Banners, flags, or streamers are used as identifiers. They are used for three main purposes: to identify a group, to claim possession of a space or territory and to lend festivity to a celebration. Banners are rallying points, physically and spiritually.
The context of banners used in the Bible is mostly military. The banner of victory is ascribed to God. In Exodus 17:15, Moses celebrates the victory of the Amalekites by building an altar and calling its name “The LORD is My Banner.”
The remaining instances of the word banner are in the Song of Songs. The Shulamite woman is taken into the banqueting house and His banner over her is love (Song 2: 4). The banner is raised in celebration and possession.
Banners demonstrate God’s presence exalted in our midst, to declare the name of Jesus before men and before the powers of darkness. Banners declare our Lord’s dominion and claim spiritual territory, ushering in the presence of the Ho]y Spirit. Banners bestow honor and make His praise glorious! (Psalm 66:2)
Just as we communicate our feelings to our Heavenly Father through prayer, we can also express our heart to Him through worship with banners, flags and streamers. A banner can represent God’s love, mercy, truth, healing etc...It is also a powerful weapon against the enemy. “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.” (2 Corinthians 10:4, NLT)
We are not fighting spiritual battles with flags, but raising a banner in Glory to proclaim honor to the King who has already won all of our battles. “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chron.20:14, 15)
A picture is said to be worth a thousand words. A flag can be used to express ideas that would otherwise take many words to convey. A waving flag repeats the message it is proclaiming as long as it is being waved. For example:
A purple flag can say: "Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords!"
A red flag can say: "We are covered by the blood of Jesus!"
A green flag can say: "I am the healed of the Lord!"
A flag declares before heaven and earth, what is in a person’s heart-the one waving the flag, and the body of believers that the flag bearer represents.
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are blameless towards Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
As we lift up Jesus in the land, likewise He lifts us up as His standard among the peoples.
“And the Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of His people, for they shall be as the [precious] jewels of a crown, lifted high over and shining glitteringly upon His land.” (Zechariah 9:16, AMP)
