The Lord is called "Jehovah" in the Bible when the text is referring to his essence, which is love itself. He is called "God" when the text is referring to the expression of that love -- which is called Divine Truth. References to other gods, both positive and negative, reflect that meaning. In positive cases -- such as when angels and people are called gods, or when the Lord is referred to as the God of gods -- those gods represent true ideas that come to us from the Lord. In negative cases -- such as when the people of Israel repeatedly adopt the gods of their neighbors -- those gods represent false and twisted thinking that attacks what is good and true.

8624. 'And called the name of it Jehovah Nissi' means constant warfare and the Lord's protection against those steeped in falsity arising from interior evil. This is clear from the fact that the ancients in the Church gave names to indicate the essential nature and the state of whatever matter was under consideration then, and that also they included those things in the names themselves, 340, 1946, 3422, 4298. The nature and state of the matter under consideration here is that the war of Jehovah will be against Amalek from generation to generation, in the internal sense that war will be waged unceasingly against those steeped in falsity arising from interior evil. This is also meant by 'Jehovah Nissi'. In the original language Jehovah Nissi means Jehovah is my Banner or Standard, and 'standard' or 'banner' in the Word means a call to assemble for war. And because the words 'the war of Jehovah' are used, protection given by Him is also meant.

[2] That 'banner' or 'standard ' means a call to assemble for war is clear from the consideration that whenever the people were called to assemble, whether they were going to make journeys, celebrate feasts, or go to war, they sounded the trumpet and at the same time also lifted up a standard or banner on the mountains. For their sounding the trumpet, see Numbers 10:1-11; and the fact that they lifted up a standard or banner is evident from the following places: In Jeremiah,

Declare in Judah and cause to be heard in Jerusalem, and say, sounding the trumpet in the land, Proclaim, blow loudly, ¹ and say, Gather together, and let us go into the fortified cities Raise a banner towards Zion; assemble, do not stop Jeremiah 4:5-6.

In Isaiah,

O all inhabitants of the world and dwellers on earth, when the banner is lifted up, look; and when the trumpet is sounded, hear. Isaiah 18:3

In the same prophet,

He has lifted up a banner to the nations from afar, and whistled to him from the furthest end of the earth; and behold, he will come swiftly, with speed. Isaiah 5:26.

In the same prophet,

On a tall mountain lift up the banner, raise your voice to them, wave your hand, that they may come to the gate of the princes. Isaiah 13:2.

In the same prophet,

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, behold, I will lift up My hand towards the nations, and lift up My banner towards the peoples, that they may bring your sons in their bosom and carry your daughters on their shoulder. Isaiah 49:22.

From all these places it is evident that 'a banner' means an assembling together.

[3] The fact that 'a banner' or 'a standard', when used in reference to the Lord, also means protection is clear in Isaiah,

They will fear the name of Jehovah from the setting, and His glory from the rising of the sun, because He will come like a narrow stream. The spirit of Jehovah will raise a banner against him; then the Redeemer will come to Zion. Isaiah 59:19-20.

In the same prophet,

It will happen on that day, that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who is standing as a banner of the peoples; and His rest will be glory. Isaiah 11:10.

[4] Since a standard, for which the original language uses the same word as that used for a banner, meant an assembling together, and when spoken of in reference to the Lord also meant protection, it was explicitly commanded that the bronze serpent should be set on a standard. This is recorded in Moses as follows,

Jehovah said to Moses, Make a serpent and set it on a standard; and it will happen, that everyone who has been bitten, when he has looked at it, will live. And Moses made a serpent of bronze and set it on a standard. So it happened, if a serpent had bitten a man, when he looked at the serpent of bronze, that he was restored to life again. Numbers 21:8-9.

'The bronze serpent' represented the Lord, see John 3:14-15. The fact that it also meant protection is self-evident; for the healing effected by looking at the serpent on the standard meant healing from evils arising from falsity, effected by looking to faith in the Lord. For the Lord says in John, in the above mentioned verses,

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life.

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