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What Does Nēs Mean For The Knicks & Lionel Messi?

What Does Nēs Mean For The Knicks & Lionel Messi?

Last updated on: June 19, 2026 at 11:07 am by Martin Thomas Johnson

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What Does Nēs Mean For The Knicks & Lionel Messi? 2026-06-19T11:07:07-04:00 Martin Thomas Johnson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The big news this week has centered on the sports world, with the New York Knicks winning their first NBA title in 53 years. Not only did they win, but the team won the last two games in dramatic fashion by overcoming insurmountable odds and coming from behind twice to clinch the title in the end.

Image by WikipediaCommons

They achieved the largest comeback in franchise history during game four, overcoming a 29-point deficit against the San Antonio Spurs. Afterwards, Karl Anthony Towns remembered his late mother, who inspired and encouraged him. As did the finals MVP, Jalen Brunson.

Fans and nonsports fans alike were both impressed by the team’s miraculous come from behind victory over the Spurs. But a standout moment for me was when Knicks’ guard Josh Hart gave God the glory for helping the team beat the odds and get the victory over and over.

It reminded me how God’s people are called to thank God and give him the glory for our successes (Psalm 105:1, Philippians 3: 17):

Health
Wealth
Protection
Greatness

Personally, I am not into sports, except for soccer, volleyball, and powerlifting. Each of which requires patience and discipline. I learned after my accident to always thank God for any blessings, big or small, because I shouldn’t be here today.

This is something President Trump and the UFC have failed to learn. Since we live in a fallen world, we all need God’s peace and strength. When I returned to the faith after six years living in the world, God showed me how He gives us strength, abilities, and success in life (Deuteronomy 8:18, Philippians 2:13). That is why God’s people proclaim that the Lord is our banner (Exodus 17:15, Colossians 2:15).

What Is a Banner

As I write this post, New York City is holding a big victory parade and celebration for the Knicks, and there are team banners everywhere showing the city’s support for their hometown heroes.

Image by Pixabay

It is natural to show support for and exalt who or what we credit or look up to. Banners have long been symbolic of what we believe and who we support. A banner is defined as “A physical or digital strip of material displaying a symbol, logo, slogan, or message: a representation.”

Banners can be worldly or spiritual. We are surrounded by banners that show us what people will value and where they place their hope. As God’s people, many Christians wear crosses, bracelets, and clothing to display their faith like a banner.

That is why the Bible has a lot to say about banners, how important they are, who it is, and how to use them (Isaiah 13:2, Acts 2:2-3, Revelation 1:1). God called for His people to be different and not live like this fallen world (2 Corinthians 6:17, 1 Peter 2:9).

God’s ways and victories are not like this fallen world’s (Psalm 20:7, 2 Corinthians 10:3-4). As God’s people, we know He works in mysterious and supernatural ways (Isaiah 55 8-9, John 3:8, Romans 11:33-34).

That is why God’s people are called to rely on God completely and not trust in ourselves or anyone else, for He is our banner (2 Corinthians 1:9, Philippians 4:6-7, Hebrews 13:5-6, James 1:5-6, 1 Peter 5:7). The disciples remembered their Jewish education about where we get our strength from and how we lift His banner!

Nēs

The Torah teaches us that God called His people out of this fallen world to be His holy representatives (Leviticus 19:2, Exodus 13:2, Deuteronomy 7:6). God promised to bless and give His people victory if they obeyed Him completely, unlike Adam and Eve (Exodus 23:22, Deuteronomy 28:1-14)

Israel declared God their God and named Him their banner (Exodus 3:14-15; 17:15, Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for banner is nēs, and it can also mean “Standard, pole, sign, or sail,” depending upon the context it is used in.

Although Israel was often unfaithful to God, He wasn’t and repeatedly gave them supernatural victories (Judges 2:16-18, 1 Samuel 7:10-12, 2 Chronicles 20:22-24). That is why they gave him the name Jehovah Nissi :

Victory over Pharaoh and Egypt
Victory over the Amalekites
Fall of Jericho
Gideon and his men overran Midian
Defeating the Syrian army
Conquest of Ai
Defeating the Canaanites
Samson’s defeat of the Philistines
David over Goliath
Battle of Eben

One of the things the New Testament writers do is connect Jesus ‘purpose and power to that of God in the Old Testament (Acts 2:32-36, 1 Corinthians 15:27-28, Romans 14:11, Ephesians 1:20-23, Philippians 2:9-11, Colossians 1:16-18, Hebrews 1:3-4; 2-9).

Image by Pixabay

Jesus Himself declared He had been given all the power in heaven and on earth to do God’s will (Matthew 28:18). It is a beautiful testimony of God’s saving power compared to the world’s. Jesus humbled Himself so that God could lift Him up as a banner for all who believe (Isaiah 11:10, Acts 5:31, Philippians 2:5-11).

Our Lord promised He has victory over the world and even death (Isaiah 25:8, John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Jesus is our high priest (4:14).

Lionel Messi

In other big news this week, the World Cup is well underway, and the banner of God is being lifted with the banners of the nations of this world by one of soccer’s greatest athletes.

Image by Wikipedia Commons

After his dominant performance and Argentina’s opening game, Lionel Messi, who is a practicing Catholic, gave thanks to God for his abilities and victories. Despite being worth over $1 billion, the premier athlete has remembered Jesus’ teaching about gaining the whole world (Matthew 16:26).

Messi remembers that it is God who gives us our health, wealth, and abilities, and only God gets all of the glory (Deuteronomy 8:18, 1 Chronicles 29:12, 1 Corinthians 10:31). It isn’t that God doesn’t want us to have things in life; He just doesn’t want us to worship them as idols like this fallen world:

Money
Power
Homes
Greatness

That is why God’s people take the name of Christian or holy, because we are set apart from this fallen world (1 Peter 2:9). Many conservatives have forgotten that this fallen world is not our permanent home (Philippians 3:20, Hebrews 13:14).

This world and everything in it are temporary; we must set our hearts and minds on an eternal home, because that is where God is leading us, like a Good Shepherd (Psalm 23:1, Isaiah 40:11). God doesn’t give us victory to stay in this world, but to prepare us for our eternal home with Jehovah Nissi!

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