The LORD Is My Banner: Exodus 17:1-16

Exodus 17:1-16: "1 Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, 'Give us water, that we may drink.' And Moses said to them, 'Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?' 3 And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, 'Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?' 4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, 'What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!' 5 And the LORD said to Moses, 'Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.' And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, 'Is the LORD among us or not?' 8 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, 'Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.' 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.' 15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, 'The-LORD-Is-My-Banner;' 16 for he said, 'Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'"

The-LORD-Is-My-Banner in Hebrew is Jehovahnissi, which in the King James Version is left untranslated. This altar that Moses built would stand as a memorial to the people of what happened there that day. And it would serve as a marker of knowledge for all those who would pass by this memorial. In our society, we are quite familiar with memorials. They are all over the place. As one drives down the road, one often sees a sign that states, "historical marker ___ miles." This historical marker probably contains a sign or plaque that states what took place on that spot of historical significance. Sometimes one sees crosses, or flowers, or other markers along the road as memorials to some event taking place on that spot. There are even memorials that are sponsored by civil government to mark important things happening. Therefore, the concept of a memorial is not uncommon to us.

This memorial however, is different, for it states something about Who the Lord God is, and who His people are. This altar would proclaim that Jehovah was the God of the people of Israel, and they were His people whom He fights for, and anybody that messed with them, would be messing with their God. Hence the name, Jehovahnissi, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner. This brings us to a discussion on banners.

In most parishes there are banners that hang in the nave, or other parts of the church, and they either have symbolic pictures or words from Scripture, or both. These banners add color to the church, and provide some instruction. But these banners, although pictures and figures of the true banners of God, are not the type of banner that is being spoken about here. For a banner is an instrument of war. It would serve as a rallying point for the army if the battle became to fierce. The troops would be able to rally back to the banner, or ensign, and they would find strength to continue on in the battle. In the Greek language of the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament and Apocrypha, the word for banner is "katarefuge." In that Greek word we can see our English word "refuge." A refuge is a place where we go to "recharge our batteries" so to speak. It is a place where we retreat from the troubles of this life, to find some relaxation, and respite.

For the Istraelites, this is where they were shown by God that He fights for them, and protects them, and will be their God. For us, our refuge is the Word of God. And the enemy that we fight, is not Amalek, who was destroyed by the Israelite army, but it is sin, death, and the devil. Our banner, our rallying point is the Word of God, wherein we hear over and over again, that our Lord Jesus fought and won the battle for us, and now gives us forgiveness, and through that promise of forgiveness we have hope and comfort in eternal life and salvation. Our Lord Jesus, even as He fought the war for us, and won the victory, just like for the Israelites against Amalek, and gave them an altar as a memorial for all generations, has also given us a memorial of His victory over sin and death in the Sacrament of the Altar.

In this Sacrament of the Altar, our Lord Jesus gives us His very Body and Blood as a memorial of His victory in bread and wine. And this meal is not just a memorial, that is, we don't just remember the cross and what our Lord did for us, but it actually grants forgiveness of sin, eternal life, and salvation, through the working of the Holy Ghost in this meal.

So, here we have again, another reminder of our sin, and our Lord's cross in the Book of Moses, commonly called Exodus. And these reminders are leading us into the Lenten season with Ash Wednesday coming just next Wednesday. This coming Sunday, Quinquagesima, is sometimes called, the Sunday before Lent. Therefore, this penitential season fast approaches (pun intended). Therefore in this Lectionary we can see how our eyes are slowly being directed from the Incarnation and Revelation of our Lord Jesus in the flesh, to His purpose and work, that is, His cross for our forgiveness.

Let us give thanks this day, that our Lord has fought the battle with sin, death, and the devil, and has given us the victory, so that we need not fear these enemies of God. And let us give thanks for the grace that He bestows upon us every day.

May God be with you!

Deacon Dulas

But After That No One Dared Question Him: St. Mark 12:13-44

St. Mark 12:13-44: "13 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14 When they had come, they said to Him, 'Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?' But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, 'Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.' 16 So they brought it. And He said to them, 'Whose image and inscription is this?' They said to Him, 'Caesar's.' 17 And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.' And they marveled at Him. 18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 'Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.' 24 Jesus answered and said to them, 'Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?" 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.' 28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, 'Which is the first commandment of all?' 29 Jesus answered him, 'The first of all the commandments is: "Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these.' 32 So the scribe said to Him, 'Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.' 34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' But after that no one dared question Him. 35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, 'How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: "The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.'" 37 Therefore David himself calls Him "Lord;" how is He then his Son?' And the common people heard Him gladly. 38 Then He said to them in His teaching, 'Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.' 41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.'"

Today's reading is the last reading from the Evangelist St. Mark until the week of Judica, when we will pick up again with the Passion of our Lord. Starting tomorrow we will begin reading through the Gospel of St. Luke skipping over the Christmas narratives, which we read during that season. So today, we have the final debates between our Lord Jesus, and the religious leaders of His day. We hear from the Pharisees and Herodians, who were Jews who were loyal to the Roman power, from the Sadducees, and from a scribe, the only one in the bunch who is "not far from the kingdom of God." Therefore, all the groups who will seek for His death are represented.

In the first group, the Pharisees and Herodians, we learn from chapter 11:27, that the "they sent" refers to the chief priests, elders and scribes. Having already been silenced by our Lord, they send the Pharisees and Herodians. The interesting thing about these two groups, is that they were at odds with each other, for the Pharisees, were concerned with achieving freedom from Roman power. They wanted the Jews to be free from the Roman rule, so that they could rule and govern themselves. Therefore, the subcurrent of this narrative about taxes to Caesar is that if our Lord Jesus were to say pay Caesar the Pharisees would jump on Him for being a disloyalist. And if He said, do not pay Caesar, the Herodians would jump all over Him for not being loyal to the Roman government. Therefore, in their minds, they have set the perfect trap. A no win question for our Lord Jesus.

However, our Lord sees right through this ruse, and answers their question with a question as He is wont to do. And after ascertaining that the coin bore the image of Caesar, and therefore, belonged to him, our Lord tells them to give back the coin to whom it belongs.

The second group coming to Him is are the Sadducees. The Sadducees differed from the Pharisees and Herodians, not only in doctrine, but in their intent. For the Pharisees and Herodians, and the chief priests, elders, and scribes who sent them, hated our Lord Jesus, because of Who He is, that is He is the Messiah, and all the people see it. These people have therefore stopped listening to them, and have gone after Him. In short, they were driven by jealousy, and attacked His person, trying to get the people to see He was a liar and not worthy of being listened too. The Sadducees, on the other hand, hated our Lord Jesus, because of His doctrine. They did not like what He taught, for He taught about the resurrection, that there are such a thing as angels and demons, and other doctrines which they did not believe. For they only read the Pentateuch, that is, the five books of Moses, sometimes called the Torah. And only the doctrines contained in those books they would uphold. They were the Marcionites of our Lord Jesus' time. Those who cut out certain parts of Scripture because it didn't agree with their teachings.

Their question centers around the Resurrection. Here again, the Sadducees, like the Pharisees and Herodians, try to trick our Lord Jesus, by offering an elaborate example of the Law of Moses regarding the producing of offspring. First of all, the question ignores the purpose of this Law, it was to keep the Jewish line going, this was especially important in the line of David, for his offspring would be the Messiah. Second, it shows their lack of understanding of the holy Scriptures. For all those who cut out parts of holy Scripture, or say that some parts are God's Word and other parts are not, or that some parts are only to be understood as being culturally relevant to the time when they were written in the Bible, lack true understanding of holy Scripture. This also obviously applies to those who say that the Bible is not the Word of God, or only contains the Word of God, and other such nonsense.

For the Sadducees, because they have left out, or don't read, or don't believe in certain parts of holy Scripture, their understanding of the resurrection is flawed. For these Sadducees didn't believe in the resurrection of the body, for they thought that the body was raised in the same form it died, and therefore, if the body is completely destroyed it could not be raised from the dead. And, as we learn fromt the Blessed Apostle, St. Paul, a Pharisee who had full knowledge of all the holy Scriptures, in his epistle to the Church at Corinth, that the body is raised as a "glorious" body. Much like when we witness our Lord Jesus being transfigured on the mountain.

Our Lord refutes this lack of knowledge by going back to the Words of holy Scripture to which they would actually read and believe; to the passage on the burning bush which appeared to Moses. The Lord God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were at the time of Moses (and the time of Jesus) not alive on the Earth, but alive in Heaven. For even those these patriarchs appeared to be dead, they were alive, hence, our Lord God is not a God of the dead, but the living.

The Pharisees and Sadducees are contrasted with a scribe, a lone scribe, who understands and believes our Lord Jesus. He is the model of faith among the clergy. For although it is said in the Gospel of St. Matthew, that this man asked the question to test Him, it need not be understood to be with evil intent, but to ask a question, about which He pondered. The most striking thing about this whole discourse is the final realization of the scribe, that the commandments of our Lord God were greater than all the sacrifices. This is also why our Lord Jesus says that he is not far from the kingdom of God, and not that he is within the kingdom of God. For this man places the Law above sacrifices. Which is better than what the Pharisees and Sadducees believed, but it is not fully informed. This man is like the people today who desire to good work their way into heaven.

All this man really needs to hear is the Gospel, that our Lord Jesus suffered and died for his salvation, so that in His love for His Father, and for His Father's creation, all the sacrifices and burnt offerings are no longer necessary, for our Lord has completed them all by His once and for all sacrifice of atonement for us on the cross, so that we might have forgiveness, life, and salvation. Therefore, this man is close to the kingdom of God, but not there yet. We can almost gather from this narrative by the Evangelist St. Mark, that he is referring to a specific individual that would have been known to the first hearers of this Gospel. We don't know, but we do know that this man's enlightenment from the Word of our Lord Jesus, give an example of the enlightenment that takes place in all those who hear the Gospel.

God be with you!

Deacon Dulas

What Is It?: Exodus 15:22-16:36

Exodus 15:22-16:36: "15:22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?' 25 So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, 26 and said, 'If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.' 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.

"16:1 And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. 2 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 And the children of Israel said to them, 'Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.' 4 Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.' 6 Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, 'At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt. 7 And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?' 8 Also Moses said, 'This shall be seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD.' 9 Then Moses spoke to Aaron, 'Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, "Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your complaints."' 10 Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12 'I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, "At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God."' 13 So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. 14 And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, 'What is it?' For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, 'This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: "Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent."' 17 Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. 18 So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one's need. 19 And Moses said, 'Let no one leave any of it till morning.' 20 Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted. 22 And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 Then he said to them, 'This is what the LORD has said: "Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning."' 24 So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. 25 Then Moses said, 'Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, there will be none.' 27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. 28 And the LORD said to Moses, 'How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29 See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.' 30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 31 And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32 Then Moses said, 'This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: "Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt."' 33 And Moses said to Aaron, 'Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.' 34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. 35 And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 Now an omer is one-tenth of an ephah."

What is it? It is manna. Of course this is what "manna" means, "what is it?" We learn from this pericope that for forty years this is what the Israelites ate. There was not much variety in their diet. This text comes to us as we prepare for the fast. It is a reminder to us who may complain about having to fast, or give up certain food items, that for forty years the Israelites ate nothing but something that tasted like bread made with honey. It probably tasted good, but even after forty days it would seem boring, not to mention forty years. Of course, for us, the fast is something regulated by Christian freedom, that is, one can fast has ascetic as one wants, or not at all. However, this text serves as an encouragement to those who desire to fast. For consider what the Israelites ate for forty years, but also consider the amount. They were allowed an omer a day of manna. Now, we are told an omer is 1/10 of an ephah. An ephah is equal to a bath. A bath was about 6 gallons or, more precisely, 22 liters. That means that an omer, being 1/10 of an ephah, would be 2.2 liters, or about 2 quarts. If one considers there are three meals in a day, that would work out to about a little over 21 ounces of manna per meal. That works out to about 1 2/3 lb. of food per meal. Not knowing how many ounces the average American meal is, that seems like a pretty substantial amount. So, they were not going hungry, but they could only eat one thing for forty years.

In the Early Christian Church, during the time of Lent, the time leading up to Easter, Christians were encouraged to go without food or drink, except water, for forty days. These forty days represented two things, one, the sojourn of the Israelites for forty years in the wilderness, in which they fasted by necessity. And, two, the fasting of our Lord Jesus for forty days in the wilderness, in which He neither ate nor drank anything, but water, for forty days and nights, being tempted by the devil. This fasting of our Lord, also represented the fasting of the Israelites for forty years. Therefore, our Lord Jesus placed Himself into the condition of His people, taking on their burdens.

In this gift of manna from our Lord God, we also see our Lord God providing another meal for His people. Before the manna, He sent quail, and so in the evening before the manna was given, they got to eat the meat of quail. The quail and the bread is a picture of the Lord's Supper, for in that meal there is both flesh and bread. And in the flesh is blood, therefore, we have prefigured the meal that our Lord Jesus instituted for us Christians to eat and drink. This of course, also directs our eyes to the cross, where our Lord won for us forgiveness, life and salvation. The gifts that He bestows through this Blessed Sacrament.

This is why the book of Exodus is read during this time of Pre-Lent, for it prepares us for the fast, and directs our eyes to the meal that was given to us, on account of our Lord's death and burial, which gives us forgiveness of sins. And as we fast, as a spiritual exercise of our humility over our sin, which we reflect upon during Lent, we are prepared to hear of the cross of our Lord, for it is in the cross where our sins are destroyed, and it is in the cross where our fasting ends, for on the third day after His cross He rose again to eternal life, and we too, are granted this eternal life by Him. Therefore during Easter, there has never been fasting until after Pentecost, in the whole of the history of the Church. This is a witness to our resurrection from the dead, which our Lord won for us by His resurrection.

Therefore, during this coming Lenten season, as we fast and reflect upon our sins, humbling ourselves before our Lord God, let us also remember the sojourn of the Israelites in the wilderness, and of our Lord Jesus who also sojourned in the wilderness after His Holy Baptism. For all Christians are only sojourning in this life, heading towards the promised land. Therefore, in the fast we learn to shed the props of this life, and look to, and hope in the eternal life that waits us.

May God be with you!

Deacon Dulas