"Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch" (Numbers 2:2).
Numbers chapter 2 clearly explains that this was by the commandment of God so that His Holy Nation, or His House, would be recognized as a legal government that was operated by men under His direct supervision: thus the term, Theocratic Government. This Holy Nation was carried over into the Grace Dispensation: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9). The Church of God and the house of God are positively set forth as supporters of the truth: "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). The psalmist David prophesied that a banner would be given to them because of this: "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah" (Psalms 60:4).
The Scriptures point out the design and importance of having a flag and showing it's usefulness all point to Jesus Christ and His Church in His service.
"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be" (Genesis 49:10).
This is a prophecy of Jesus, to whom all people will gather in the last days. Naturally, His Church should have an ensign, banner or flag to display everywhere His body is located.
"I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth" (Numbers 24:17).
This prophecy of the coming of Jesus refers to Him as a star.
"Thy throne , O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre" (Psalms 45:6).
This is a prophecy of the coming of Jesus to reign as king. This is represented on the flag by the sceptre, star and crown. Other scriptures to support this are:
"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:32-33).
"Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, abd are come to worship him...When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy" (Matthew 2:2, 9-10).
"But unto the Son he saith, thy throne, o God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom" (Hebrews 1:8).
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19).
"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star" (Revelation 22:16).
The following Scriptures speak of a flag, ensign, banner or standard.
"And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly" (Isaiah 5:26).
"Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders" (Isaiah 49:22).
"Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway, gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people" (Isaiah 62:10).
"Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?" (Song of Solomon 6:10).
All these verses together tell the story of the flag, and also tell how this last day's movement is going to draw the people of all nations.
Our original flag was presented and unanimously accepted in the 28th Annual General Assembly on September 16, 1933 at 2:50 PM. With the passing of years, a number of other organizations began to use the flag as their emblem. With each group operating under it's own form of government and each developing it's own doctrine, the banner could no longer be displayed "because of the truth" and serve as a distinguishing mark of the true Church. In the General Assembly of 1999, the original flag was retired and the Church began seeking God for direction in designing another flag. The General Assembly of 2001 approved the design now used by The Church of God. As when the flag was first presented in 1933, the Holy Ghost blessed the Assembly with divine witness and placed His approval on the new banner. The colors and emblems all have special meaning and correspond to the scriptures:
Red- The Blood of Jesus
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28).
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14).
White- Purity
"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints" (Revelation 19:8).
"Follow peace with all men,and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).
Blue- Truth
"Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me" (John 14:6).
"Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringes of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God" (Numbers 15:38-40).
Purple- Royalty
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this" (Isaiah 9:6-7).
"But ye are a chosen generation,a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9).
Red, white, blue and purple were also the colors that God instructed Moses to use in the making of the tent of the tabernacle (See Exodus chapter 26).
The sceptre, star and crown all represent authority and kingship.
"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star" (Revelation 22:16).
"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom" (Hebrews 2:9).
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower that the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9).
The blue lines in the flag signify the coming of the Lord is soon and the doors of the Church will soon be closed. The one white circle speaks of Zechariah's prophecy: "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third part shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God" (Zechariah 13:8-9). Our understanding of this prophecy is that the 1st part was cut off in 1923 and the 2nd part was cut off in 1993. The 3rd part (The Church of God) is destined to go through the refining fire and come forth as pure gold (for more information, please visit the "our history" link on the home page).
