Names of God - Jehovah Nissi
Knowing God • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
Introduction:
I. The Meaning of Jehovah Nissi
I. The Meaning of Jehovah Nissi
Someone once said, “Problems are usually just opportunities in Disguise.”
It is certainly true that problems are always an opportunity to get to know God better.
The name “Jehovah Nissi” appears first in the Scripture:
And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
Nissi is the Hebrew word “נֵס” (Nes) and means “banner.”
And while the word is used 21 times in the Hebrew language, it is only used once in relation to God.
Moses built an altar and called it “Jehovah Nissi,” the LORD is my banner.
And when you bring the two Hebrew compounds together, we see that the name of God is “The self-existent God who is my Banner.”
But what does it mean that the LORD is my banner?
A banner is usually used for identification purposes, to show to those who can see the banner who one belongs.
Now, to get a better idea of what this wonderful name means, let us look at the context around how Moses used this name.
The Israelites had left Egypt and they were wondering in the desert.
It had only been a few weeks sine they experienced the bitter waters of Marah.
Now Moses was faced with a crisis because the Amalekites attacked Israel at Rephidim.
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
Now. Amalek was Esau’s grandson.
And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau’s wife.
Since Esau was Jacob’s twin brother, the Amalekites were distant cousins to the Israelites.
They were intent on wiping out the Israelites.
Now, after a strategy sessions, Moses told Joshua to choose some men to fight the Amalekites and he would stand on top of the hill with the rod of God in his hand.
And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
Moses took Aaron and Hur with him to the top of the hill.
Notice, from the Scripture, what happened when Moses lifted and lowered his hands.
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
It would seem that as Moses lifted his hands toward heaven that it was a sign of asking God for help; so Israel prevailed.
When the hands were down, it seems that it was a sign of self effort, so Amalek prevailed.
Not that that was in the heart of Moses to ever think that they had the ability to win the battle on their own, but the Lord used these actions to get the point across of where our help comes.
The battle against the Amalekites shows the powerful presence of the Lord in the midst of the battles of life.
Now, this where that after the victory against the Amalekites that Moses built an altar and called it “Jehovah-Nissi.” which means “The LORD is my Banner.”
Again, the word “נֵס” (nes) carries the idea “to be high,” “raised.”
It could very well be translated “flag.”
It refers to the lifting up of the rod as a testimony of God’s power.
And the altar that Moses built was to be a reminder that no matter what the problems, no matter what battle has to be fought in life, under God’s banner His children will always be victorious.
So, the Meaning of Jehovah Nissi is that the Lord is my Banner, and under that banner, I will have victory.
II. The Manifestation of Jehovah Nissi
II. The Manifestation of Jehovah Nissi
This name was to remind God’s people of the victory He have the Israelites over the Amalekites when Moses lifted up the rod.
When Moses lifted up his arms toward heaven, it showed an appeal or prayer to God for help.
This rod was the rod of God.
And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
This is the first time that the rod is mentioned as the Lord used something that was already in Moses hands as an instrument of showing His power.
You know, most of the time the Lord does not send down a “special” object from heaven to show His power, most of the time He uses what is already in our hands.
He uses very natural object to demonstrate His very supernatural ability.
He used a shepherds staff, a very natural object already in the hands of Moses, to show to Moses and the Children of Israel His supernatural ability.
That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
That was the purpose of the rod.
Listen, God, may times, will use things that we already possess to show people that we have meant with the Lord.
Sometimes God does not call on us to do anything more than what we are already doing, but He sovereignly uses what is already present with us to accomplish His supernatural will.
God can show to any one of us that He has meant with us by using what we already have.
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Understand, that the staff was a sign of the presence of God with Moses.
And it was an indication that victory for Israel over their enemies were certain.
Each time that Mose raised the staff in the air asking for God’s help, victory came.
Even though there was nothing magical in the staff itself, it was simply an obedient gesture that God had requested of Moses to reveal who it was that defeated the enemy.
Just think of whatever the enemy may be in our lives; God uses the simply things that already exist in our lives as instruments of obedience to reveal His power to us.
When Moses built the altar, he was using the name of God to remind us that God will always defeat of our foes.
When Moses did as God instructed, He gave them the victory.
The rod did not seem life much, but in the hands of God’s obedient people, God could do great things with it.
Our talents, our resources, or our faith may not seem like much; however, in the hands of God’s obedient people, great things can be done.
And the Jehovah Nissi can take the what may seem like nothing to us, but can use our obedience with what we do have to defeat our enemies.
And as we raise the “banner” (definition of Nissi) high, showing our dependence of God, He will do great things with what we have to defeat the enemy.
God has given us all the rod of “prayer.”
And when prayer is used in accordance with the instructions given in the Word of God, we can say, “the LORD is my banner,” as I lift the banner high of prayer, He showed Himself able to provide and defeat.
III. The Material of Jehovah Nissi
III. The Material of Jehovah Nissi
Although Exodus 17:15 is the only place “Jehovah Nissi appears in the Scripture, the truth that it reveals is all over the Scripture.
There is so much in the name Jehovah Nissi that applies to us.
We all have enemies that want to defeat us as we live for God.
We all have the “Amalekites” in our lives; those enemies that attack is as we serve God.
The way that we are most often attacked is through the flesh, when we can resist the least.
How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
When we are tired and weary, our flesh attacks.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
What the flesh wants, the Spirit does not.
And what the Spirit wants, the flesh does not.
The Christian life is a constant battle of the mind and the flesh.
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Paul says, “I do not understand what us happening, everything that I love I find it hard to do and everything that I hate, I find it easy to do.”
We must constantly be on guard to protect our minds and bodies.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
But when we neglect the banner of prayer, defeat is as certain as the Amalekites victory when Moses hands were lowered.
Because we can never win the spiritual battle on our own.
When Moses’ became tired and weary and the rod of God was lowered, the enemy prevailed.
It was only with the help of God that God’s people prevailed.
When we live as God has called us to live, we will always face our Amalekites and many of those times are right in the middle of doing God’s will.
Lose the mentality that just because something bad has happened to you or a course of action that you thought was the will of God is filled with problems, so it must not be the will of God.
Not true.
Israel was right where God wanted them, and they had to all kinds of battles.
The thing that we need to keep in mind is that the battles that we face in the middle of God’s will are always victories as we raise the banner of prayer.
It is then that we will see the Lord as our banner.
As we pray during our battles, the banner of prayer is raised and the enemy sees the banner and sees that we belong the Lord and backs off.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Do not fight your battles alone.
Raise the banner of prayer, and then enemy will see that you are under the banner and the protection of the Lord and he will flee.
What a wonderful thought, that victory over our Amalekites is certain; just remember that the Lord is your banner.
Raise the banner of Prayer, and keep yourself under that banner and victory is sure.