9th August, 2006

LLOYD HARKNESS

I have been to churches over the last decade where people have held aloft banners or flags during times of singing and worship. What is that all about? Why this very visual expression of what is clearly meant to be a God honouring act? As a banner is a rallying standard I assume the congregation is being encouraged to march, do battle, live out their lives, under these banners.

PICTURE: Neil Gould (www.sxc.hu) "The 12 tribes of Israel marched and camped under their own banners. Even more significant for them was the fact Moses had given God the name Jehovah-nissi, which means 'The Lord is my Banner' ."

So what does the Bible say about banners?

The 12 tribes of Israel marched and camped under their own banners. Even more significant for them was the fact Moses had given God the name Jehovah-nissi, which means "The Lord is my Banner" (Exodus 17:15). This expression of the relationship between God and his people grew out of a battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites.

Moses had stood on a hill holding his staff aloft while Joshua's forces defeated the Amalekites. The people may have been tempted to praise their leaders, in Moses and Joshua, for the victory. But Moses, standing on that hilltop for all to see, was declaring that his staff, his authority, flowed directly from Jehovah. Jehovah was their "nissi".

This is part of an understanding of God our Father that is still relevant to Christians today. We are to relate to him as Jehovah-nissi.

Isaiah also wants us to see the Messiah, God the Son, as a banner raised up for all the nations (Isaiah 11:12). It's under the banner of Jesus that the Father calls the nations to rally and be united. We are to fight against "principalities and powers in high places" under his leadership and authority.

While the Bible is short on references to banners they are certainly rich in meaning for Christians. I guess the difficulty for the average Australian is our experiences of banners are limited to protest marches or flag waving at sporting events. We don't have the political rallies, like in the US, for example, where we beat the party's drum under a sea of party banners.

I am all for a rallying to the cause of Jesus but I am a bit mystified by the more recent use of banners, the symbolism of their colours and the value of waving them in church without a "Moses" declaring what is going on.

Still, Jesus is our banner, and to take a line from the Song of Solomon, "His banner over us is love". It is love that we are to rally to and fight for.

May Jehovah-nissi bless His church. Amen.

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