Numbers 2:2
Here are some songs that tell the theme of this lesson
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