Numbers chapter 2

Num 2:2  Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. 

Numbers chapter 2 describes how the Israelites should arrange their camps. Each tribe must set up camp under its own banner and under the flags of its ancestral families. These camps were arranged around the Tabernacle, but not close to it, each camp facing the Tabernacle.

"Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house." God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). What we see is orderliness. They camped and marched together like a very disciplined army battalion. Every tribe and every family had its place, knew its place, kept its place, mutually supporting and supported by all the others.

Every tribal member must be proud when they see their banners flying for the first time. Banners are used today in a variety of ways, especially in political and at sporting events. It is a declaration of loyalty to a person, or country, or a cause. During an Olympic Games opening ceremony, the members of each country represented in the games must be feeling proud when they marched in with their country flag leading in front. Their spirit must be running high when their country name was announced. In an election, the banner declares one’s loyalty to a certain political party.

Brethren, we have a royal banner. When the Amalekites attacked Israel in the wilderness, God gave the children of Israel victory over them (Exodus 17:8-13). Later, “Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi” (Exodus 17:15). The name “Jehovahnissi” means “Jehovah is my banner” (BDB Dictionary).

Isaiah prophesied of the Messiah-King coming and setting up of His kingdom and he wrote: “And in that day there shall be the Root of Jesse standing for a banner of the people; to Him the nations shall seek; and His resting place shall be glorious” (Isaiah 11:10, MKJV).

That prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Christ is the Root of Jesse. He is the banner of all the people. Paul says: “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23). The name Christian is a new name given to all those who follow Christ: “And the disciples were first called Christian in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). That’s the Christian banner. Are we flying the banner?

I believe it is with those thoughts in his mind that Daniel W. Whittle penned these words in this famous hymn, The Banner of the Cross:

There’s a royal banner given for display

To the soldiers of the King;

As an ensign fair we lift it up today,

While as ransomed ones we sing.

Marching on, marching on,

For Christ count everything but loss!

And to crown Him King, we’ll toil and sing,

’Neath the banner of the cross!

We have a King; His name is Jesus Christ. We are in His army. We are in a spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12). Let us be proud to hold up the banner of our King. 

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.