Names of God – Pt 4
JEHOVAH NISSI – “The Lord is my Banner” or “The Lord our Banner.” (Exodus 17:15)
While I love every Name of God and what it reveals about His character this Name is one of my favorites as well as a favorite to many others. It is first found in Exodus 17:15. The Name of God here is JEHOVAH NISSI – “The Lord is my Banner” or “The Lord our Banner.”
The significance is found in the great story of Moses’ arms being held up by Aaron and Hur. Whenever Moses hands were raised the Israelites prevailed over the Amalekites. Over time he grew so tired he couldn’t hold them up so Aaron and Hur stood beside him and held them high until God gave Joshua and the Israelites the victory!
Upon seeing the victory Moses builds an altar for sacrifice and to honor God. As he makes the sacrifice he proclaims an incredible Name of God revealing His awesome character as Jehovah Nissi – “The God who is my Banner.” God’s Banner over the Israelites was their strength and ultimately gave them the victory.
That banner is called love in Song of Solomon (or Songs) 2:4 and is revealed in Christ in many texts in the New Testament but I believe most powerfully in Romans 8:37-39 – nothing can separate us from the Love (Banner of Strength) of God in Christ Jesus! Praise and thanks to The Lord!
The Israelites conquered their enemy under God’s Banner of Strength rooted in His Love for them and we are more than conquerors under His Banner of Love in Christ!
What are you facing today or in your life, specifically or generally, that you need to be reminded that God’s Love in Christ covers you, will be your strength and see you through?
EL ELOHENU – “The Lord OUR God.” (Exodus 8:10)
This next Name of God reveals such a wonderful and beautiful attribute of God that we all should hold very dearly. It is found in Exodus 8:10 when Moses is speaking with Pharaoh regarding the removal of the plague of frogs. Pharaoh stubbornly says to Moses to have God remove them TOMORROW!
Moses reply and use of the name of God here is powerful and personal – “that you may know there is no one like ‘EL ELOHENU – The Lord OUR God.'” The use of this name here should give us great encouragement and comfort because God is revealing through Moses, to all of Egypt and Israel, and to us today, that He Is our personal God, watching over and caring for every part of our lives!
Christ is revealed as our personal God in many places in the New Testament but I believe that John 3:16 is the most poignant and real to me and likely to you as this is the most well known verse in all of The Bible. I think this is because He is our personal Savior and Lord (look for yourself and find others that comfort you in your personal relationship with God in Christ)! I would add John 1:14 and 1 John 3:16 among others!
JEHOVAH ROPHE/RAPHA – “The Lord God Who Heals You” (Exodus 15:26)
As we continue, I would imagine that every one of us at some point in our life have prayed to God for ourselves, for others and/or have had others pray for us, as He is revealed in this Name. We often struggle with our faith to truly know God for Who He Is and today’s Name may challenge our faith as much as any…but I pray that it strengthens your faith to know Jehovah Rophe or Rapha – “The Lord God Who Heals You,” first found in Exodus 15:26.
God is The Only One who can heal our physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual brokenness, sickness and dis-ease and as we will see, in Christ, it has already been done…past, present and future! Do you believe that He is your Healer and has already healed you?
In the Exodus passage, God explains to the Israelites as they are coming out of Egypt and heading to The Promised Land of Canaan that He is The God Who Heals – Jehovah Rophe/Rapha! As is predominant under the old covenant, the conditions were that if they would keep His laws and do what was right in His eyes He would reveal to them that He is The God Who Heals.
In Christ and His Blood and Body in the New Covenant, the healing work is already finished and as Isaiah (53:5) and Peter (1 Peter 2:24) remind us that by Christ’s stripes or wounds we ARE healed…and the word ARE here means past, present and future!
Even as I struggle with back and neck pain and have been prayed over many times, stretch and exercise daily to help, I know by faith that I am already healed in Christ just as I know His blood has already completely forgiven me both now and every time I confess my sins. I will trust Him to reveal when it will be manifest, either in this life or in my new body with Him, ultimately for His Glory! PTL!
Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – God as Jehovah Nissi is our Banner of Strength and His Banner over me (us) is Love…and I can count on that in any and every situation. He is El Elohenu – The Lord My (Our) God, letting all believers know that He is a very close and personal God to each and every one of us. Finally, He is Jehovah Rophe/Rapha – The God Who Heals You and we can be assured of that even if we may still suffer in this present body! Walk in faith knowing He is Faithful!
Love and Lordship…Action Item –
- Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
- Write down what each of the Names of God in this post mean to you.
- List ways that God has shown His Love to you and His personal walk with you.
- This is a little more difficult but with Christ as Your Savior, Lord and Healer, begin walking by faith in that healing even if you are still in pain…He is Your Healer!
Contact us at Love and Lordship to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit and The Lord God.
Check out this week’s Love & Lordship Mentoring Minute Video