UNFURLING THE BANNER

Psalm 60:4. Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

No matter how bad the times are, there is always a remnant that desire to fear God. And no matter how God may cast off, or scatter abroad, or be sorely displeased with a people, yet He has a tender concern for His remnant. God proved this to David, in his days, by delivering Him from the wicked King Saul, and causing David to be established upon the throne, as God had promised him long before. God’s tender concern for the man after His own heart had brought him to a height of prosperity, triumphing over his enemies, the Syrians, and the Edomites. And it was in that day of prosperity and triumph of king David, that he penned this golden Psalm.

What! say you, a golden Psalm? Yes, indeed! for this Psalm is so pure as gold, in its teachings, to them that fear the Lord. He teaches us here, to remember our afflictions and miseries, always, in prosperity as well as in adversities. And! that those bad times were not due to wicked Saul, nor the Assyrians or Edomites, because they all were but the instruments (of David’s troubles) in God’s hand; so he teaches us, in the first three verses, to acknowledge the Lord’s hand in all of our troubles, either of our nation, church, or personal, as well as our souls troubles. For as David literally experienced what he expresses in these verses, so in the heart of every one that fears God, there is experienced similar troubles of a spiritual nature.

You who fear the Lord; has not God cast us off, and scattered us abroad? Is not, or has not, God been displeased with us and by our own doings in wickedness? When we are brought by the Spirit to remember these things, then, we are taught to pray unto God, “O turn thyself to us again.” Has not God ever made the earth to tremble under thee, and so brake thee; and because thou so tremblest before God by reason of thy sins and iniquities, do you not need God to heal the breaches which sin has made between Him and thine own soul? Indeed we do! Has not the Lord God shewed us hard things, in daily life perhaps, but especially in our souls; and did we not drink the wine of astonishment time and again, and even do—yet? Oh, beloved, how blessed it is when the Lord so favors us with such a season of prosperity in soul, as David here enjoyed literally; but, we may believe also spiritually; therefore, he was made to pen these instructive and encouraging lines to comfort those that fear the Lord in the generations following. And that they in all their troubles may remember that it is the Lord’s hand, and therefore, Righteous, whether it be souls wealth and health or souls poverty and leanness.

Ah, says one, is that encouraging to us? Beloved, does the encouragement come from the change of affairs in our life? Oh no; for we know not how soon things may again turn against us. Therefore, we may only rejoice with trembling, but most surely, we are encouraged to hope strongly in the “Banner” which God has given to those that continue his loving kindness and tender mercies towards him. Although you may have suffered long in souls troubles and the enemies on every side may have gained victory upon victory; although you may have been driven to the caves and dens for your life’s sake; yet, God, who has a concern for the poor and despised, for those who are cast outside of the city as unclean and ready to perish, will stablish such upon the throne in His kingdom, because of the “Banner” which He has given to them that fear Him. David’s triumph over his enemies and sitting upon the throne was, to the Israelites of old, as a banner unto them. Therein, they seen the promises of God fulfilled and the truth of them now displayed in their very presence. Oh what comfort and encouragement that must have afforded those Israelites of old. And oh what comfort and encouragement for Israel of today, that remnant of God, yea of every generation, who may behold the “Banner” displayed in their soul. Oh to see, with the eye of faith, David, King Jesus, sitting upon the throne of our heart, ruling and reigning in might and power, victorious over the inward Assyrians and Edomites, and Saul vanquished. Ah beloved, is not this an instructive Psalm, a golden Psalm, tried and proven as, (gold is in the finery of fire), in the furnace of affliction and adversity? The comfort, then, lies completely in the “Banner” given by God.

God gave to Israel the banner of David, so to speak, when He set him upon the throne as king. The Israelites beheld king David as a banner displayed before their eyes; because when he reigned, after the death of Saul, Israel, who had been scattered and dispersed and divided against themselves, was united and gathered together as an army is united under their flag or banner. Seeing David upon the throne filled them with new courage and strength, because they saw the truth of God being fulfilled. And now to victory they marched under the glorious banner of David, God’s anointed, for in God there is strength to overcome the enemies. A glorious banner was David unto Israel, even as the psalmist records.

A glorious banner Thou hast given
To those who fear Thy Name,
A banner to display abroad
And thus the truth proclaim.

But, remember! this banner given to Israel was not without meaning. This psalm is to teach, especially those that fear the Lord. Therefore, it contains a far richer teaching than a mere sinful earthly king; (such as David was by nature, and as every earthly king is), to be displayed as a banner. It teaches us, that God’s banner over Israel was Love. He displayed that banner over them in every respect. And it was that “Banner” which united them and brought them together. So too, oh Israel of today, and of every age, God’s banner over you is Love.

A banner is for the purpose of encouraging the army to battle. Thus it is an ensign or emblem. So David, as a banner, is an emblem or type of Jesus Christ unto those that fear God. Isaiah 11:10, teaches us that the root of Jesse, (Jesus Christ, the Son of David), will stand for an Ensign of the people. And that the Gentiles (sinners) will seek thereafter, and His rest shall be glorious.

Jesus Christ, is the glorious “Banner” of God given to them that fear Him. In Him they are One, united in love and spirit. They were once divided and scattered abroad, castoffs, trembling under sin, and the subjects of the kingdom of darkness. But when God gives this “Banner” to the sinner, then the sinner is encouraged and comforted, with the eye of faith, upon the Banner, to wage war against the powers of darkness. So in this “Banner” they that are weak become strong and valiant soldiers of the Cross. They fight together under this Banner and they are such a mighty army, that they are as immovable as rock; because, Selah, is understood to mean Rock, positive, sure, firm, solid. And, as Jesus is “the Bock” and they His soldiers, they cannot be anything else but a victorious army conquering and vanquishing every enemy, even Saul, eventually. What a Glorious Banner is this Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Now, He must be displayed and lifted high above everything, so that every eye may see and behold; in every nation, kingdom, church and home, in the heart of every individual, who may desire a glorious Rest. Because, He only is the Truth and the Way to a glorious Rest from sin, evil and iniquity. When Jesus reigns in full upon the throne of our heart, then, then only, shall the war cease, when we shall be ushered into His glorious Rest forever. Nevermore to fear, dread nor tremble, but, to rejoice eternally in that Heavenly Kingdom where Jesus sits to Rule and Reign in Glory. Oh what a Banner to have displayed in our hearts while in this vale of tears. Here sorrow and grief, sickness and death, sin and iniquity abound on every side. No rest for our soul nor body, always committing sin either in thought, word or deed. At war with the flesh, then with doubts and unbelief and fears, then with pride, then with covetousness, then with self, and with satan, the prince of darkness. Oh Glorious Banner of Truth, that leads the sinner to seeking and finding Life, in it, and by it. What a glorious Way to travel! Oh reader, art thou one that fears the Lord; then, to you this Banner of Jesus Christ, which is Love, has been unfurled with the hope that the Spirit may display it abroad in your heart. Comfort you by it. And lead you on in the spiritual warfare of your soul, fastening your eye of faith upon the Banner unfurled on Calvary’s Cross for your sins and pardon. May the Spirit seal to your heart His redeeming blood with power, and set you free from sin in Jesus Christ the Lord.

And to you who fear and tremble, and do not yet know this Jesus Christ, as the Ensign, to whom you must seek for the salvation of your soul. Oh consider this Banner which we have endeavoured to unfurl to you. We have displayed Jesus before your eyes. To Him you must look for salvation. In Him only there is Power to forgive you your sins. God has given Him unto sinners that they may be saved by His blood and righteousness. No good works of man! No worthiness in man! Man is lost, ruined, undone, without any power to save his own soul. Not even a desire nor will to be saved by God. So forlorn, sad and destitute is man by nature. For all such, who have realized in themselves to be such miserable, lost and ruined sinners, God has displayed this Banner of Truth. All ye that are heavy laden and burdened with the load of your guilt and sin before God, “Come unto Me,” says Jesus, and I will give you Rest for your soul. Because there is no other Name given amongst men whereby they can be saved than the Name Jesus. And no one cometh unto the Father but by Me. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Ask, and you shall receive. May God give you the Spirit of prayer and supplication to ask Him for mercy and pardon. But unto all you that know not anything of these inward experiences of soul. You are yet dead in sin. You may have heard and read much of this Jesus who came to save sinners, but as yet you know Him not. Sad is your soul’s state! What if God were to call you by death at this moment? Could you hope to enjoy a glorous Rest in Jesus? Nay, poor soul, no rest for thee if you die as you were born. “Except ye be born again, yet cannot see the kingdom of heaven.” Oh be not deceived with a mere head knowledge of Jesus, for this will testify against you as a burning witness, to consume your soul eternally, yet, never to be consumed, but to burn everlastingly. So terrible, most dreadful eternity awaits you, who die without this Banner, (Jesus), born and implanted in your soul by love divine. Oh seek after Christ while He may be found, call upon Him whle He is yet near. For woe unto all that must appear before Him without this Love of God in their soul; then, He will say, Depart, depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Harden not your hearts! For to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest? but to them that believed not. Hebr. 3.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen