Yahweh Nissi (The Lord is my banner)

Exodus 17:8-16

At the beginning of Exodus 4, the Lord asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” and Moses replied, “A shepherd’s staff”.   That staff was a foreshadowing of the name Yahweh-Nissi.  Moses’ staff was always with him.

In their first battle with the Amelekites, while Moses held up his arms, the Israelites were winning, but when Moses’s arms drooped, the Amalekites overpowered Israel. Finally, with Aaron and Hur supporting Moses’ arms, the Israelites triumphed over the Amalekites.

After the battle, Moses built an altar, calling it Yahweh Nissi, “The LORD is my banner.” Ancient armies often attached a banner or a flag to a pole as a focal point and a rallying sign for their troops engaged in battle. For Moses and the Israelites, their first battle on the way to the promised land showed that God was their banner. 

The Septuagint translators believed nis·si′ to be derived from nus (flee for refuge) and rendered it "the Lord my refuge." The Vulgate it was thought to be derived from na·sas′ (hoist; lift up) and was rendered "Jehovah Is my exaltation".

In many Christian translations the name is translated “the LORD is my banner." Nes (nês), from which Nissi derived, means "banner" in Hebrew.

God used Moses' staff to demonstrate His protection, provision, and power.  Moses’ staff was held like a banner before the Israelites.  It gave them assurance that Yahweh was always present before them and acting mightily on their behalf.  He does the same for us today if we will simply choose to live under His banner.

The banner allowed the average infantryman to know where his unit was, often the command of the unit was near the banner thus in a chaotic battle amongst thousands of men fighting if you got lost in the chaos you could look up and identify your flag and head there towards your unit.  Until 200–300 years ago most warfare was not from a distance but rather up close and personal. If you somehow got separated during combat amongst thousands of men you could panic thus having someone with a banner or flag helped soldiers keep calm, if the flag was going forward towards the enemy you knew you had to advance, back you had to fall back.

Chose to look towards the "banner" (God) to know in which direction to take your struggle.  Stay close to your banner and lift it high for assistance and strengthening.