A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.”

• Isaiah 30:17

All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it.

• Isaiah 18:3

But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.

• Psalm 60:4

In the USA yesterday, it was Flag Day.  The first USA flag was adopted on 14 June 1777 by the Second Continental Congress.  Having the day as Flag Day commemorates that occasion.  Not many communities celebrate flag day, but in this modern age of having flags, not necessarily the USA flag, flying from people’s porches all year long, it masks those that might do it individually.

This quiz is about verses containing the word “banner”, not flag.  Banners were used to identify groups of people.  This may be an insignificant change in the terminology, but whether flag (used once in the Scriptures as “flagstaff.”) or banner, it is a symbol of the group of people carrying or lifting that banner.

Banner is mentioned 18 times in the Bible.  All of the references are in the Old Testament.

The Questions:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	What did Moses build and then name “The Lord is my Banner” after the Israelites defeated the Amalekites at Rephidim?
2	After their first census, where did the Israelites gather around holding their family banners?
3	Psalm 20 tells us to raise our banners unto the Lord because of what emotion for what outcome?
4	When He brings She to the banquet hall, may his banner over her be what in the Song of Songs?
5	Again in Song of Songs, He says that She is beautiful as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, and majestic as what (who) with banners.
6	What happens when God’s anger burns brightly and He lifts His banner and whistles to the ends of the earth?
7	Who will be the banner for the people and also raise the banner for all the exiles of Israel to gather?
8	A prophecy in Isaiah against what nation begins “Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them …”
9	The same nation in question 8 is being cursed in Jeremiah 50-51.  In the first mention of raising banners against her.  Jeremiah states that Bel is put to shame and Marduk is filled with terror.  Jeremiah then repeats this to show who Bel and Marduk are.  Who (what) are Bel and Marduk?
10	Ezekiel provides a lament for an island city-nation, saying that at one time fine linen from Egypt acted as a sail, a banner for the city?

When I was taking courtesy and customs classes in Army ROTC, I was told that even when a higher ranking officer had shown good reason to not be respected, you still saluted that officer.  Also, when meeting ladies outdoors, the custom for the officer is to salute them.

Why make those distinctions?  Why those customs?

Remember that the theme is the flag.  There is a flag on the shoulder of the military uniform.  Dress uniforms, it is full colors.  With work uniforms, it is subdued colors.

Thus, in saluting a higher ranking officer, you salute the flag, and the higher ranking officer returns the salute, saluting the flag on the lower ranking personnel.

As for greeting ladies outdoors, you cannot tip your hat.  That would be a uniform violation.  And a bow would be the same as dipping the flag.  An Army officer is taught to never dip the USA flag.  Thus, the only other option to honor the ladies is to salute.  During the national anthem, the American flag is never dipped, while all other flags in the color guard are dipped.  For a year, I was color guard commander (carrying the US flag) for all home football and basketball games at my alma mater.

Bible References:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	What did Moses build and then name “The Lord is my Banner” after the Israelites defeated the Amalekites at Rephidim?	Exodus 17:15
2	After their first census, where did the Israelites gather around holding their family banners?	Numbers 2:2
3	Psalm 20 tells us to raise our banners unto the Lord because of what emotion for what outcome?	Psalm 20:5
4	When He brings She to the banquet hall, may his banner over her be what in the Song of Songs?	Song of Songs 2:2
5	Again in Song of Songs, He says that She is beautiful as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, and majestic as what (who) with banners.	Song of Songs 6:4
6	What happens when God’s anger burns brightly and He lifts His banner and whistles to the ends of the earth?	Isaiah 5:26
7	Who will be the banner for the people and also raise the banner for all the exiles of Israel to gather?	Isaiah 11:10-12
8	A prophecy in Isaiah against what nation begins “Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them …”	Isaiah 13:2
9	The same nation in question 8 is being cursed in Jeremiah 50-51.  In the first mention of raising banners against her.  Jeremiah states that Bel is put to shame and Marduk is filled with terror.  Jeremiah then repeats this to show who Bel and Marduk are.  Who (what) are Bel and Marduk?	Jeremiah 50:2
10	Ezekiel provides a lament for an island city-nation, saying that at one time fine linen from Egypt acted as a sail, a banner for the city?	Ezekiel 27:7

The flag on the US military uniform is “backwards” in most descriptions, but it is not.  The blue field is always to the left when displayed as a flag.  But when on a flagpole, the blue field is against the flagstaff.  Thus, if moving forward with the force to unfurl the flag behind you, the blue field leads the way.  It is the mindset of the military to advance forward and not retreat.  Thus, a US flag on the right sleeve of a US military uniform will have the blue field to the right, toward the front of the uniform.  Our focus is to advance, not retreat.

And flying the flag upside down, even placing a flag stamp on a letter upside down is a symbol of distress.  I have heard people doing that recently and their neighbors complaining of the “disrespect”.  Yet, in that person’s mind, our country is in distress.  Indeed, we have abandoned God, and that could be seen, and should be seen, as a sign of distress.

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The Answers:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	What did Moses build and then name “The Lord is my Banner” after the Israelites defeated the Amalekites at Rephidim?	Exodus 17:15	An altar
2	After their first census, where did the Israelites gather around holding their family banners?	Numbers 2:2	The Tent of Meeting
3	Psalm 20 tells us to raise our banners unto the Lord because of what emotion for what outcome?	Psalm 20:5	The joy for our victory
4	When He brings She to the banquet hall, may his banner over her be what in the Song of Songs?	Song of Songs 2:2	Love
5	Again in Song of Songs, He says that She is beautiful as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, and majestic as what (who) with banners.	Song of Songs 6:4	Troops (soldiers) And in the Army, there are Flags and banners, even in today’s army.
6	What happens when God’s anger burns brightly and He lifts His banner and whistles to the ends of the earth?	Isaiah 5:26	“They” will come, swiftly.  Meaning the nations used by God to punish the Israelites (Assyria and Babylon)
7	Who will be the banner for the people and also raise the banner for all the exiles of Israel to gather?	Isaiah 11:10-12	The Root of Jesse, Jesus
8	A prophecy in Isaiah against what nation begins “Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them …”	Isaiah 13:2	Babylon
9	The same nation in question 8 is being cursed in Jeremiah 50-51.  In the first mention of raising banners against her.  Jeremiah states that Bel is put to shame and Marduk is filled with terror.  Jeremiah then repeats this to show who Bel and Marduk are.  Who (what) are Bel and Marduk?	Jeremiah 50:2	Images and idols – false gods
10	Ezekiel provides a lament for an island city-nation, saying that at one time fine linen from Egypt acted as a sail, a banner for the city?	Ezekiel 27:7	Tyre

Whether you did well on this quiz or, ummm, not so well, for the first video, here is the Naval Academy Glee Club singing Eternal Father, Strong to Save.  Flag Day is sandwiched nearly halfway between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.  The Navy Hymn is a little different in wording than the hymn in the hymnals, and it is two short verses.  And you may wonder why an Army veteran is playing it, but the hymn in the hymnal speaks of land and sea, and a good officer should respect the other branches.  Who knows when you may need a naval bombardment or an air strike.

And here is the United States Army Field Band singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic.  Okay, I gave my side equal time.  Really, I looked for the Red Army version when they sang this hymn to Billy Graham during his historic crusade in the USSR.  They had no idea what the words meant.  It became quite apparent when they pronounced “lilies” as “lie-lees”.  But both versions work.

And here is the 82^nd Airborne Division Chorus singing My Girl on America’s Got Talent.  Far from a worship song, but since my last reserve duty assignment was at Corps headquarters, supporting the rapid deployment force, I included it.

And here is Kate Smith singing God Bless America in the movie This is the Army (1943).

People do not sing that last song as much anymore, and cancel culture has cancelled Kate Smith.  But I like both.  If we do not repent of our national sins, and turn back to God, we cannot expect God to bless us in this time of need.

If you like these Saturday morning Bible quizzes, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Saturday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.