The Battle Standard

 "After [the raising of Lazarus] many of the Jews who had accompanied Mary and observed what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went off to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Consequently, the Pharisees and chief priests summoned the council and said, “What can we do? This man obviously shows many remarkable signs..." John 11

To me, what's "remarkable" about these remarks in the Jewish Council is actually two-fold: it's what they admit about Jesus and how they actually say it.

Firstly, their admission: "This man obviously shows many remarkable signs." They're past the point now of sending exploratory missions to the countryside of Galilee to check into rumors about this Teacher; they now accept that He is, in fact, a doer of miracles. Isn't that an interesting turn to observe?

Secondly, the way they say it. In the Greek, John gives their statement about "signs" using the word σημεῖα - a word that almost equally can be translated as "signs" and also - how good is this?! - "flags" and, even, "battle standards." You know what I'm talking about? Those colorful heraldic flags that would go out with regiments and divisions, showing their fighting reputations and qualities?

Now understand that Jesus, by His doing of signs and wonders, by showing us that power of the Godhead, was actually showing us the battle standard of the Army of Heaven. He rode out before it, as its initial lone combatant, and by His life and lifestyle and power and personality gave us the full flavor of the war that's to come. And who will win that war...

Let's ride out with Him today, our glorious Standard-Bearer. We have nothing to fear with Him at the head.