The LORD is my Banner

And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi [the LORD is my Banner]: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Exodus 17:14-16)
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Today is Flag Day, a day we set aside to remember, consider, and celebrate the Star Spangled Banner which flies over our national capitol, our state capitols, our places of business, our stadiums and coliseums, and even in many cases our homes. Our American Flag, is a banner which stands for the ideals put forth in our Declaration of Independence, and the ideals enshrined in our national Constitution.

And often, when we fly our nation's flag, their are other flags with it. On our various state capitols we fly our state flags, we fly them under the national flag, for we are all part of the same Nation. We fly the banners of other Nations on an equal level with our own, secure enough in our own sovereignty to recognize theirs. But there is a Banner that belongs above all others.

Today is Flag Day, but there is a greater Banner to which we all owe allegiance, whether we recognize and accept Him or not. Jehovah-Nissi, The LORD is my Banner, is a name which Moses was moved to give an altar to the LORD, after a battle. That battle was with the nation of Amalek; a symbol of sin, in the Hebrew Scriptures, which fights against the souls of God's People.

In the battle before Moses dedicates the altar, Joshua defeats the army of Amalek. And yet, as Moses prophesied, the remnants of Amalek remained for the LORD to war against for generation to generation. Joshua too is a picture, a picture of the coming Christ.

Our LORD Jesus Christ, fought the battle against the Amalek in our lives on the Cross at Calvary, and that Amalek, or sin, was defeated. But there remains, even in God's own children, the remnants of sin, which He has sworn to war against! Note, the battle belongs to the LORD! He has promised to remove Amalek, sin, even from remembrance under heaven, and that day (the Day of the Lord) is coming soon.

There is a difference between a banner which is a bit of cloth, a flag we hold above us and carry into battles we fight, and the one true and Living Banner which we follow into the battle and Who carries us and fights the battles for us. We as a Nation have decided to honor our National Banner every June 14th. But those among us who are Christian must honor the LORD our Banner every day, even above the Star Spangled Banner, as our National Flag is naught but a bit of cloth, but by the very Grace of God, Himself.