Is my life a clear sign

Hebrew words can mostly be traced back to a parent word, from which several ‘children’ are derived. This root word is usually a verb depicting everyday actions in the Hebrew culture. The Hebrew word for pole is nes which comes from the verb nasas, meaning ‘to gleam from afar, to see a sign from far off.’ The snake elevated on the pole in the wilderness could easily be seen by everybody who wanted to look up and search for it.

We can then understand that the word nissi, meaning banner is also derived from nasas – in ancient Israel, every tribe of Israel identified with their own unique banner which would hang at the entrance of their cities, seen from far off as people travelled through the land.

The event described in Ex 17:15 – Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner happened just after Joshua defeated Amalek, with the help of Moses standing on top of a hill holding up the rod of God. When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. Once again, as Moses was uplifted on a hill, he was a sign easily seen from far off.

We read in John 3:14-15 that Jesus too became an elevated sign to be seen from afar:  Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up [on the cross], so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

 Because the three words pole, banner and cross all originate from nasas, they are connected! They all depict a sign being lifted up, so that life and salvation can be given to the dying.

Leaders in ancient Israel would erect a nes (pole with a flag) high on a hilltop, visible to all who were living in the surrounding areas, whenever they needed their troops to rally together. This knowledge explains the meaning of the words of Isaiah 11:10,12 In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth. Isaiah sees the Messiah Jesus as the standard-bearer of the Lord, Who summons the exiles of Israel and musters the nations. This gives special meaning to the words of Jesus in John 12:32-33 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

Points to ponder: Is my life, my way of going about my everyday business, a sign that can be seen from afar? A sign that shows the way to life and salvation to the spiritually dying people around me. Or do I live a life of compromise with the worldly ways of the culture I live in? Can people easily see that I follow Jesus – because my life displays His purity and truth – even if it goes against what my culture regards as acceptable behaviour?