Isaiah 10:16-18 16Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. 17And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day; 18And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.
Spiritually speaking, when I think of a standard bearer in modern times I think of someone in spiritual leadership trusted to uphold the standard of God. Good spiritual leadership bears the extremely high responsibility to uphold the holy standard of God, which gives safety and direction to God’s Army the church. When a standard bearer faints, there's a great fallout and a severe price to pay for everyone involved. In our day, you can safely say that the standard bearers in this nation have completely abandoned their post and the standard they are charged to keep. Because of that, a false and unrighteous standard has been risen in its place. And because the standard bearers have fainted and the enemy has overran the land. In order to correct this and save the land we must look back to the Word of God, repair the breach, and by the grace of God re-raise the standard back to where it belongs. As Christians we are all called to be standard bearers to some degree. My hope is today we will see the importance of the standard we carry and bear it with honor and strength knowing the great price everyone around us will pay if we faint.
Define standard bearer - An officer of an army, company or troop, that bears a standard; an ensign of infantry or a cornet of horse.
Define Standard 1. An ensign of war; a staff with a flag or colors.
2. A War Banner for a military unit.
3. That which is established by sovereign power as a rule or measure by which others are to be adjusted.
Even the America Flag was held up on the battlefield and called the Star Spangled Banner. And the rockets' red glare, The bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night, That our flag was still there.” They got that from the Bible. The Flag represents a Standard of Freedom for all men and one nation under God.
Every Tribe of Israel had a banner, otherwise known as a standard, that showed who they belonged to and the moral standard they were submitted under. This unites the people and brings them in agreeance if they can submit.
Every Tribe is camped under their standard Numbers 1:52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. (The Kingdom of God is an army. An army is organized and in agreement when it comes to the standards, rules, and code of conduct. If they choose not to submit and be in agreement to the standard they are not one and they will be fractured, divided, and ineffective. God wants discipleship. He wants unity. He wants submission to leadership and to the standard. And then He will rise up and defeat the enemies through His People.)
Numbers 2:1-2 1And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. (For us this can represent our local churches. We should be submitted and in agreement to a standard together at the local level that is even more strict than the overall cooperate standard.)
God gives us the standard for the people Isaiah 49:22-23 22Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. 23And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. ( The standard is holiness! 1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.)
Exodus 17:15 15And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: (Jehovahnissi means the Lord our Banner. God is our standard and under Him we will prevail just like Moses prevailed against the Amelikites coming into the promised land.)
The plumbline shows the original standard Amos 7:7-8 7Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. 8And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more. (The Plumbline represents the Word of God and the Lord judges His people by that original standard. The temple is measured by the plumbline to make sure it is perfect. Let us take heed to the standard given through the plumbline and live!!)
What happens when leaders do not uphold God’s standard?
When a church leader falls into sin it is devastating for all. Many people blaspheme God and the way of righteousness because of these men’s failure. I believe if you understand how big of a deal it is to sin against God and you fear God you will never do it again. If you faint and drop the standard, whether it is by sinning or having corrupt doctrine you are giving God’s enemies occasion to blaspheme. This not not only hurts men and breaks up the church, it hurts the heart of God and brings shame on him. For example when David sinned it ruined his whole life and those around him and he suffered the rest of his life because of it.
A Standard Bearer has to be a Pillar Revelation 3:11-13 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. ( The armor-bearer was known to get paid more than other soldiers because his life expectancy was so low. Hold the Line and lay your life down if that’s what it takes to uphold God’s Standard! Keep the breach closed! And be a steadfast and immovable standard bearer.)
Leaders must be just, ruling in the Fear of God 2 Samuel 23:2-3 2The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
The People mourn when the wicked are in power Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
People do whats right in their own eyes when there's no good leadership Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
All leaders of every type are called to raise the standard for the people. The Standard for all men is righteousness and holiness.
The standard will proceed from the priest's lips Malachi 2:7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
God’s priests teach holiness Ezekiel 44:23-24 23And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.
Prepare ye the Way of the People by raising the Standard Isaiah 62:10-12 10Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. 11Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 12And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
The standard protects the people from the enemy Isaiah 59:19-20 19So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. 20And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. (The standard of holiness protects us from the enemy. It is the covenant of God and shall never leave our lips. By doing this there will be no sin in the camp. No breach in the wall. )
A standard banner of truth has been given Psalms 60:4-7 4Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. 5That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me. 6God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
Define Banner - 1. A square flag; a military ensign; the principal standard of a prince or state. (The banner is raised to show the standard. As long as the banner was raised it showed victory! The raising of the standard banner is always going to bring conflict because it is a declaration of truth, which stands against all the enemies and their lies.)
God’s promise to His faithful beloved soldiers Isaiah 41:8-13 8But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. 9Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. 10Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 11Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. 12Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. 13For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. (His banner over me is love Song of Solomon 2:4 4He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.)
Lift up the Banner / Raise the Standard Isaiah 13:2-22 2Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. 3I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness. 4The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. 5They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. 6Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. 7Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: 8And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. 9Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. 13Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. 14And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. 15Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. 16Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
Do Not Faint Proverbs 24:10 10If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
Don't let the devil wear you out Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Stay disciplined to keep your focus on God. Make Seeking the Lord your priority. Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.)
We are preparing to stand in the Evil Day Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
We are preparing to stand before the Son of Man Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
The sinners will faint and not be planted Isaiah 40:22-31 22It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: 23That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. 24Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. 25To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. 27Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? 28Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 29He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
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