Parenting Battles

There is a line in a popular praise and worship song that says, “Jehovah Nissi fights my battle.” I was curious where in scriptures we first see this name for God. As I dove in, I found the name Jahova Nissi first in Exodus 17:15. The Lord instructs Moses to write about Israel’s victory over the very strong Amalekites as “permanent reminder,” how God fought for them. Based on the Lord’s instruction, Moses commanded Joshua to gather his warriors to battle. During the fight, God told Moses to stand up on a hill and lift his staff over his head. God promised as long as the staff was lifted up, the Israelites would be victorious. However, if he lowered the staff, the Israelites would be defeated

Moses did as he was commanded, however, when he became tired and began to lower the staff. Aaron and another man named Hur, brought over a rock to help hold up Moses’ arm. Eventually the Israelites, thought the help of the Lord, defeated the Amalekites. Afterward, Moses faithfully wrote the permanent reminder down., and built an alter naming it Yahweh-Nissi meaning, “the Lord is my banner.”