God is my banner

My scripture today is Exodus 17:15. The Israelites
are on their way through the desert and they get
attacked for the first time, by a people called the
Amalekites, who are descendant's of Esau. In a later
re-telling of what happened, we will read that the
Amalekites attacked the weakest and slowest people
who were at the back of the group. We will also later
find Samuel as God's prophet, telling king Saul to
exterminate all the Amalekites. I am reviewing these facts
to call attention to reality that the Bible categorizes the
Amalekites as "bad".

The Hebrew word for Amalekite could be
loosely translated into colloquial English as,
"low-life" or "bottom-dweller".

The story is that these people attack the Israelites
and Joshua leads a battle against them. God instructs
Moses to hold up his staff, the same one he used when
confronting Pharaoh and parting the Red Sea, while
Joshua and his army fights below. When Moses gets
tired and lowers his staff, Joshua and the Israelites
begin losing the battle. Then Aron and Hur help Moses
hold up the staff and Joshua is able to win the
battle.

Then God speaks to Moses and says that He vows to blot
out the Amalekites and Moses declares a new revealed
name of God, "God is my banner". I think that
the word picture is of a banner, a standard lifted on a pole, or an
ensign; over the people of God. God as a banner
defends, protects, empowers and fights for His people
who come under Him for help. God is a banner over His
people, but not just a physical banner, but a spiritual one
that is a sign of God fighting on His people's behalf. He
fights for His people. I can get this revelation too.

What about when God's people are defeated?
My answer is that God has the last word.

All I can do is believe in God revealed and act on that belief.
Genuine faith believes despite the circumstances
because it is based on the word of God
whom it's confidence rests on.