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Jehovah Nissi: Our Standard Of Faithfulness
Jehovah Nissi: Our Standard Of Faithfulness
Exodus 17:14-16 – “And the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in the book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens. And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord is my Banner; And he said, Because [theirs] is a hand against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
Jehovah Nissi means “The LORD is my banner.” Moses built and named an altar, just as Abraham and Isaac had in Genesis 12:7 & Genesis 26:25. Naming an altar gave it special significance by marking out a characteristic of God that was associated with worship there; the name memorialized the idea. The-LORD-Is-My-Banner is the name of the altar, not a name for God.
We read in Exodus 17:11 of how Moses held up his hands and rod. “When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.” The hands and rod of Moses were held up as soldiers are accustom to holding up their standards in the time of battle; and as these standards bear the arms of the country, the soldiers are said to fight under that banner, i.e. under the direction and in the defense of that government. Thus, the Israelites fought under the direction of God, and in defense of His truth. Therefore the name of JEHOVAH-NISSI became the armorial bearing of the whole congregation. By His direction, they fought; and in His name and strength, they conquered; each one feeling himself, not his own, but the Lord’s soldier.
What is the Christian’s banner? What is the standard of faithfulness for the Christian? First and foremost a “Banner” is “A piece of cloth attached to a staff and used as a standard by a monarch, military commander, or knight. The flag of a nation, state, or army. A piece of cloth bearing a motto or legend, as of a club.” The Christian’s banner is a spiritual banner, in which it cannot be seen physically, but it is manifested physically by the words and/or deeds displayed by the Christian. What is displayed on the Christian’s banner? The standards of the Christian are displayed on the Christian’s banner.
What is a “Standard?” A “Standard” is “An acknowledged measure of comparison for quantitative or qualitative value; a criterion. The Christian has a standard. The Christian has a criterion by which we are to live by.” What is the Christian’s standard? The Christian’s standard is the LORD Himself! If we hold up the banner of God and live according to its standards, then we will fight to keep the standard. We will oppose those who threaten His word. We will defend His truth and we will conquer through His strength and by His authority. If the LORD is our standard, then this makes Him our standard for faithfulness. So, what does this mean?
- Since God is faithful, if we do the same thing He does to become faithful, then we are faithful.
- Since God is faithful, if we do what He says to do like He says to do it, then we are faithful.
- Since God is faithful, if we do the same thing others did whom God called faithful, then we are faithful.
The LORD Himself Is Our Standard Of Faithfulness
The Lord is so faithful that Faithful has become His name (Revelation 19:11). God is faithful because He keeps His word (Deuteronomy 7:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, & 1 Corinthians 1:9). Since God is faithful to His word, we should be confident we have fellowship with Him and will be able to stand blameless before Him. How are we able to stand blameless before God? It is because of our standing in Christ Jesus; our justification.
In 1 Corinthians 10:13, the apostle Paul provides us with words of comfort. The various temptations we have, are, and will experience are normal. Every child of God since the beginning has had to resist temptation. God is so faithful He will not let us experience anything for which He has not prepared us. God will give every one of us the grace and power to endure, for endurance brings its own reward. There will be times in our lives in which we will be tempted, fall to temptation, and prove ourselves unfaithful, but we must remain confident God will strengthen us and establish us. We must understand God is committed to protecting us and guarding us from the devil, his wiles, and his angels (2 Thessalonians 3:3). As Christians, we are to entrust our lives to God, especially in the midst of suffering, always recognizing God is the faithful Creator who is in control of all things (1 Peter 4:19). God never gives us more than we can handle; everything He does always has a purpose for our good (1 Corinthians 10:13 and Romans 8:28). In 1 John 1:9, the Bible teaches we are sinners in need of forgiveness. To confess our sins is to agree with God, to admit we are sinners in need of His mercy. If we confess our specific sins to God, He will cleanse all unrighteousness from us. Forgiveness and cleansing are guaranteed because God is faithful to His promises. He keeps His word. God’s promises are legitimate because God is not only just, but He is also faithful. God can maintain His perfect character and yet forgive us because of the perfect and righteous sacrifice of His Son, Jesus (1 John 2:2).
Hence, if God does not cleanse and forgive us when we confess our sins, then this makes God unfaithful and therefore, we can be unfaithful by sinning. If God does not guard us and protect us from evil when we commit our souls to Him, then this makes God unfaithful and therefore, we can be unfaithful by committing our souls to the devil. If God does not provide an escape for us when we are tempted in which our temptation becomes unbearable, then this makes God unfaithful, and therefore, we are justified when we fall into temptation. However, God is not unfaithful, but faithful. Therefore, we need to be faithful by keeping our word to Christ and others, like God has kept His word with us!
The LORD Dictates Our Standard Of Faithfulness
A faithful Christian does not gossip (Proverbs 11:13). A faithful Christian conceals delicate matter that an unfaithful person reveals. Again, faithfulness is an act of love and love covers a multitude of sins (Proverbs 10:12, James 5:19-20, 1 Peter 4:8). A faithful Christian does not fail in representing the Lord. If we act wickedly, we will be discovered and our sentence will be harsh. However, if we act in faithfulness, we will bring healing everywhere we go. Why? It is because we act righteously and are the bearers of good news (Proverbs 13:17). A faithful Christian tells the truth and does not lie (Proverbs 14:5). A faithful Christian does not esteem him or herself, but allow others to say good about them (Proverbs 20:6 & Proverbs 27:1-2). A faithful Christian will use the abilities and resources God gives him. In Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents illustrates the faithfulness required of God’s servants. The fact the master traveled to a far country indicates there will be ample time for God to test our faithfulness. Now the first two servants received the same reward and the master called them faithful. Why? It is because they did something good with what the master gave them. God will call us faithful, if we used our talents and our abilities to His glory. We must use what God has given us or else lose it. Therefore, we must be faithful in the use of our abilities; we must be faithful in our use of money, as well as spiritual possessions. We are stewards of God’s kingdom; His church, which requires we be faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2). According to God’s word, faithfulness requires we use our God given talents to the best of our abilities, in addition to our resources. Faithfulness requires we are not braggadocios. Faithfulness to God demands we speak the truth and lie not; it tells us not to gossip, for we are ambassadors of the Lord.
Examples Approved By The LORD Serves As A Model For His Standards Of Faithfulness
Hananiah, the ruler of the palace, was faithful (Nehemiah 7:2). Abraham was faithful (Nehemiah 9:7-8 & Galatians 3:9). What made Abraham faithful? What made Abraham faithful was His faith (Hebrews 11:8-10 & Hebrews 11:17-19)! Daniel was faithful (Daniel 6:4). Timothy was faithful (1 Corinthians 4:17). If we want to be considered faithful in the presence of God, we must teach His word. We must strive to be error free and faultless. This does not mean we are sinless, but it does mean we will sin less. We must have faith, for without it, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). As Christian, faithfulness requires we fear God.
God is faithful. So, He expects us to be faithful. God looks for us to follow His example and the righteous example of those who have gone on before us. Are there any Timothy’s, Daniel’s, Abraham’s, and Hananiah’s here today? Are there any Christians here today who are faithful as a result of not gossiping, bragging, and telling lies in general and about one another? Faithfulness requires we keep our word and His word, like God keeps His covenant with us. The Bible teaches us how only faithful individuals should be doing the work of the Lord. Listen to your Bible! In Nehemiah 13:13, the Bible reads, “I set treasurers over the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites; assisting them was Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, for they were counted faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren.” Paul understood this and therefore, He commanded Timothy to only commit the things which He had learn to faithful men, for Christians who are faithful will be able to teach others about the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:2). Let us make the Lord our standard for faithfulness, for when He is, not only will He preserve us (Psalms 31:23), but also He will give us a crown of life (Revelation 2:10).
