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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340. That 'she said, I have gained a man, Jehovah' means that with those called Cain faith was known and acknowledged as something existing by itself is clear from what has been stated in the preliminary sections of this chapter. ¹ Previously they had not so to speak known what faith was, for what they possessed was a perception of everything that constituted faith. But once they started to make distinct and separate doctrine out of faith they drew on things which had been with them matters of perception and reduced them to doctrine. This doctrine they called 'I have gained a man, Jehovah', as though they had come upon something new. So that which had previously been written on the heart was now made into factual knowledge. In early times people used to find a name for anything that was new, and used to attach explanations as to what such names embodied. For example, to indicate what Ishmael meant, the explanation was added, Jehovah hearkened to her affliction', Genesis 16:11; what Reuben meant, 'Jehovah has seen my affliction', Genesis 29:32; what Simeon meant, 'Jehovah heard that she was less loved', ibid. Verse 33; and what Judah meant, 'This time I will confess Jehovah', ibid. Verse 35. The altar built by Moses was called 'Jehovah is my banner', Exodus 17:15. And here likewise doctrine concerning faith is called 'I have gained a man, Jehovah', which is what Cain meant.

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