Isaiah 59:19
I recall hearing several sermons on the lifting up of the standard when I was growing up in the church. It was often a rallying cry in a revival to bring holiness and sanctification back to the church that was drifting into worldliness and apathy. “Lift up the standard” came to be known as changing the shows that you watched; the way that you dressed; the words that you used and the people that you were associated with. “Our standards are too low” meant that we had lowered our convictions and sin was in the camp.
Having grown older both in years and in the wisdom of the Word, I have found that some of those commonly preached ideas were based on Bible verses, but the context was missing that would have given clarity to the scripture. The “standard” that Isaiah 59:19 tells us will be lifted up has nothing whatsoever to do with our works of righteousness, for the verse clearly states “the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him”. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to lift this “standard”; not mine! That is good news, but what is the “standard”?
In this particular verse, the standard is translated as “being taken away by flight”, meaning that the Spirit of the Lord takes us to safety. Other Hebrew translations of the standard have it as a large military banner which was held at the front of a column of troops or dwellings. In Israel, the tribes encamped 3 tribes deep on each of the four sides of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, using the standard as their plumb line so to speak. The standard would be on a long pole so that it could be hoisted high above the crowds.
Hebrew Rabbinical tradition says that the four large standards that were held up to mark the four segments of tents had different pictures on each standard. One had a picture of an eagle; one an ox; one a man and one a lion. This makes sense as these four pictures make up the four faces of the creature in heaven that Ezekiel saw in his vision (Ezekiel 1:10), and the one that John saw on Patmos (Revelation 4:7). In truth, these were not four distinct beasts, but they were the embodiment of Jesus Christ, whose character is each of these four representations.
When the enemy comes at you like a flood, the Holy Spirit, who is your rear guard (Isaiah 52:12) will lift up the standard against him. The standard shows forth the nature and character of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit knows nothing but to glorify Christ (John 16:14). As the face of Jesus is raised in front of the enemy, he must back away due to the finished work of the cross.
The standard that is raised will always warm and comfort you; not condemn and vilify you. If the message of “lift the standard” that you are hearing involves your works, and it condemns you and makes you feel inferior, then it is most assuredly not the workings of the Holy Spirit. The first mention of the Holy Spirit in Paul’s great letter to the church at Rome finds Him spreading the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5). If He spreads love and He lifts up the standard of Jesus in the face of the enemy, it stands to reason that this standard must be one of great love, right?
Let’s let the Bible answer the question for us. The Hebrew word for “standard” is ‘degel’ and it is found 14 times in the Old Testament. Thirteen times it is translated “standard”, but there is one time where it is uniquely translated as “banner”. Notice how the Holy Spirit glorifies the standard of Jesus and protects you with love both at the same time:
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love” (Song of Solomon 2:4).
I recall hearing several sermons on the lifting up of the standard when I was growing up in the church. It was often a rallying cry in a revival to bring holiness and sanctification back to the church that was drifting into worldliness and apathy. “Lift up the standard” came to be known as changing the shows that you watched; the way that you dressed; the words that you used and the people that you were associated with. “Our standards are too low” meant that we had lowered our convictions and sin was in the camp.
Having grown older both in years and in the wisdom of the Word, I have found that some of those commonly preached ideas were based on Bible verses, but the context was missing that would have given clarity to the scripture. The “standard” that Isaiah 59:19 tells us will be lifted up has nothing whatsoever to do with our works of righteousness, for the verse clearly states “the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him”. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to lift this “standard”; not mine! That is good news, but what is the “standard”?
In this particular verse, the standard is translated as “being taken away by flight”, meaning that the Spirit of the Lord takes us to safety. Other Hebrew translations of the standard have it as a large military banner which was held at the front of a column of troops or dwellings. In Israel, the tribes encamped 3 tribes deep on each of the four sides of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, using the standard as their plumb line so to speak. The standard would be on a long pole so that it could be hoisted high above the crowds.
Hebrew Rabbinical tradition says that the four large standards that were held up to mark the four segments of tents had different pictures on each standard. One had a picture of an eagle; one an ox; one a man and one a lion. This makes sense as these four pictures make up the four faces of the creature in heaven that Ezekiel saw in his vision (Ezekiel 1:10), and the one that John saw on Patmos (Revelation 4:7). In truth, these were not four distinct beasts, but they were the embodiment of Jesus Christ, whose character is each of these four representations.
When the enemy comes at you like a flood, the Holy Spirit, who is your rear guard (Isaiah 52:12) will lift up the standard against him. The standard shows forth the nature and character of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit knows nothing but to glorify Christ (John 16:14). As the face of Jesus is raised in front of the enemy, he must back away due to the finished work of the cross.
The standard that is raised will always warm and comfort you; not condemn and vilify you. If the message of “lift the standard” that you are hearing involves your works, and it condemns you and makes you feel inferior, then it is most assuredly not the workings of the Holy Spirit. The first mention of the Holy Spirit in Paul’s great letter to the church at Rome finds Him spreading the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5). If He spreads love and He lifts up the standard of Jesus in the face of the enemy, it stands to reason that this standard must be one of great love, right?
Let’s let the Bible answer the question for us. The Hebrew word for “standard” is ‘degel’ and it is found 14 times in the Old Testament. Thirteen times it is translated “standard”, but there is one time where it is uniquely translated as “banner”. Notice how the Holy Spirit glorifies the standard of Jesus and protects you with love both at the same time:
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love” (Song of Solomon 2:4).
