Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.
Isaiah 49:22 (NIV)
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I will beckon to the nations, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their hips.”
Isaiah 49:22 (MSG)
“The Master, God, says: “Look! I signal to the nations, I raise my flag to summon the people. Here they’ll come: women carrying your little boys in their arms, men carrying your little girls on their shoulders.”
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“This is what the Lord God says, “Listen carefully, I will lift up My hand to the [Gentile] nations and set up My banner to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in the fold of their garments, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.” -AMPLIFIED
Yesterday’s passage reminded us to be looking for God’s blessings. God tells Israel that when they return to their homeland it will be full of people. In particular, all the children they feared lost will be found.
“You thought you had lost the children, but you will hear them say,
‘This place is too cramped for me. Make more room for me to live in.’
And you will say to yourself, ‘Where in the world did all these children come from?
Who birthed these for me? I thought I was bereaved and barren. I thought I was all alone, forgotten in exile—so how did they all get here?’” -Isaiah 49:20-21 (The Passion Translation)
In today’s text, Yahweh’s focus is still on those lost children. And He declares that He will be the Banner that signals the nations to bring back Israel’s children.
“This is what the Lord, the Eternal, has to say: Eternal One: I will lift My hand and signal every nation that holds your people and they will bring your children back again: boys bundled in their arms, girls riding on their shoulders.” -(VOICE)
Let it be duly noted that these words come from the mouth of God Himself. He is the One who is speaking. He is the One making this promise. And He tells Israel:
“I will raise my hand and signal the Gentiles, beckoning them to bring your children home. I will lift up my banner among the people.”
God will lift up His standard, or His banner. In Hebrew the word is “nes”. The banner was a triangular flag placed on a pole. It was a non-verbal way of communicating, especially on the battlefield. It served as a rallying point, a place where people were drawn together, to work towards a common point or goal. This ornamental flag was the leader’s signal to his subjects that where the flag was planted would be their rallying point and where the work would be done.
What is about to happen will happen because God will do it. And if He says He will do it, you can believe He will do it.
“The sovereign LORD says it. That settles it whether we believe it or not! Believe it! “The Lord reassured Israel not only with the promise that He would remember and restore Israel, but also that He would ultimately exalt Israel.” ~Moody Bible Commentary
Adonai tells Israel that their children will be brought home, this will be the great blessing of the children returning home. Take notice of how the children come home, as if they were loved and well cared for: “little boys bundled in their arms and your little daughters carried on their shoulders.” -(TPT)
Tomorrow’s text will delve further into the state and care of these returning children.
“The Lord God says, “See, I will give a signal to the Gentiles, and they shall carry your little sons back to you in their arms, and your daughters on their shoulders.” -(TLB)
“God’s blessing will seem to come from nowhere. Though the promise seems too good to be true, God confirms it with an oath to the nations. God will rescue Israel from both their immediate and ultimate captivity.” ~David Guzik
Scripture tells us that God is Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord is our Banner. Though this name only appears once in Scripture, in Exodus, there we find Moses saying:
“Moses built an altar there and called it “Jehovah-nissi” (meaning “Jehovah is my flag”). “Raise the banner of the Lord!” Moses said. “For the Lord will be at war with Amalek generation after generation.” -Exodus 17:15-16 (TLB)
This place where Moses built the altar to the Lord was the very place that God worked on behalf of His people. It was here that He promised to defeat their enemies. It was in this place that God took a stand, just like the banner, and He was Jehovah-Nissi.
In the Song of Solomon, we are reminded that the Banner is a banner of love.
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him].” -Song of Solomon 2:4 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)
“When Moses built the altar and called it, “The LORD is my banner,” he was creating a place of remembrance, a celebration of victory, an expression of thanks. He was making a declaration, one that any follower of Jesus can share in today: The LORD is my banner and we are the LORD’s. It was a declaration not just of who God is and what He has done, but of who we are as His people.” ~Julia Bruce
My friend, the Lord is our Banner, and that is a Banner of love. He has staked a claim on your life. Have you answered His call?
“God is our banner because we live to celebrate and honor His faithfulness to us, shown in myriad ways, from the rising sun to the risen Christ. God is our banner because we remember all His deeds and His words graciously given to us in scripture. He is our banner because He gives us identity, and our label is “God’s children,” because of the saving work of Jesus. God is our banner because we are his representatives to the world, making Him visible and showing the beauty of His transforming work. God is our banner because all of this is an invitation, a gravitational pull, a summons, a tug to any who would believe but do not yet know what that means or how to do so.” ~Barnabas Piper
My Prayer:
Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, you are Jehovah-Nissi, the Banner that flies over me. You have staked claim to my life, and I am yours. I identify with you, my Lord, and I am subject to you. May your will be done in my life. Your purpose and plan for me, I know, is for good. I have experienced your great love. I know that your care for me deeply. Help me to be a living testimony of your faithfulness to all who will believe and receive your gift of salvation. I am who I am because of You, Jehovah-Nissi.
Growing with God 