Jehovah-Nissi

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 7
In Exodus 17:8-168Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14And 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. 15And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: 16For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Exodus 17:8‑16) we read of Amalek fighting with the children of Israel at Rephidim. To the top of the hill ascended Moses with the rod of God in his hand, accompanied by Aaron and Hur. When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. Moses' hands, however, growing heavy, Aaron and Hur placed him sitting on a stone, while they propped up his hands till the setting of the sun. So Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
In this we have a beautiful type of our Lord's intercession on high for His people, fighting as they are with the enemy—the world, the flesh, the Devil. Yet how vivid is the contrast. Moses' hands, being heavy with age, needing to be propped up; our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, living after the power of an endless life (Heb. 7:1616Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16)). No hanging down of His blessed hands. No failure with Him. What brings failure and humiliation to us is our failure to avail ourselves of the wonderful resources we have in our Lord for our support in the fight. There is nothing but victory with Him.
We read that in consequence of this victory over Amalek, "Moses built an altar, and called the name of it JEHOVAH-NISSI [The LORD my banner]." (Ex. 17:1515And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: (Exodus 17:15)).
Under such a banner only victory is possible.