Great Names of Jehovah [12]

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JEHOVAH NISSI

 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 17:15-16 NKJV).

       The Commonwealth Institute, London was founded in 1962 to promote the Commonwealth of Nations, an association of 54 countries working towards shared goals of prosperity, democracy and peace. In the seventies, the Commonwealth Secretariat on High Street Kensington London proudly displayed an array of 54 hoisted flags of member countries. I felt proud to see the Nigerian flag blowing gently in the summer breeze in a long line of flags of nations headed by the domineering British 'union jack'. But by 2015, the flags had been lowered and the proud banners of nations, disappeared. The kingdom had fallen like others before her. Only God's Kingdom banner shall remain standing forever. 
        In Exodus 17, Moses erected an altar of sacrifice to God when He gave conquest to the young nation of Israel over their arch enemy the Amalekites. In the heat of the battle, Moses had lifted up the staff God gave him which defeated Pharaoh in Egypt, and under Joshua's militancy, prevailed over Amalek as long as Moses' hands were held up. When Israel finally won, Moses decided to keep God's name aloft in their midst as an insignia of His power for victory over the enemies of His people. He named the altar YHWH NISSI, The-Lord-is-My-Banner, perhaps saying 'Let His banner be a memorial that God who fought for us now hereby covenants victory for us perpetually.'
        Thereafter, setting up banners became the order of the day among the ranks of the people of God (Numbers  2:2). Whenever they marched to war, God's standards went ahead of them tribe by tribe, and when they camped again, it stood with them. 
        The bible says concerning Jesus, ' _Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.'_ (Daniel 7:14). And in Matthew 28 Jesus Himself told us just before He departed this world, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” That is the Kingdom that can never fall. Halleluiah!

Hymn.  Onward Christian soldiers! 

Reading.  Exodus 17.  Numbers 2.
The Word.  He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. (Song of Solomon 2:4).
Prayer. Lord when I'm weak, I need You to march me on. Please strengthen me to victory in moments of my weakness in Jesus name.
Last line.  Declare that Jesus is your Lord today and come under His banner of love.

©OO-I.
Olusegun Ojosipe-Isaac
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