Sunday, February 13, 2022
JEHOVAH – NISSI!
Ex 17:10-15
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:
Only a few
weeks had elapsed
from the time the children of Israel left Marah, the place of bitter
waters, till they reached Rephidim, the scene of Jehovah's revelation of
Himself to them as Jehovah-nissi, Jehovah my banner. At Marah, we will recall,
in healing the bitter waters of that place, He had revealed Himself as
Jehovah-rophe, Jehovah who heals, the one who alone has the remedy for the sins
of mankind, the balm for the sorrows and sufferings of His people; who has
sweetened the bitter waters of human misery and death through Christ, the Tree
of life and the sweet and living waters.
(From Names of God, Copyright 1944
by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.)
Esau’s
grandson, Amalek, was a constant menace to the children of Israel. His tactic was to come along behind
and smite the women, children and the weak in the rear of the column (Deut.
25:17,18). God had pledged to answer this cowardly attack and to wipe them off
the earth (Exodus 17:14).
Moses stood
upon a mountain overlooking the battle! He is interceding in prayer for his people while holding up
his miracle-working rod. As verse 11 explains, as long as Moses held up that
rod Israel prevailed but when his arms grew weary and drooped down Amalek
surged forward. Aaron and Hur did not take the rod! They held up Moses’ arms.
This is the kind of support every leader dreams of.
A banner, in
ancient times, was not necessarily a flag such as we use nowadays. Often it
was a bare pole with a bright shining ornament which glittered in the sun. The
word here for banner means to glisten, among other things. It is
translated variously pole, ensign, standard, and among the Jews it is also a
word for miracle. As an ensign or standard, it was a signal to God's
people to rally to Him. It stood for His cause, His battle. It was a sign of
deliverance and salvation.
(From Names of God, Copyright 1944
by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.)
Isa 11:10
10
And in that
day there shall be a root of Jesse, [Jesus] which shall stand for an ensign
[banner or rallying point] of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and
his rest shall be glorious.
Song 2:4
4
He brought
me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Dear Lord, Thou art the victor in
all my battles. You are my banner! Let me rally to you in the day of trouble.
Amen
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