- araratchurch
- Aug 1, 2022
- 3 min read
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, “Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.””
Exodus 17:14-16 NKJV
I remember my family gathering around the TV set on a hot July day in 1969 to watch the first ever landing of a man on the moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would step out onto the lunar surface and plant a United States flag. It was very exciting to us, hardly imaginable, in that day and time, that such a feat had been accomplished. (The flag, of course, was on a frame to hold it out, as there is no wind on the moon.) It was a proud day for the United States of America. Our flag was on the moon!
Flags/banners have been used since ancient times to designate the authority and property of countries. Indeed, ancient armies fought under banners and flags. These flags would clearly indicate who was fighting who and under what authority you fought.
Most people of my generation are familiar with the iconic photo of the six United States Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi in the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. The victory is yours when the flag of your nation is raised!
Personally, I can’t think of flags or banners without one of my favorite scriptures coming to mind:
“He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love. His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me.”
Song of Solomon 2:4, 6 NKJV
Here we see the Shulamite expressing the experience of being under her Beloved’s banner of love. That banner was basically an expression of the fact that this one was not to be messed with, this one belongs to the Beloved. Whereas we see a very beautiful human love story expressed here, it is made even more wonderful by knowing that it illustrates our Lord’s protecting love over His own.
The Psalmist says this about the banner of the Lord over those who are His:
“You have set up a banner for those who fear You [with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder—a banner to shield them from attack], A banner that may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.”
Psalms 60:4 AMP
Today we find Moses building a memorial altar to the Lord for the victory of the Israelites over the Amalekites. Moses names the altar Jehovah-Nissi, “THE LORD IS MY BANNER.” Additionally, we see in our opening scripture that Moses named the altar this, not only because of the victory with Amalekites, but also because of the fact that the Lord would continue to maintain that victory. In other words, the Amalekites would never be able to circle back to do harm to the Israelites.
Now, when you are representing a country in any way, including fighting battles for a country, if you are part of a strong country like the United States of America, that flag means something to your enemies. But even with that, the flag does not assure victory. The good news is, when we live and move and have our being under the banner, the flag of our Lord, whether we will be victorious or not is never in question. Those under His banner ALWAYS win.
Today let us discover what Moses discovered:
It’s good to be under His banner.
- araratchurch
- Jul 31, 2022
- 3 min read
“And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”
Exodus 17:11-13 NKJV
Army ants forage for new hunting/gathering grounds in groups of thousands. The amazing thing about this enigmatic creation is that when the huge swath of ants comes to gaps, slowing their forward progress, they form bridges out of their own bodies. In so doing, they seamlessly continue their forward push without stopping for one planning meeting. These ants demonstrate a phenomenon—often seen in nature—best described as a “collective consciousness.” There seems to be an “automatic” ability to think—or operate—in unison. This should humble humanity that too often operates according to an “every man for himself” mentality.
When people work together, great things can be accomplished. Look what the Lord said about those who were building the Tower of Babel:
“And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.”
Genesis 11:6 NKJV
Imagine, if this could be said about fallen, unredeemed humanity, what could be said of those who have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light in Jesus Christ? Well, you don’t have to imagine; Jesus told us plainly:
““Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.””
Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV
We see here the Lord declaring that requests made in unison are answered for those who are gathered in His name! And, this happens because He enters into the midst! He—by way of His Spirit—agrees with our agreement. Now that’s a formula for success every time!
The importance of unity of operation among believers is reflected in this fervent plea from the Apostle Paul:
“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”
I Corinthians 1:10 NKJV
Today we find Moses getting a little help from his friends for the purpose of achieving victory over the Amalekites. Now, we know that the Lord could have destroyed the Amalekites without Moses holding his arms up. But, I believe the Lord chose to perform this miracle victory in this way to affirm a couple of things. On the one hand, God is affirming that Moses is His delegated authority. Additionally, it demonstrates that Moses’ authority needs the support of his brethren in order to remain effectual.
No matter where we may find ourselves in terms of the operation of the body of Jesus Christ, we must remember that our agreement with our brethren is inhabited by the Spirit of God to produce great things.
For today let us discover what Moses discovered:
There is power in agreement.
- araratchurch
- Jul 30, 2022
- 4 min read
“And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!””
Exodus 17:3-4 NKJV
I think that one of the saddest things I have seen over the years is when people who have been greatly blessed by God’s miracle working power still fail to believe. Inevitably, in these cases, I have seen a temporary boost in the person’s “positivity” toward the Lord, but true faith never developed. Soon, all their “zeal” would subside as they again walked in their own lusts. They only “remembered” the Lord when they needed another miracle.
I know of a young man who narrowly escaped death when a horse fell over on him. The Lord not only kept the horse from crushing him, but answered a cry to stop the blood gushing from an ear nearly torn off his head. At first he had an emotional testimony; he seemed to be thoroughly convinced to surrender his life completely to the Lord. And then, he wasn’t. His old ways barely skipped a beat.
I know that the telling of a story like that may come across as sounding cynical; but that is not my heart. What you should hear is recognition of the tragedy of such a missed opportunity to live the rest of your life for the glory of God.
Signs and wonders are an important part of God’s interaction with men. But we must note that signs and wonders are primarily meant to follow those who believe for the purpose of confirming the word. Look at the words of Jesus as he commissioned his disciples:
“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.”
Mark 16:15-18, 20 NKJV
Certainly, signs and wonders are also meant to offer an opportunity for people to believe the word they have heard. But, if they will not believe the word, the signs and wonders they experience will turn around and become their accuser.
“If you will not believe, Surely you shall not be established.”
Isaiah 7:9b NKJV
A person who will not believe will never be stable.
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
James 1:6-8 NKJV
A person who continues in unbelief—or returns to their doubt—in spite of all they’ve seen, is on a collision course with disaster.
Today we find Moses again dealing with the multitude’s unbelief concerning God’s ability to sustain them. This example of a pattern of unbelief is used by the Apostle Paul in his admonition to the Corinthians:
“nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.”
I Corinthians 10:9-10 NKJV
The writer of Hebrews offers this warning:
“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
Hebrews 3:12-19 NKJV
As noted earlier, signs and wonders offer the opportunity to believe the word of God. Indeed, our faith in the Lord may be rewarded with signs and wonders. But signs and wonders will not produce faith in a heart determinedly set against obedience to the Lord.
Sadly, signs and wonders may serve as only a temporary life raft for the person sinking into unbelief. But, if that person never learns to swim (believing and obeying the word of God), eventually they will encounter a big enough storm that the life raft is pulled from them; and they perish.
For today let us discover what Moses discovered:
Signs and wonders don’t change people; faith in God’s word does.