GOD's battle FLAG

 

Isaiah 31:9

King James Version

9 And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, 

and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, 

saith the Lord, 

whose fire is in Zion, 

and his furnace in Jerusalem.

What an intriguing verse, about GOD's "ensign".

How Israel's enemies fled in fear.

But what does "ensign" mean?

We turn to other Bible versions:

Isaiah 31:9

Amplified Bible

9 “His rock [his stronghold] will pass away because of panic,

And his princes will be terrified at the [sight of the battle] standard,”

Declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

Christian Standard Bible

9 His rock[a] will pass away because of fear,

and his officers will be afraid because of the signal flag.

This is the Lord’s declaration—whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

Common English Bible

9 In horror they will flee from their stronghold;

    their officers will be terrified at the signal,

        says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion

        and whose oven is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

Darby Translation

9 and for fear, he shall pass over to his rock, and his princes shall be afraid of the banner, saith Jehovah, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

Expanded Bible

9 ·They will panic, and [From terror] their ·protection [or strong ones; rock] will be destroyed.

    Their ·commanders [officers; princes] will be terrified when they see ·God’s battle flag [L the standard/flag],”

says the Lord,

    whose fire is in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 1:27]

and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

1599 Geneva Bible

9 And he shall go for fear to his [a]tower, and his princes shall be afraid of the standard, saith the Lord, whose [b]fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

GOD’S WORD Translation

9 In terror they will run to their stronghold,

and their officers will be frightened at ⌞the sight of⌟ the battle flag.

The Lord declares this. His fire is in Zion and his furnace is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

International Children’s Bible

9 They will panic, and their place of safety will be destroyed.

    Their commanders will be terrified when they see God’s battle flag.”

The Lord said all these things.

    The Lord’s fire is in Jerusalem.

    His furnace is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

International Standard Version

9 Their stronghold will vanish by reason of terror,

    and their commanders will be filled with alarm

        because of the battle standard,”

declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion

    and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

Lexham English Bible

9 And his rock will pass over because of terror,

    and his officers will be terrified because of the flag,”

    declares[a] Yahweh,

who has a fire in Zion

    and has a furnace in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

Living Bible

9 Even their generals will quake with terror and flee when they see the battle flags of Israel, says the Lord. For the flame of God burns brightly in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

New English Translation

9 They will surrender their stronghold[a] because of fear;[b]

their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.”[c]

This is what the Lord says—

the one whose fire is in Zion,

whose firepot is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

New International Reader's Version

9 Their hiding places will be destroyed

    when terror strikes them.

Their commanders will see their enemy’s battle flags.

    Then they will be filled with panic,”

    announces the Lord.

His fire blazes out from Mount Zion.

    His furnace burns in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

New Life Version

9 “His safe place will pass away because of fear. And his rulers will be afraid of the flags lifted up,” says the Lord, Whose fire is in Zion and Whose place of burning is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:9

New Living Translation

9 Even the strongest will quake with terror,

    and princes will flee when they see your battle flags,”

says the Lord, whose fire burns in Zion,

    whose flame blazes from Jerusalem.

In SUMMARY, GOD's "ensign" means:

the [sight of the battle] standard

the signal flag

the signal

the banner

God’s battle flag [L the standard/flag]

the standard

the battle flag

God's battle flag

the battle standard

the flag

the battle flags of Israel

the Lord’s battle flag

their enemy’s battle flags

the flags lifted up

your battle flags

A battle flag is described here:

"A war flag, also known as a military flag, battle flag, or standard,[1] is a variant of a national flag for use by a country's military forces when on land. The nautical equivalent is a naval ensign. Under the strictest sense of the term, few countries today currently have proper war flags, most preferring to use instead their state flag or standard national flag for this purpose."

   -- Wikipedia

That's what the LORD will do for Israel.

He will defend His chosen nation,

Isaiah 31:5

King James Version

5 As birds flying, 

so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; 

defending also he will deliver it; 

and passing over he will preserve it.

from the Assyrians.

Isaiah 31:8

King James Version

8 Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, 

not of a mighty man;

 and the sword, not of a mean man, 

shall devour him: 

but he shall flee from the sword, 

and his young men shall be discomfited.

GOD's wrath falls upon all enemies of Israel.

The LORD declared that, early on:

Genesis 12:3

King James Version

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, 

and curse him that curseth thee: 

and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Related material:

Why GOD Chose ISRAEL

God's COVENANTS with Israel

ISRAEL is the APPLE of God's EYE

Israel's FAITHFUL GOD

GOD's WRATH

GOD's POWER

Image: Png Wing

On repentant ISRAEL

 

2 Chronicles 7:14

King James Version

14 If my people, 

which are called by my name, 

shall humble themselves, 

and pray, 

and seek my face, 

and turn from their wicked ways; 

then will I hear from heaven, 

and will forgive their sin, 

and will heal their land.

The previous post spoke of backsliding Israel.

GOD punishes, accordingly.

What happens when His people turn back to Him?

What does GOD do?

Here's what we found:

Judges 2:16

King James Version

16 Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, 

which delivered them 

out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

Judges 2:18

King James Version

18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, 

then the Lord was with the judge, 

and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies 

all the days of the judge: 

for it repented the Lord because of their groanings 

by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

Judges 6:6-14

King James Version

6 And Israel was greatly impoverished 

because of the Midianites; 

and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord.

7 And it came to pass, 

when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord 

because of the Midianites,

8 That the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, 

which said unto them, 

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, 

I brought you up from Egypt, 

and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, 

and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, 

and drave them out from before you, 

and gave you their land;

10 And I said unto you, 

I am the Lord your God; 

fear not the gods of the Amorites, 

in whose land ye dwell: 

but ye have not obeyed my voice.

11 And there came an angel of the Lord, 

and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, 

that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: 

and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, 

to hide it from the Midianites.

12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, 

and said unto him, 

The Lord is with thee, 

thou mighty man of valour.

13 And Gideon said unto him, 

Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, 

why then is all this befallen us? 

and where be all his miracles 

which our fathers told us of, 

saying, 

Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? 

but now the Lord hath forsaken us, 

and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

14 And the Lord looked upon him, 

and said, 

Go in this thy might, 

and thou shalt save Israel 

from the hand of the Midianites: 

have not I sent thee?

Judges 10:10-12

King James Version

10 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, 

saying, 

We have sinned against thee, 

both because we have forsaken our God, 

and also served Baalim.

11 And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, 

Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, 

and from the Amorites, 

from the children of Ammon, 

and from the Philistines?

12 The Zidonians also, 

and the Amalekites, 

and the Maonites, did oppress you;

and ye cried to me, 

and I delivered you out of their hand.

Judges 13:1-5

King James Version

13 And the children of Israel did evil again 

in the sight of the Lord; 

and the Lord delivered them 

into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

2 And there was a certain man of Zorah,

of the family of the Danites, 

whose name was Manoah; 

and his wife was barren, and bare not.

3 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, 

and said unto her, 

Behold now, 

thou art barren, and bearest not: 

but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

4 Now therefore beware, 

I pray thee, 

and drink not wine nor strong drink, 

and eat not any unclean thing:

5 For, lo, 

thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; 

and no razor shall come on his head: 

for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God 

from the womb: 

and he shall begin to deliver Israel 

out of the hand of the Philistines.

Note what GOD did for repentant Israel:

then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land

the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them

the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge

the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel

the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

I delivered you out of their hand

the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son...he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines

More on Israel's FAITHFUL GOD here.

Related material:

GOD's chosen NATION

When NATIONS play the harlot

On backsliding ISRAEL

Israel's FAITHFUL GOD

GOD's LOVE

GOD's WRATH

GOD's GRACE

GOD's MERCY

REPENTANCE

SALVATION 

JUDGMENT

BORN AGAIN articles

Image: Free Bible Images

On backsliding ISRAEL

 

Psalm 106:40-41

King James Version

40 Therefore was the wrath of the Lord 

kindled against his people, 

insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; 

and they that hated them ruled over them.

Man's heart is really corrupt.

It's always been a cycle of sin.

Of obedience, and disobedience.

Of sinning, and repentance.

Of repentance, and backsliding.

Of gratitude, and ingratitude.

Of humility, and pride.

But GOD would have none of such unfaithfulness, and nonsense.

In His GREAT wrath, here's what the LORD did to backsliding Israel:

Judges 2:11-14

King James Version

11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, 

and served Baalim:

12 And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, 

which brought them out of the land of Egypt, 

and followed other gods, 

of the gods of the people that were round about them, 

and bowed themselves unto them, 

and provoked the Lord to anger.

13 And they forsook the Lord, 

and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

14 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, 

and he delivered them 

into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, 

and he sold them 

into the hands of their enemies round about, 

so that they could not any longer stand 

before their enemies.

Judges 3:7-8

King James Version

7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, 

and forgat the Lord their God, 

and served Baalim and the groves.

8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, 

and he sold them 

into the hand of  Chushanrishathaim 

king of Mesopotamia: 

and the children of Israel 

served Chushanrishathaim eight years.

Judges 4:1-2

King James Version

4 And the children of Israel 

again did evil in the sight of the Lord, 

when Ehud was dead.

2 And the Lord sold them 

into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, 

that reigned in Hazor; 

the captain of whose host was Sisera, 

which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

Judges 6:1

King James Version

6 And the children of Israel 

did evil in the sight of the Lord: 

and the Lord delivered them 

into the hand of Midian seven years.

Judges 10:6-7

King James Version

6 And the children of Israel 

did evil again in the sight of the Lord, 

and served Baalim, 

and Ashtaroth, 

and the gods of Syria, 

and the gods of Zidon, 

and the gods of Moab, 

and the gods of the children of Ammon, 

and the gods of the Philistines, 

and forsook the Lord, and served not him.

7 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, 

and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, 

and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

Judges 10:11-14

King James Version

11 And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, 

Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, 

and from the Amorites, 

from the children of Ammon, 

and from the Philistines?

12 The Zidonians also, 

and the Amalekites, 

and the Maonites, did oppress you; 

and ye cried to me, 

and I delivered you out of their hand.

13 Yet ye have forsaken me,

 and served other gods: 

wherefore I will deliver you no more.

14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; 

let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

Judges 13:1

King James Version

13 And the children of Israel 

did evil again in the sight of the Lord; 

and the Lord delivered them 

into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

1 Samuel 12:9

King James Version

9 And when they forgat the Lord their God, 

he sold them into the hand of Sisera,

captain of the host of Hazor, 

and into the hand of the Philistines,

 and into the hand of the king of Moab, 

and they fought against them.

2 Kings 13:1-3

King James Version

13 In the three and twentieth year of Joash 

the son of Ahaziah king of Judah 

Jehoahaz the son of Jehu 

began to reign over Israel in Samaria, 

and reigned seventeen years.

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, 

and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, 

which made Israel to sin; 

he departed not therefrom.

3 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, 

and he delivered them 

into the hand of Hazael king of Syria,

and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, 

all their days.

Jeremiah 29:21

King James Version

21 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, 

the God of Israel, 

of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, 

and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, 

which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; 

Behold, I will deliver them 

into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; 

and he shall slay them before your eyes;

Jeremiah 34:21

King James Version

21 And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes 

will I give into the hand of their enemies, 

and into the hand of them that seek their life, 

and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, 

which are gone up from you.

Note where backsliding Israel ended up:

into the hand of the heathen

into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them

into the hands of their enemies round about

into the hand of  Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia

into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan

into the hand of Midian seven years

into the hands of the Philistines

into the hands of the children of Ammon

into the hand of the Philistines forty years

into the hand of the Philistines

into the hand of the king of Moab

into the hand of Hazael king of Syria

into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days

into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon

into the hand of their enemies

into the hand of them that seek their life

into the hand of the king of Babylon's army

I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

They were either "given", "delivered", or "sold" to their enemies.

That's over a period of seven, 40, and a lifetime of years.

We surely don't anger our GOD, with our idolatry, and unfaithfulness.

The next post reveals how GOD responded to repentant Israel.

Related material:

GOD's chosen NATION

When NATIONS play the harlot

On repentant ISRAEL

Israel's FAITHFUL GOD

What are ABOMINATIONS to GOD?

On man's rebelliousness

AWARENESS of sin

The MAGNIFICENCE and MAJESTY of GOD

GOD's POWER

GOD's WRATH

BORN AGAIN articles

SPIRIT of GOD

Image: Free Bible Images