THE KING’S BANNER
Joshua Yong
Sermon preached at True Life BPC on 23 September 2012
In Psalm 60, we find King David victorious over his enemies. Yet, in such a time of victory, he cried out to God for deliverance, knowing full well that the battle was far from over.
The title of the psalm gives us the historical background. The names “Aramnaharaim” and “Aramzobah” describe the coalition of Syrian and Edomite forces David had to face in battle. This battle is recorded in 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18. By this time, David had already defeated the Syrians, the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and the Amalekites. Despite his past victories, David is now anticipating another wave of enemy attack. The battle rages on, and seeing the oncoming attack, he cries out to God.
Battles for Faith and Family
It is easy to feel overwhelmed when one is faced with wave after wave of enemy attacks and these attacks do not seem to end. Though David had just defeated a coalition of armies, he anticipated his enemies to come and attack again. As such, he cried out to God, saying “O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us” (v 1). The word “scattered” means “broken”, which expresses how David felt—as if his army had broken up.
When we apply this thought to the church today, we might feel overwhelmed too. We are seeing “hard things” (v 3), and we are filled with “astonishment.” The church has fought many battles in the past and when we look around us, we see the battles that we still have to fight today. Seeing these battles we have to fight, it is easy for us to feel discouraged.
The saints in the past had fought their battles against heresy and false doctrines. Today we still have such battles to fight—against false movements and false ‘isms’. We have to fight against Liberalism/Modernism which denies the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible, and the virgin birth, substitutionary atonement and resurrection of Christ. There is also the battle against Neo-Evangelicalism which believe the Bible is only inerrant on matters of faith and salvation, but not in history, geography and science. We have to fight against Ecumenism which seeks to unite all religions, believing that all religions are the same. Then there is also the battle against Charismatism which has a distorted view of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, wrongly teaching that the Church needs the revelatory sign gifts today. Sometimes when we look at the battles we have to fight, it seems like we are fighting a losing battle. These false movements are becoming bigger and bigger, and growing from strength to strength. But those who are fighting the good fight of faith are so few and so small.
Not only are there such battles for the faith, there is also the battle for our families and our children. We see the world’s influence upon the church. What kind of life do our Christian youths today display, what kind of music do they listen to, what kind of clothes do they put on? There is a battle for the family too as parents strive to bring up their children in this very stressful society. There are many broken families today because they disobey God’s commandments with regard to the duties of husbands and wives, parents and children. In the church, there is a battle to fight for holiness, for purity.
When we see all these battles that we have to fight today, we seem to lose on so many fronts; we see how strong our enemies are and how weak we are in comparison. We are wont to cry out, “O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased …Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.” We ask ourselves: Are these battles for truth and purity really worth fighting for?
Significance of the Banner
We may be in despair, but verse 4 immediately calms the troubled soul, “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.” In this verse we read how God our King has given us a banner. What is the significance of the banner? The Hebrew word for “banner” is sometimes translated as “standard” or “ensign” in our English Bible. It is like the flag of a country or an army. For example, the ancient Roman army had the Aquila for their standard or banner. This banner held a bronze eagle and a flag beneath it which identified the unit to which the soldiers belonged.
In times of war, the banner is of great importance and use. First the banner gives the soldiers direction. In the heat of the battle it is easy for soldiers to lose their formation and direction. This is especially so when soldiers fight with sword and shield. Without the banner, soldiers could become confused, blindly chase retreating enemies and then find themselves heading into an ambush. Thus the banner is crucial in the coordination of an attack.
Second, the banner gives the army identity and unity. It is the rallying point for the soldiers. It unites them and keeps them within their formation. Banners often mark out the unit’s name or number, and this will keep the soldiers united within their unit as they fight.
Third, the banner gives the army motivation. It is a source of encouragement for the army. It is an important element in boosting the morale of the soldiers. When soldiers see their banner falling, it will be a cause for discouragement, but when the banner is still lifted high despite the intense and long fight, the soldiers would gather their courage knowing the battle is not lost, and their captain still leads them on.
The Christian Banner
For the Christian soldier, what is this banner which God has given to us? The banner is Christ and His Word. Christ is our banner (Exo 17:15, Isa 11:10), and we know Christ through His Word which is Truth (John 17:17). God’s Truth is therefore our sole, supreme and final authority in the midst of our spiritual warfare. In fighting all our spiritual battles, God’s Word gives us guidance and direction. We do not fight because of pride or power, or out of a thirst for war, but because we desire to uphold God’s Truth.
God’s Truth gives us our identity. It unifies God’s army. It is the rallying point where those who fight for the cause of Christ can gather and unite together under His Truth. Those who have the same mind and spirit in the Truth can have fellowship together. We do not want to fight amongst ourselves. We want to know who we can fellowship and work together with, and God’s Word unifies those who uphold His Truth.
God’s Truth is given to us. When God gives it to us, it is a pledge of His presence and power. When we stand for God’s Truth and when we display God’s Truth for His Truth’s sake, we know we are safe because God stands for us. God’s Truth gives God’s soldiers fresh courage when they grow tired or weak. We can look to God and His Word to find renewed energy for the battles we still have to fight. This is the blessed promise Christians have from God.
God heard the cry of David and delivered him and saved him with His own right hand (vv 5-12). We can have confidence in God when we stand for God’s Truth; we can cry out to God and know that God hears us and will grant us victory. This is why we can declare, “Through God we shall do valiantly.” What is victory? How is victory to be measured? It is not measured by the size of churches, or by the wealth the church has. It is measured by the Truth being upheld and proclaimed. God always has His remnant who will stand for the Truth, He will not allow His Truth to be hidden or destroyed. Truth will out. That is the measure of victory.
Everyone must fight this battle. David said this banner must be “displayed” (v 4). Also in verse 12 he declares, “we shall do valiantly.” We all have the responsibility to uphold and declare God’s Truth. This is not just for the pastors, elders or ministers of God; it is for every Christian. The youths must fight against the powerful pull of the world. Fathers and mothers must ensure that God’s Truth is observed in their homes. Christians must keep on striving towards holiness and purity. The Church must continue to declare the true Gospel found in God’s Word. We can take comfort because we know we have God’s Word as our banner displayed.
There are still battles we have to fight. The enemies we face may seem overwhelming and powerful. We may be tempted to retreat and give up, but God’s Truth must still be lifted up and God’s Truth must still lead us on. This is why we can march on, because God stands for those who stand for His Truth.
The Far Eastern Bible College has, by God’s grace, fought and won many battles in the past. God has granted victory in the three crises which the college had faced. There were other battles against sin which the college had fought against. But we must not be so foolish to think that the war is over. Satan will still seek to attack God’s Church and College. The battle for God’s perfect Bible—the doctrine of the Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) of God’s Word—is still going on. In a way, God has granted victory when the court of law recognised that the doctrine of VPP in no way contradicts the Bible-Presbyterian Church’s historical position on God’s Word, nor the historic Westminster Confession of Faith of 1646. Nevertheless, we know that Satan will not stop to destroy God’s Word and work. There will still be battles we have to fight, enemies we have to face. We may feel overwhelmed and discouraged when the battle is long and hard, and we may feel fearful because of the uncertainties that lie ahead of us and what our foes will next throw at us, but our confidence is in God’s Banner—His Name, His Truth, His Word. God’s Word still directs, unites and encourages us.
Let us acknowledge our God and His Word, and display the banner of Truth given to us, and march forward in the name of Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Chinese Fellowship 2nd Anniversary Thanksgiving at the home of Dn and Mrs Tai Mern Yee, November 10, 2012
