Banners are for the breeze, the sun, the battle.
This morning the burden of pastoral responsibility was lying heavy on my shoulders. I could not stifle a sigh as I began to pray for us as a church, and myself! Some of us are thriving spiritually and living for Christ with every ounce of energy in the race of life, and that is a great joy (2 John 4). But too often the troubles of life, the enticements of false pleasure, or the simple routine day to day grind slow us down, bring us to a halt, or even set us off in the wrong direction. As a pastor, I not only bear the burden of my own failings, but also feel the weight of our collective weaknesses (2 Cor 11:28-29).
So it is not rare that I sit down to pray with my cup of coffee, listening to the dawn chorus, and envy the birds their simple happiness. Generally I follow the M’Cheyne bible reading plan, so this morning I turned to Psalm 60. What a tonic!
David begins by describing the state of his people in vivid terms (Psa 60:1–3). But the turning point is verse 4
But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.
Psalm 60:4
A banner has been raised (cf Exo 17:15, Psa 20:5). Spurgeon comments
Their afflictions had led them to exhibit holy fear, and then being fitted for the Lord’s favour, he gave them an ensign, which would be both a rallying point for their hosts, a proof that he had sent them to fight, and a guarantee of victory.
Spurgeon, The Treasury of David
Now I am starting to sing. For a few moments I glance forward in Scripture to consider the nature of this raised rallying flag. (The selah at the end of verse 4 has traditionally been thought to indicate that this is a point to reflect.) Isaiah looks forward to “the Root of Jesse” who will himself be such a banner for the whole world (Isa 11:10, 12, 49:22). Surely Jesus had this image in mind when he described his impending death in rallying terms
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
John 12:32, (cf John 3:14, 8:28)
Psalm 60 continues with a cry for help (Psa 60:5) and a resounding triumphant response from God (Psa 60:6-8). By the end of the Psalm David’s troubles are not banished (Psa 60:10), but he knows where his help does and does not come from – “the help of man is worthless” (Psalm 60:11) - and he is confident of God’s victory (Psa 60:12).
Now I am really singing! God who gave his only Son for our sins will not desert us (Heb 13:5) or ultimately short change us (Rom 8:32). He has raised up Jesus as a victory banner, and we who have rallied to him cannot be defeated.
Banners are for the breeze, the sun, the battle. To publish the Gospel is a sacred duty, to be ashamed of it a deadly sin. In the proclamation of the Gospel we need feel no hesitancy, for as surely as God is true he will give success to his own Word. Dark signs of present or coming ill must not dishearten us; if the Lord had meant to destroy us he would not have given us the Gospel; the very fact that he has revealed himself in Christ Jesus involves the certainty of victory.
Spurgeon, Treasury of David
So cast off the sin that entangles you (Heb 12:1-3), the despondency that crushes you (Psa 43:5), and the pessimism which inhibits you (1 Thes 5:23-24). In this life there will always be trouble, but God has raised a universal and eternal Banner over you, and “banners are for the breeze, the sun, the battle."
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