Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord Is My Banner
DAY 5 WRITTEN BY: TRE WIGGINS-
Exodus 17:15
And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner…
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In Exodus 17, the Amalekites attack Israel. Moses goes up on the hillside to “raise his staff.” For the entirety of the time that Moses raised the staff, Israel prevailed. But when his arms tired and the staff lowered, the Amalekites gained ground. Aaron and Hur came to Moses’ aid and helped him continue to raise the staff so that Israel eventually won.
Now, what part does the staff play? Is there some sort of magic within this staff? No, in fact, the Lord has used this staff before in His judgment against the Egyptians during Israel’s enslavement. The staff signifies something external to Moses that’s operating on his behalf. It’s not Moses that ultimately led the Israelites out of Egypt. It’s not Moses or anything he’s doing that caused Israel to defeat the Amalekites, either.
Moses recognizes this, and he erects an altar, naming it, “The Lord is My Banner.” In this, he’s proclaiming the Lord as the victor. The One by which victory comes! Moses takes no credit, but gives it to God, the One to whom it is due.
Where has the greatest victory in your life been won? Isn’t it in the battle over your soul? What did you do in order to bring victory in your life over sin and death? Nothing! A banner should hang over our own lives that say, “the Lord is victorious!” It is His work, and His alone, that we share in victory. The only thing we bring to the table is the sin that makes salvation necessary. Every spiritual work belongs to the Lord.
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Father, I am more than willing to proclaim that You are my Banner. You hold victory in Your hands. It’s been accomplished through the cross and resurrection of Jesus. May I live today in gratitude because of it!
