Exodus 17:8-15
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 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.” So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 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. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 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.” Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner
Jehovah Nissi means “The Lord is My Banner”. Exodus 17:8-15 is the story of God destroying the Amalekites and as Joshua fought them, Moses lifted up his staff, and as long as his arms were raised the Israelites were winning and if his arms lowered they would start losing. God fought for the Israelites and defeated the Amalekites as He promised to do.
A banner, or flag, or standard was used to identify the army and family you fought for and represented. Each tribe had their own banner so you would be identified as being from a tribe if you fought under the family banner. The banners or flags would also represent the values of the nation you were fighting for. It would be like here in the US. Our flag represents our values; the values established at the writing of the constitution, perhaps not the values we exhibit as a nation today. The flag also represents protections that we have “under the constitution”, or “under the flag”.
So, banners were very important in biblical times and they would go out first in a battle to inspire and rally the soldiers. Scripture says the Lord is our banner. Moses built an altar to commemorate the victory and named it Jehovah Nissi. Jesus is our banner. We identify who we are in Him. We are part of God’s family because of Jesus Christ. He also fights our battles for us, just like He did for the Israelites. Our victory is already won. We are “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom 8:37). What are the battles you are facing today? You don’t have to face them alone. You have the power and authority of Jesus Christ to overcome. We are now overcomers because of Jesus.
Spend some time this week worshipping and reflecting on Jehovah NIssi. Worship Him and thank Him for being our banner. Song of Solomon 2:4 says, “His banner over me is love.” Ask God to reveal Himself to you as Jehovah Nissi.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Forgiven Sin by Alyssa Bocanegra
For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.
Philippians 2:13
When I was about 8 years old I was walking home with my older sister, when I realized I had lost the house key, and my mom wasn't home. When we got there, I was in a panic. We searched the garage to find something we could stand on to break into one of the windows. We found my mom's shop vac vacuum cleaner. It was the middle of winter, but we managed to drag it out and stand on top of it and break in. Success! We got in. But in the midst of the excitement we forgot the shop vac outside. The next day there was a snow storm and the vacuum was destroyed. The neighbor had seen the whole thing and ratted us out.
Now if we just would of called my mom and confessed to losing the keys, she would of helped us- no harm done. But instead we wanted to fix the problem, before we faced our mom. I think many times when we go to God we have that same attitude. We want to try to “fix” our sin and then go to God for forgiveness. We want to be sanctified (be made holy) before we are justified (forgiven). I once heard someone say, “The only sins we can have any headway in overcoming are forgiven sins.” It is God who works in us to forgive and help us overcome our sins.
Philippians 2:13
When I was about 8 years old I was walking home with my older sister, when I realized I had lost the house key, and my mom wasn't home. When we got there, I was in a panic. We searched the garage to find something we could stand on to break into one of the windows. We found my mom's shop vac vacuum cleaner. It was the middle of winter, but we managed to drag it out and stand on top of it and break in. Success! We got in. But in the midst of the excitement we forgot the shop vac outside. The next day there was a snow storm and the vacuum was destroyed. The neighbor had seen the whole thing and ratted us out.
Now if we just would of called my mom and confessed to losing the keys, she would of helped us- no harm done. But instead we wanted to fix the problem, before we faced our mom. I think many times when we go to God we have that same attitude. We want to try to “fix” our sin and then go to God for forgiveness. We want to be sanctified (be made holy) before we are justified (forgiven). I once heard someone say, “The only sins we can have any headway in overcoming are forgiven sins.” It is God who works in us to forgive and help us overcome our sins.
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