Day 32. Jehovah Nissi- The Lord our Banner of Victory
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. 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against[a] the throne of the Lord,[b] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.” (Exodus 17:8-16)
Israel faces their very first battle since the Exodus. Amalek has come to do battle with God’s people. Moses stands on the top of a hill overlooking the battle as General Josua leads the troops below. In Moses’ hand is the rod of God. When Moses holds up the rod, Isreal wins. When his strength fails and the rod comes down, they lose. So Aaron and Hur seat Moses on a rock and help him to keep his hand in the air with the rod of God held high. That rod was the banner of God. Moses names the place Jehovah-Nissi, which means “the Lord our Banner of Victory.” God was teaching Israel that HE is their Banner of victory. He is the one that will make them victorious over their enemies. We cannot lose as long as we understand that the battle is God’s and He guarantees the victory (Deuteronomy 20:1-4).
Prayer: Lord thank you for placing me on the winning side. You are my winner and you are my victory. I am honored to march under your banner. I praise you for all the battles you have helped me to overcome, and I thank you for all the victories that are mine in the future. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
