He Calls You His

Before surnames were ever written down, they were carried into battle, spoken as declarations of loyalty, and defended with pride. In the 12th century, Scotland began developing a more formal social hierarchy. Clans had long existed, but during this time, they became more organized, establishing clearer systems of leadership and authority.

To understand that structure, you first have to understand what a clan was. A clan was more than an extended family. While most members shared a common surname and ancestry, many clans also welcomed those who chose to join them. Blood relation was not always required for belonging. Loyalty was.

Some clans were strictly bloodline-based. Others, however, were open. If you sought protection, livelihood, or allegiance under a particular clan, you pledged your loyalty to its chieftain. That pledge was not symbolic; it was binding.

If the clan went to war, you fought for it. It was your commitment. Your oath. Regardless of the name you were born with, you aligned yourself fully with the clan you joined. In many cases, you renounced your birth name and took on the name of the clan.

This created a powerful shared identity. Blood mattered, but loyalty defined you.

The entire system was built on relationships.

As clans grew in strength and sophistication, they developed recognizable symbols, such as distinct patterns, crests, mottos, and battle flags. An individual’s identity became inseparable from these signs. To bear the name was to carry the clan’s reputation, its authority, and its honor.

Exodus 17 continues the children of Israel’s journey of deliverance from Egypt. Here we read about how the recently freed from slavery, Israelites are faced with fighting the very gifted in war, the Amalekites. It’s the equivalent of putting a kitten up against a lion and going to war. Regardless, we see Moses telling Joshua to choose some men and go fight, and the next day, Moses will hold the staff of God in his hands and stand on top of the hill.

Exodus 17:11-15 (NIV)

“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands – one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. The Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner (Jehovah Nissi).”

When I see the word banner, my mind immediately goes to a high school football game where the home team runs through a large sign decorated with all sorts of stuff, and glitter is usually involved somewhere.

But that’s not what God is talking about in Exodus 17:15.

The Hebrew word for “banner” is “Nes”, and it means pole, ensign, standard. Nes originated from the Hebrew word “Nasas”.  Nasas means to be lifted up, to be exalted, to be raised.

The Israelites were not running through a paper banner onto the battlefield; they were running into battle under the divine authority of God Almighty.

The staff Moses held up during the entire battle was showcasing the sign, the crest of God.

By showcasing the insignia of God on this staff, Moses was letting the enemy know that the children of Israel were covered; that they had divine authority and divine protection. Israel had all the heavenly resources they needed to win the war simply because they were part of the clan of God.

If we are a child of God, we are a part of His clan, a family that not only works together as a unit but is covered by the divine protection and provision of God.

That’s what His banner provides; that’s what His insignia provides.

When we pledge our loyalty to God, when we pledge our lives to His cause, He doesn’t look at where we came from. He doesn’t care what you’ve done. He doesn’t care about your past.

When you choose Him, you take His name, and He calls you His.

Ephesians 2:18-19 (NIV)

“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household....”

And you have every right to walk boldly into any situation in life bearing His banner; bearing His crest; bearing His insignia and know that you are under His divine protection and provision.

Luke 10:19 (NLT)

“Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy....”

Whether it’s a challenging work project, a difficult family situation, or a personal struggle, you can face it with the confidence and authority that comes from being a part of God’s clan.

Remember that you are under the insignia of Jehovah Nissi, you are covered, and He calls you His.

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