Introduction: Today my Biblical quote is from the NKJV. Because today is Australia Day and here, every year. there are a lot of hassles about what day it should be or what the flag should look like. Personally I love our flag and the symbolism in it. I believe that while there are, of course, flags for different things, we are one nation and if Australian citizens we are one people! I think old English was very similar to Hebrew where ‘the standard held high’ was a long flowing flag-like thing, and thus the ESV translates the standard as ‘a flowing river’ to call people to stand and ‘fight’ in unison! I think that they on this occasion missed the meaning of the words. But the word ‘standard’ used as a flag or an emblem to be held high is not the only meaning of the word!
Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him
That there was no justice.
He saw that there was no man,
And wondered that there was no intercessor;
Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;
And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay,
Fury to His adversaries,
Recompense to His enemies;
The coastlands He will fully repay.
So shall they fear
The name of the LORD from the west,
And His glory from the rising of the sun;
When the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.
“The Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,”
Says the LORD.
“As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the LORD, “from this time and forevermore.”
Comment: The word standard has multiple meanings e.g. 1. The required mark which you must reach or get a higher one to be considered a pass. 2. It can be used to describe what is usual and average. An example – the standard has been set that men will not swear in the presence of woman. (At least that was the general standard as I grew up in Australia!) 3. An expected standard of morality. And as an example you might think that the standard of morals is obviously dropping in the majority of Western countries. I certainly think that way. Let us look at these concepts above, from a Christian perspective. 1. God’s pass mark is 100%. No person ever achieved 100% apart from Jesus. 2. Our mark as average people get no where the pass mark of perfection! If you or I think that we are perfect, just ask anyone who knows us as individuals! Thank God that He is covering the ragged clothes of our own goodness by the perfection of Jesus’ Righteousness, if we trust Him to do so! 3. Having covered over our own failure God expects us not be the same as before or static. His standards are to become our standards and with the aid of the Holy Spirit we are expected to be changed and changing until we die. At death we are judged but as Children by Faith we are automatically let into God’s Heaven!
But the use of the word ‘standard’ as a flag, as a rallying point, as a call to victory also applies to us Christians. As seen here the ”flag”standard here is as complex as a royal standard! So lets look at it again tomorrow!
Proverbs 20: 23 – Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD, And dishonest scales are not good. &26- A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.
Prayer: Help me not to be a hypocrite with different standards of speaking and acting, my Lord.
As I read it! 