Jehovah Nissi (The Banner of God)

Sunday November 8, 2015 Phone: 570.829.5216 Pastor David Miklas e-mail pastormiklas@aol.com Message #5 Names of God Text: Exodus 17:8-16 Jehovah Nissi (The Banner of God) Introduction: To be able to focus upon the name of God examined in this message, we need to read Exodus 17:8-16: Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. (9) And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. (10) So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. (11) And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. (12) But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. (13) And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. (14) And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. (15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: (16) For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. In verse 15 we discover yet another name of God - JEHOVAH-NISSI, meaning the "LORD is our Banner." A banner in ancient times was not always a flag, as we think of a banner today. Often it was a bare staff with a shiny metal ornament that would glisten in the sun. Yet in such a banner we have a wonderful picture of God s protection and deliverance, for in Psalm 604-5 we read, Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of truth, that thy beloved may be delivered... The events of this story come just a few weeks after the nation of Israel had been marvelously brought out of bondage from Egypt. These people had been the recipients of some miraculous MIRACLES. They had seen God work in some very unusual ways. By the hand of God, they were delivered through the RED SEA on dry ground. They had come to MARAH in Exodus 15 where God turned bitter water into drinking water. In the wilderness of sin, Exodus 16, they experienced a lack of FOOD and it was here God provided for them MANNA from heaven. Again at Rephidim in Exodus 17 there was NO WATER, and through a miracle once again God supplied their need for water. As a result of seeing these dramatic miracles, Perhaps these people were thinking we have a great God, AND SO THEY HAD. Perhaps they were thinking this great God could bring them through EVERY DANGER and DIFFICULTY and SO HE COULD. Perhaps by now they were feeling they had absolutely nothing to fear. Or did they? At this juncture in their journey, they are on a SPIRITUAL HIGH. They are on a SPIRITUAL MOUNTAIN TOP. It is at this point we come to verse 8, and these words, "Then came Amalek." Now, right here we need to recognize a very important truth. "SATAN and GOD S ENEMIES ATTACK THE CHILDREN OF GOD WHEN WE LEAST Page 1

EXPECT IT." The time when we least expect to be attacked by our adversary, the Devil, is at the time we are on a spiritual high. After we have some marvelous manifestation of the GOODNESS and POWER of God in our lives, we are the most vulnerable. Maybe you have had a marvelous time in the WORD OF GOD from your devotions. Maybe you have heard a sermon that has moved your heart to do something for God. Maybe in your life everything seems to be going well, you are feeling the sunshine of God upon your life and soul. Maybe you have had a great experience leading someone to Christ. Before we know it, Then came Amalek and DEPRESSION, DEFEAT or the BLA S set in and we are in the valley at war with the enemy of our souls. Now, beginning with this statement in verse 8, and concluding with the revelation of the name of God as JEHOVAH-NISSI, we need to, first of all, zero in on the FOE we face. Here Amalek or the Amalekites picture for us an ancient enemy of God. According to Genesis 36:12, they were the descendants of Amalek, a grandson of Esau and indirectly descendants of Isaac. The Amalekites were to become the persistent thorn in the flesh of the Israelites. In Numbers 24:20, Balaam calls them "the first of the nations," to oppose Israel after they came out of Egypt. The Amalekites would not be the first enemy the Israelites would face, but they would be the CONTINUAL enemy with whom the Israelites would have to deal. Years later Moses tells us in Deuteronomy 25:17-19 how warlike these people were who "... feared not God." Centuries later the prophet Samuel came to King Saul with a commission from Jehovah to utterly destroy the Amalekites with all their possessions so not a trace of them would remain. In I Samuel 15 we read King Saul led the Israelites against the Amalekites. But he did not destroy them completely. Instead, he blamed the people for not wanting to destroy the Amalekites. As a result, God rejected Saul as the king. Was this the end of the story? NO! Some years later King Saul was in a battle with the Amalekites. During the battle, Saul was mortally wounded. And from II Samuel 1 we read as Saul lay on the battle field dying, a young Amalekite killed him. That which Saul had spared years earlier had now returned to slay him. It was not until the days of King Hezekiah, I Chronicles 4, that the command to utterly destroy Amalek was finally carried out. Now, all of this history is given to us to reveal how problematic the Amalekites were to the Israelites. These were the enemies of God's people. All these passages show just how God FELT about the Amalekites. And WHY did God FEEL this way? Because they were symbolic of HIS enemies in all times. Amalek means "warlike." Thus you find this man's descendants just battling and battling and battling; they never quit. Again would you notice Exodus 17:16, For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Most commentators will agree with this rendering of verse 16, "Because there is a HAND against the throne of God." As a result, the Lord hath Page 2

declared a perpetual war against Amalek. You see, there is a HAND today that opposes the THINGS OF GOD, a HAND today that opposes the KINGDOM OF GOD, a HAND today that opposes the WILL OF GOD, a HAND today that opposes the PEOPLE OF GOD, and a HAND today that opposes the GLORY OF GOD. There is a hand on God's throne to oppose anything that is Godly. The adversary has but one goal, and that is to destroy the work of God in the lives of His people. Now when we read through the Word of God, we discover there is an EVIL TRIUMPHANT that opposes us and the things of God. What is this EVIL TRIUMPHANT? It is the WORLD, the FLESH, and the DEVIL. As God's people, we are always under siege by the WORLD, the FLESH and the DEVIL. Someone has said, The WORLD is our EXTERNAL FOE, we are told not to love the life style or the things of the WORLD. The FLESH is our INTERNAL FOE, our OLD SIN NATURE, and The DEVIL is our INFERNAL FOE. As we go through this life, these are the Amalekites that are constantly attacking us and seeking to destroy us. They attack us where we are the weakest. We all face these FOES. Some of these have attacked you this week. And in some cases, they have had VICTORY over you. This week, some of you have FOUGHT WITH THE FLESH and lost. This week, some of you have FOUGHT WITH THE WORLD'S SYSTEM OF THINGS and have succumbed. This week, some of you have FOUGHT WITH THE DEVIL and he is out to DESTROY you, my friend. Someone so pointedly said, "The Devil DECEIVES you and then he DESTROYS you." And so he does. He deceives us into thinking what he has to offer is BETTER "even though God is opposed to it." And it is not long before we are lead down a path, where we find: Our INFLUENCE is being destroyed. Our EFFECTIVENESS is being destroyed. Our JOY is being destroyed. Our PEACE being destroyed, and finally Our Christian Testimony is right down the drain! "Then came Amalek" after being on a SPIRITUAL HIGH, they were attacked when they were the most VULNERABLE. Let me say this. It doesn t matter at what stage of life you re in if the Devil has ONE OBJECTIVE and "THAT IS TO DESTROY YOUR INFLUENCE and to DESTROY YOUR TESTIMONY." When this happens in a Christian s life: There is no INFLUENCE or TESTIMONY, There is no JOY or POWER, and There is no WITNESS or VICTORY. It's gone. WHY? Because you have been destroyed, not your soul, but your life by an Amalekite, which today is the EVIL TRIUMPHANT - THE WORLD, THE FLESH, and THE DEVIL. Page 3

So it is important to understand the TACTICS of this one we deal with, lest we are one moment at the PINNACLE of life SPIRITUALLY speaking, but at the end your life is destroyed by THE WORLD, THE FLESH, and THE DEVIL. Now we need to move from the FOE we have to face to concentrate on the HELP that we need. If you are honest this morning, down deep in your soul you are saying, In my own strength, I find that I yield so often to the Devil or I yield to the lust of worldly things, or I find myself giving over to the flesh, that old sin nature inside me and its temptations and its ways and I NEED HELP. As we return to Exodus 17 please notice the on-going activity with Joshua in the valley while Moses is on the Mountain Top. As long as Moses holds up the ROD of God, Joshua and the people fighting in the valley are victorious. When Moses grows weary and brings the ROD down, the Amalekites began to win the victory. Every time the Rod was held high there was VICTORY, but when the ROD was lowered there was DEFEAT. So Moses finally sat down and had two men Aaron on the one side and Hur on the other side help him hold up his arms. With the help of the A & H boys, Moses was able to hold the ROD up until finally the Amalekites were vanquished. Now, it was not until the battle was over and Moses has erected and named an Altar, that the significance of his actions came to the forefront. Moses could have written about what Joshua did and erected an altar to him, but he did not. Moses could have said something about the significance of Aaron and Hur and what they did, but he did not. Moses could have talked about himself, but he did not. The only person he made reference to was God. He built this altar and inscribed upon it JEHOVAH-NISSI. He was saying in effect: "The battle was won because of GOD." "The battle was won because of what this ROD SYMBOLIZED." You see, the Rod was a pledge of the PRESENCE and POWER of God, and as such symbolized "TOTAL DEPENDENCE UPON GOD. Down in the valley the Israelites saw: The same ROD Moses used in Egypt to bring the terrible plagues upon the Egyptians, The same ROD Moses used to stretch out over the RED SEA and the waters divided, and The same ROD Moses used to strike the ROCK and water came out of that rock. They realized that ROD symbolized the GREATNESS of Jehovah. And so this altar was erected and named JEHOVAH-NISSI, Jehovah is our BANNER. Not long after this incident, there was another that involved a Rod. Let s connect this story to the one found in Numbers 21:5-7 where we read, And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. (6) And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. (7) Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. Page 4

The people were again complaining against Moses and against God. As a result, God sent poisonous snakes to bite the people, and they were dying. In verses 8-9 we read, And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. (9) And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. In verse 8 you need to take note of the phase "upon a pole." Here Moses used the same Hebrew word Nissi for the word pole. In Exodus 17 that ROD was used to save them from DEFEAT. In Numbers 21 this Rod is used to save them from DEATH. Now everyone who is a student of the Word of God knows there is a sequel to this story. Its primary significance is not found in Numbers 21 but rather in John 3:14-16 where we read, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The ROD Moses held high in his hands was a symbol. The POLE upon which the brazen serpent was placed was also a symbol. These are all symbols. Jesus Christ is the SUBSTANCE of these symbols. Jesus Christ is the ROD. Jesus Christ is the POLE. Jesus Christ is the JEHOVAH-NISSI, and Jesus Christ is the BANNER. When we think of Jesus Christ today, we think of Him not only as the one who saves us from sin but also the one who DELIVERS us from DEFEAT when the World, the Flesh and the Devil comes at us. Today we stand under the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and victorious over Sin, Death and Satan. Now if this morning the Lord Jesus Christ is not the one you have looked to and leaned upon for the salvation of your soul, may I urge you to cry out to Him for salvation from sin and deliverance from eternal death. Now if this morning you are trying desperately to fight the battles in the Christian life against the Amaleks, the FLESH, the WORLD and the DEVIL, I guarantee you are losing. Do not just sit there and listen and say to yourself that these are interesting stories. There is an application of this story to your life. There ought to be a HEART REACTION to it. We ought to cry "LORD GOD, JEHOVAH-NISSI BE MY BANNER. I LEAN UPON YOU. I LOOK UPON YOU." Let me ask you, "Have you gone throughout a day without "Relying upon God?" "Have you gone throughout a day during which God is not held high?" I believe many of you know exactly what I am taking about. You know it because all too often you experienced DEFEAT throughout that day. Here I believe God is saying: Page 5

"Those who are DETERMINED to LOVE GOD, and "Those who are DETERMINED to LIVE for God must never forget the fact that Daily there must be reliance upon God. Daily we must look to Him, saying: You Jehovah are my Banner, You are my helper and deliverer, and You are my guide, my friend and my shield. I trust as you move out of this place and prepare to go back into a world where you will be fighting Amalekites, THE WORLD, THE FLESH, and THE DEVIL, that you would keep your eye upon JEHOVAH-NISSI. The song writer wrote, There's a royal banner given for display to the soldiers of the king. As an ensign fair we lift it up today, While as ransomed ones we sing: Though the foe may rage and gather as the flood, Let the standard be displayed! And beneath its folds, as soldiers of the Lord, For the truth be not dismayed Neath the banner of the cross! ******************************************************************************** If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon on the name of God Jehovah-Nissi (The Banner of God) then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you. Do you have the assurance one day you will go to heaven? If you have no assurance that you know Jesus Christ, then I trust you will decide to accept Him as you personal Savior. The Bible tells us in Acts 16:31,...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... Romans 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This prayer is here for those who need to ask Jesus to be your personal Savior. I do want to go to Heaven. I know I am a sinner, and I do believe Jesus Christ died for me. I realize I cannot buy this great salvation, nor can I earn it. Knowing Jesus died on the cross and arose from the grave to pay my sin debt and to purchase my salvation, I do now trust Him as my Savior, and from this moment on I am completely depending on Him for my salvation. If you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior would you let me know? Please fill out the information below and e-mail me, pastormiklas@aol.com. I will send you some literature that will help you in your Christian life. Date: Name:, Address: The Weekly SERMON is sent as a ministry of Bible Baptist Ministry, 48 Alexie Rd, Hanover Township, PA 18706. Privacy policy, your e-mail address will not be sold, or shared with any third party. Copy write permission: Because the Weekly SERMON will be reproduced into other formats, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING, the Weekly SERMON in it s original form, without any changes, may be copied and re-transmitted by electronic mail, and copies may be printed for individual or ministry purposes, provided that such copying, re-transmission, printing, or other use is not for profit or other commercial purpose. Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use of the Weekly SERMON must set forth in full the heading that is given before each Weekly SERMON. Any other request for use, please contact Bible Baptist Ministries at pastormiklas@aol,.com or by phone at 570.829.5216. Page 6