July 23, 2023
Jehovag-Nissi
Psalm 23:5a & Exodus 17:8-15
Some of the greatest battles in history have been fought after the end of wars. The Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812, the Battle of Prague in the Thirty Year War, the CSS Shenandoah in the Civil War, and Hiroo Onoda’s defense of an island named Lubang 29 years after the end of WW2. However the biggest battle that has ever occurred after the end of a war is actually happening right now. It’s the battle that believers fight each and every day against Satan and his angels. Ephesians 6:12 tells us that Satan is our enemy and 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that he is a roaring lion who is still roaming around seeking whom he may devour. He is still doing all of this 2000 years after he was defeated on the cross at Calvary (Hebrews 2:14-15). Even so, Satan is relentless and fights us each and every day. If we are honest it can wear us down to the point where we want to give in. However God provides us a rallying point amidst our battles - a place to be refreshed, and a place David speaks of in the 23rd Psalm.
Psalms 23:5a
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
For sheep, their enemies are all around and they are an ever-present danger. Even as sheep move through dangerous places, the Good Shepherd has a place prepared for them to rally, rest, and be restored - a place He Himself has prepared. For us, it’s the Lord Himself, who is our rallying point in the midst of our battles. He is our banner and is Jehovah-Nissi. This name was given back in Exodus 17 during a battle the children of Israel fought against the Amalekites. I want to look at this encounter and share a few things to help us as we face battles daily and rally around Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord who is our banner.
We must know our enemy will attack when we least expect it. - Exodus 17:8
8 While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them.
The children of Israel were in a very interesting place on their journey to the promised land. For most of them it was a spiritual low in that journey. They had been commanded to settle in Rephidim, a place that had no water, so they started to complain against Moses and God. God provided a way for the people to get the water they needed and it was by Moses striking a rock. Moses called that place Massah and Meibah because the people argued against Moses and tested God in that place. It wasn’t a great place for them spiritually and it was in this spiritual low that their enemies attacked. We don’t know the reason or exactly how it happened, but all we know is that in a hard moment, the enemy attacked. This is also a favorite tactic of our enemy as well. Satan loves to kick us when we are down, so on our bad days we must always be ready for an attack and be ready to react. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to be clear-headed and alert because our adversary is always on the prowl. We must be ready at all times, in season, and out of season. How can we prepare ourselves for these attacks? We must (as Paul says in Ephesians 6:13) put on the Armor of God so that we can resist the attacks of the enemy and be left standing when the battle is over. Truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, salvation, and the Word of God are all we need to defend ourselves against the enemy. We just have to be prepared for the attack.
This isn’t the only time our enemy attacks. As we said earlier, he attacks when we least expect it – possibly when we are on the proverbial spiritual mountaintops. Moses had just seen God do the miraculous through him. Water had come out of a rock when he struck it in obedience. He had to be on a mountain top seeing what God used him for, but that’s when the enemy attacked. Why? Satan loves to attack us when our guard is down. Think of Elijah - he had just seen God use him to defeat over 800 false prophets of Baal and Asherah. He prayed and God sent literal fire from heaven. Even after this amazing move of God in his life, right after this event, he found himself under a tree fighting depression and wanting to die. Our enemy can attack at any time so we must always be ready. We must keep our guard up when it comes to our walk with God, our marriage, and our children. It doesn’t matter if it’s a good day or a bad one, our enemy can attack at any time, and we must be ready.
There must be a standard we all look to. - Exodus 17:9-11
9 Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. 11 As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage.
After the initial attack of the Amalekites, Moses picks a commander in Joshua to assemble an army and get ready to fight. Moses states that he will stand on the hill and hold up the staff of God and he did. When it was held high the people would triumph over their enemies, but when it was dropped the people would suffer loss and setbacks. There was nothing special about this rod. It was the rod God had used to speak and minister to the children of Israel and Moses since his encounter with God at the burning bush. It was the method God used when Moses spoke to Pharaoh and said let my people go. It was the tool that was stuck into the Red Sea to part it when the Egyptian army was on their tails. It was the staff that was used recently to bring forth water from the rock when the children of Israel were thirsty and needed a source of water. This was the standard that God used to work in the lives of the Israelites. When the rod was held high the people would succeed because they would be reminded of what God had done for them. They needed to be reminded and encouraged by the standard. The same goes for us. When the enemy attacks, we already have our orders. It’s to put on the Armor of God and stand. There is a standard that we are always called to look to and it’s what the entire Armor of God is based on. The standard is the Word of God and Christ Crucified. Helmet of Salvation? Only through Christ Crucified (Romans 5:1-2). Belt of Truth? God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). Shoes of the Gospel? That’s only found in God’s Word and through Christ Crucified (1 Timothy 1:15). Shield of Faith? It comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and is perfected and authored by the Crucified Christ (Hebrews 12:2). Breastplate of Righteousness? That’s in the Crucified Christ alone (1 Corinthians 1:30). Lastly the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. That’s what we lift high and focus on during all our battles. It’s the Word of God, Christ Crucified and how the church rises and falls. We focus on how well the Word of God is used as a standard. Is it being lifted as the standard and the Gospel of Jesus Christ being preached? If so then the Church will flourish. If it is being lowered and men are teaching what sounds good and what is popular, then the Church will suffer. When the Word of God is our standard (how God speaks to us) and it’s being lifted high, we will rally to that point God’s Kingdom will continue to grow and will be the source of our restoration.
We must have help from others. - Exodus 17:12-13
12 Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. 13 As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.
Moses was the man God called and equipped to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land, but even he needed help to lift the standard high. There would be a time when he would be weary and needed the help of Aaron and Hur to lift the standard high. In the same way, we need each other as we battle and lift high the standard of God’s Word. We need to encourage and build each other up (1 Thess. 5:11, Hebrews 10:24, Romans 15:5). We can never over-emphasize the need for each other. When God instituted the Church, He did so because He knew He created us to need community - He created us for each other. In the New Testament we don’t see anyone sent out alone to preach the Gospel. They always have partners who were with them, either literally by their side or with them from afar making intercessory prayer. We are never called to fight these battles alone. We all need an Aaron and Hur when we start to become weak and lower our standards.
We must give acknowledgment to our source of victory. - Exodus 17:14-15
14After the victory, the Lord instructed Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means “the Lord is my banner”).
When the battle is over what do we do then? We give praise to the One who was the cause of our victory. This is exactly what Moses commanded them to do. It wasn’t the special staff that gave them the victory. It wasn’t the sight of Moses standing over them that encouraged them to victory. It wasn’t the military knowledge or power of Joshua and his army, it was God and God alone that was the reason for their victory. Moses made sure that they recorded that fact and made an altar to declare God as their banner - their rallying point in that place. That’s why Moses gave God the name of Jehovah-Nissi. He was the one they would look to in the midst of battle, in the midst of being fatigued from the fight, and they would remember what God had done and had promised. They would worship and not worry about the fight. The battle belonged to the Lord both in the case of the Israelites and in our lives. We need to declare where our victory comes from, it isn’t our efforts, our strength, or intelligence. Our victories over the enemy comes from Christ and Christ alone (1 John 5:4). We keep the standard lifted high by lifting high the One who is our standard and from whom our help comes - our Lord, Jesus Christ.
The war has been won, but some of the biggest battles are still ongoing. We are going to get beat up and worn down, but take heart! We have a God who has prepared a table for us in the presence of our enemy. It’s a place to be rejuvenated and restored - it’s in Him. He is our rallying point, He is Jehovah-Nissi.
