♦ ♦ ♦
MELTON MESSAGE
♦ ♦ ♦
This message may be duplicated, shared, faxed, e-mailed, and distributed FREELY, but not for any monetary purposes.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
#M005
Spiritual Truths from the American Flag
Copyright © 2007 James L. Melton
“Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.
Selah.” (Psa. 60:4)
Our text says that a banner, or a flag, as we would call it, should be displayed “because of the truth.”
That is, a flag should tell a story.
Likewise, one who displays a flag should be able to tell a story about that flag. I would venture to
guess that most Americans who display our nation’s flag could tell a patriotic story or two, which is
good because the Bible says that a banner should be displayed “because of the truth.”
In addition to having a great national history, America has also had some pretty good spiritual
moments as well (in spite of her present sins), and, to this day, God uses American Christians,
probably more than anyone in the world, to fulfill His Great Commission.
With this being true—that America has a rich spiritual history and calling—let us glean a few spiritual
truths from our flag. In fact, what we are about to cover could be used as a great witnessing tool to the
lost. I have nothing against the standard Christian flag, but the American flag would make a pretty
good Christian flag as well.
Psalm 60:4 says, “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of
the truth. Selah.” Because of the truth; let’s focus on that for a while as we take a closer look at our
national flag . . .
I. THERE’S TRUTH IN ITS COLORS
Ask any ten people to tell you the colors of our flag and they’ll all say the same thing: RED, WHITE,
and BLUE, and in that order. Why do they never say it in another order? It’s always red, white, and
blue. That’s interesting since one must first be washed in the RED blood of Jesus Christ, then he
becomes WHITE as snow (Isa. 1:18), then he has a home in heaven, represented by the color BLUE.
Think of that! You get an abbreviated plan of salvation every time you see an American flag or hear
someone speak of its colors!
-1______________________________________________________
You can help spread the truth of God’s word by duplicating this message for others. Many additional titles are also available. Please send
any inquiries to Bible Baptist Church, P.O. Box 383, Martin, TN 38237, or visit us at www.biblebaptistpublications.org.
♦ ♦ ♦
MELTON MESSAGE
♦ ♦ ♦
This message may be duplicated, shared, faxed, e-mailed, and distributed FREELY, but not for any monetary purposes.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
II. THERE’S TRUTH IN ITS SYMBOLS
Let’s consider three symbols of the flag: the stripes, the stars, and the union.
The stripes come in two colors, red and white. The red ones remind us of Christ for Isaiah 53:5 says,
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement
of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Then our healing (from sin) is
represented by the white stripes. David said in Psalm 51:7, “. . . wash me, and I shall be whiter than
snow.” When we see the red and white stripes on the American flag, let us not think only of the blood
of our soldiers who fought that we might enjoy freedom, but let us think higher thoughts and remember
that with the stripes of Jesus Christ we can be healed from sin.
The stars also contain spiritual truths. A star is a light, but more than a light. Like that first Baptist
preacher (John 5:35), a star is a burning and shining light. There’s nothing artificial about it. As we
have been given the supreme example by our “bright and morning star” (Rev. 22:16), let us shine with
God’s truth in this dark and dying world. Then one day we shall shine “as the stars for ever and ever”
(Dan. 12:3).
The union is the blue area that contains the fifty stars. It too has spiritual truth for us because it speaks
of unity. Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity!” Ephesians 4:3 says we ought to be “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace.” Sometimes division cannot be avoided, but we should never seek it.
We are told to seek unity. May the unified stars on our flag serve as a reminder of this, and may it
remind wandering church members that they are supposed to be assembled together with the other
Christians (Heb. 10:25)! All of the stars belong in the union. Amen?
III. THERE’S TRUTH IN ITS NUMBERS
Let’s look at four numbers on the flag. First, we have the number 6. Notice that there are 6 white
stripes. The number 6 in the Bible is the number of man, and it is man who needs to be cleansed as
white as snow. When I see the white stripes on the flag, I can think of myself and how Jesus made me
white. Nobody is saved unless they are made white as snow (Isa. 1:18). No racial slur intended here,
but if you ain’t white, you ain’t right! So, the white stripes speak of our righteousness in Christ.
Then we have the number 7 because there are 7 red stripes. As you likely know, 7 is God’s number,
the number of spiritual perfection, used over twice as many times in the Bible as the number 6. As
already noted, the red stripes speak of the blood of Christ, so there are 7 of them. It was perfect blood;
it was God’s blood (Acts 20:28), so there are 7 stripes.
Add the 6 stripes to the 7 stripes and we have a total of 13, the number of rebellion. Just as the 13
colonies rebelled against England, mankind rebelled against God, so Christ came to bear the curse and
-2______________________________________________________
You can help spread the truth of God’s word by duplicating this message for others. Many additional titles are also available. Please send
any inquiries to Bible Baptist Church, P.O. Box 383, Martin, TN 38237, or visit us at www.biblebaptistpublications.org.
♦ ♦ ♦
MELTON MESSAGE
♦ ♦ ♦
This message may be duplicated, shared, faxed, e-mailed, and distributed FREELY, but not for any monetary purposes.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
repair the damage. Galatians 3:13 (verse 13!) says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the
law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Let
the 13 stripes remind us of how our rebellion against God nailed Christ to the cursed tree.
Then a very good number appears, the number 50. This is the number of liberty in the Bible.
Leviticus 25:11 says, “And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all
the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every
man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.” This was a time of
freedom and great rejoicing. Ah, should this not “ring a bell” (much pun intended) with all Christians?
Paul told the Christians at Corinth, “. . . where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” The truth
has made us free (John 8:32), and we have been liberated by Jesus Christ! The Bright and Morning
Star made me a star!
By the way, the Liberty Bell sits in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where our Constitution and Bill
of Rights were signed. If you ever visit Independence Hall, you might pay special attention to the
words written on the Liberty Bell: “proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants
thereof.” Well, well, I wonder where they found those words!
For that matter, isn’t it at least interesting that the nation which promotes liberty for all first secured
that liberty by signing a document in a city named Philadelphia? “And to the angel of the church in
Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of
David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy
works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” How’s that for
liberty? (I trust you know what Philadelphia means)
IV. THERE’S TRUTH IN ITS ORDER
I Corinthians 14:40 says, “Let all things be done decently and in order” so we should appreciate
order when we see it, even on our national flag. We have colors, symbols, and numbers, so let’s get
them all in order.
Notice that one must cross a red stripe before reaching a white stripe. This is true coming from the
bottom or the top. As a blood washed saint of God, I am in Christ (Rom. 8:38-39). If Satan desires to
reach me, he must first come through Jesus Christ.
But wait! There are 6 white stripes, each one a little higher up than the last, yet all covered by red
stripes. So it is with the saints of God. Step by step we ought to be growing up in the Lord, pleading
the blood all the way.
-3______________________________________________________
You can help spread the truth of God’s word by duplicating this message for others. Many additional titles are also available. Please send
any inquiries to Bible Baptist Church, P.O. Box 383, Martin, TN 38237, or visit us at www.biblebaptistpublications.org.
♦ ♦ ♦
MELTON MESSAGE
♦ ♦ ♦
This message may be duplicated, shared, faxed, e-mailed, and distributed FREELY, but not for any monetary purposes.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Being “in Christ,” I am a “new creature” (II Cor. 5:17), so I’ll not be a horizontal stripe forever on the
timeline of humanity. I’m headed for the stars! I am a “son of God” (John 1:12, I John 3:2), and Job
38:7 likens the “sons of God” to the stars! Just look at the flag and see that I’m already white like the
stars, and, in the resurrection I’ll become one: “. . . for one star differeth from another star in glory.
So also is the resurrection of the dead.” (I Cor. 15:41-42)
We’re not through yet. Genesis 3:24 tells us that God drove Adam and Eve out of the garden on the
“east” side. So, theoretically, they were going out of God’s will traveling eastward. Had they been
permitted to reenter the garden, they would have traveled westward back into God’s will (hence:
Horace Greely’s “Go west young man.”)
The door of the temple faced eastward, so one had to enter the temple while moving westward. So, as a
general rule, the direction of God’s will in the Bible is east to west. The gospel message of the New
Testament moves in this direction, and, if that’s not enough, we have Matthew 24:27: “For as the
lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son
of man be.” Even America was settled in this manner. So, generally speaking, the direction of God’s
will in the Bible is west.
Of course, the direction of God’s abode is north (Psa. 48:2, Psa. 75:6-7, Isa. 14:13, etc.). So, the
direction northwest becomes the perfect direction (at least for symbolic purposes). As you can see, this
is where the union and stars are on the flag. Christians ought to have their affection on things above
(Col. 3:2), so the union and the stars are on the upper part of the flag. Christians ought to be always in
the will of God, so the union and the stars are on the west end of the flag.
Seriously, what am I saying? I’m saying that Christians can be reminded by the location of the flag’s
union that they have a place to be in life, and that place is the will of God. Friend, are YOU in the will
of God, or does the Star Spangled Banner stand as a perpetual witness against you.
-4______________________________________________________
You can help spread the truth of God’s word by duplicating this message for others. Many additional titles are also available. Please send
any inquiries to Bible Baptist Church, P.O. Box 383, Martin, TN 38237, or visit us at www.biblebaptistpublications.org.