YHWH’s third name, YHWH-nissi, was revealed at Rephidim (Exo. 17:8-9). Intriguingly, YHWH’s names for Unleavened Bread’s first and last days coincide with the first and last Sabbaths of the count before Mount Sinai. This suggests that the Unleavened Bread Festivals play a crucial role in the journey to the mountain of God. We saw Israel’s Warrior King freeing Israel from Egypt without lifting a weapon on the first day of Unleavened Bread, and on the last day of Unleavened Bread, He overcame Egypt’s army attempting to cross Yam Suph. YHWH-nissi, the Divine Warrior, fought for Israel and guided them, instilling a sense of security and trust. YHWH’s statutes made from the events at Marah and Rephidim, where He revealed His names YHWH-ropheka and YHWH-nissi respectively, further underline the association between the Unleavened Bread Feast and the first and last omer count Sabbaths before Sinai.

YHWH-nissi, which translates to “YHWH is My Banner,” symbolizes His position as the Divine Warrior who accompanies us in our battles and ensures our victory. This title is not a mere label but a testament to His immense power and might. At the Yam Suph crossing, Moses called upon Israel to witness the salvation of YHWH, assuring them that they would never again see their enemies. When we align ourselves under YHWH’s banner, under the flag of His kingdom, He engages in holy warfare on our behalf.

The name Rephidim, meaning “the intensity (plural) of strength and support from that which is at the bottom” (Jones, p. 308), teaches us to live by faith in His purpose and trust in His support. Two significant events at Rephidim highlight the conversion process each of us must undergo. Having just traversed the challenging mountainous passes of Dophkah and Alush, Israel found themselves without water at Rephidim. Their repeated expressions of distrust in Moses and YHWH at Yam Suph, Marah, and Rephidim surfaced as contention and tempting YHWH to prove He was among them.

From the beginning of their exodus from Egypt, YHWH had made a covenant with Israel that He would be with them (Hag. 2:5). Israel did not always see it, but they would see it if they continued walking. They were on a journey from death to life, from Egypt through the Sea to the mountain of God, where they would walk in His Torah, just as Adam and Eve walked with God on the mountain of Eden’s garden and ate of His wisdom. By worshiping their Creator, the children of Israel were connected, nourished, and holy. YHWH walked among His people in the Tabernacle, the portable Sinai, and then at Zion’s temple. How did YHWH change Israel from wanting to stone Moses to being yoked with YHWH, from unbelief to belief?

Standing before Israel on the rock in Horeb, YHWH told Moses to strike the rock for water to flow out for Israel. Water is often a metaphor for the Holy Spirit flowing out of the temple. Drinking the Holy Spirit out of the Rock transformed Israel to fight against their enemy, the Amalekites, at Rephidim. How the battle was won demonstrated how to engage in holy warfare against our spiritual enemies. 

Amalek was uniquely defeated as a witness to YHWH’s active presence among His people. Joshua chose an army to fight with Him while Moses stood on top of the hill with the rod of God in His hand. As long as Moses held up the rod of God, Joshua prevailed over Amalek. If Moses lowered his hands, Amalek prevailed. Aaron and Hur helped hold up Moses’ arms. Moses upraised hands, grasping YHWH’s rod, pictured prayer, and Joshua fought with the sword of God, depicting the Word of God. Rephidim’s two arms of strength and support from the Rock engage our enemy so that we may prevail. Prayer and the Word of God were the same tools Yeshua used to overcome Satan’s temptations. The four men symbolized YHWH’s power to save by the rod and sword of Israel’s Warrior King.

Who was Amalek that YHWH should wage war with them from generation to generation? They were a wandering tribe descended from Esau’s grandson, Amalek, Eliphaz’s son, by Timnah, his concubine. Esau took wives from the daughters of Canaan, to the dismay of Isaac and Rebecca (Gen. 26:34–35). Fausset’s Bible Dictionary describes their national characteristics as using guerrilla warfare “to defeat God’s purpose at the very outset, while Israel was as yet feeble, having just come out of Egypt” (FBD, Amalekites, Biblesoft). Like Esau, the Amalekites were influential people who were persistent in their refusal to recognize God’s plans for Israel. Asserting themselves as preeminent among nations, Amalek did not acknowledge Israel’s existence.

Traversing a similar journey as Israel of old, Yeshua’s body of believers prevail, having eaten the spiritual meat and drunk of the spiritual Rock. A firstfruits nation, they overcome fleshly lusts, the pride of life, and all that is in the world by YHWH dwelling in them, becoming His house founded upon the Rock. Though still in fleshly form, God’s new Israel upholds the rod of Elohim and wields a victorious sword of Joshua against the spirit of Amalek from generation to generation. God’s rod of divine intervention in His people’s affairs is held by those doing the will of God in Christ. They are those who “through faith subdue kingdoms, work righteousness, obtain promises, quench violence, become valiant in battle turning to flight the armies of evil, and escape the edge of the sword.” They are those who “were dead spiritually and were raised to life; out of weakness, they were made strong to the glory of God” (Heb. 11). Those who use their gifts build God’s house, honoring YHWH over humans. The rod upheld signifies God’s action, righteousness, justice, mercy, and love in the lives of His chosen who pray without ceasing.

The physical enactment of conversion’s spiritual dynamics (changing Israel’s inherent nature) and YHWH’s judgment upon those who steadfastly resisted His plan was so important that God instructed Moses to write it in a legal book that every succeeding ruler of Israel may recount it. Humanity’s Savior would come through Israel and fight against those resembling Amalek. Amalek sought to blot out YHWH’s purpose and name so humanity would remember it no more (Jer. 11:19, Psa. 83:4). God’s kingdom of Israel, those who prevailed in YHWH, could never be defeated.

Therefore, the rod of Elohim’s power, YHWH’s banner, became the icon of His salvation. Despite the odds, God fights for His people as long as Israel raises His banner. All nations shall see the glory of YHWH; all nations shall see the salvation of YHWH.

Takeaway: YHWH fought for Israel in Egypt and in the Sea, destroying their oppressors utterly. Depicted by the Rephidim events, we worship a God who fights for us to give us victory, changing our unbelief to belief. YHWH not only healed Israel by His stripes, but He fought their battles. YHWH’s names for Unleavened Bread are also the prime movers for Israel to walk the seven Sabbaths to reach Mount Sinai.

Fun Factors: YHWH-nissi has a letter sum 146, 2 × 73. 

Exo. 20:2a “I am YHWH your Elohim who brought you out” = 1206, 2 × 3² × 67

Moses (345) + Joshua (391) + Aaron (256) + Hur (214) = 1206, 18 × 19^th Prime 

(If 1206 is added to its reverse 6021, it equals 7227, 3² × 11 × 73, numbers linked to light)

Adding YHWH-nissi (146) to the sum of the four men (1206) totals 1352, 8 × 13², 34² + 14² or 4(17² + 7²), numerically saying God’s house (4) victory (17) complete (7), a new beginning (8) for the once rebellious (13).