Jehovah-Sabaoth, The LORD of hosts

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

            A favorite Bible story of mine is when the King of Aram tried to capture the prophet Elisha. When he found out that Elisha was in the city of Dothan, the Bible says: (2 Ki 6:14-17 NIV) Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. {15} When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. {16} "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." {17} And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. The angelic host was surrounding the prophet and his servant. On this Sunday we meet the Lord with the name Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts. My prayer is that today the Lord would open our eyes to see how the Lord of Hosts, Jehovah Sabaoth – the Lord of Hosts is with us. 

            As we study the word, Sabaoth, we will find at times it is translated as “army” such as the army of Israel or another nation. It also is used as the host of heaven, such as the sun, moon and stars.   When connected with Jehovah is means angelic hosts, the multitude of the heavenly host.   Our God is in charge of the angels of heaven, his heavenly army.   As we read various translations of Ps. 46:7 we get this picture: The LORD of Armies is with us. Jehovah of Armies is with us, the Lord of hosts is with us, or the picture it gives, The LORD Almighty is with us.   This phrase is used 245 times in the Old Testament. 

            When we turn to the Bible it is interesting where this name is used.   When David met the giant Goliath, we hear this exchange: (1 Sam 17:43-45 NIV) Goliath said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. {44} "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" (1 Sam 17:45 KJV) Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. David knew the power of the Lord and all the resources that were available from the Lord.

            When Isaiah saw the throne of God and heard the angels crying we read: (Isa 6:3 KJV) And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isa 6:5 KJV) Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 

            God’s angels were also his messengers. Remember what happened at Jesus’ birth, one angel announced, unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. Then the multitude of heavenly hosts broke forth in song, “glory to God in the highest.” In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus knew what army was available to him. Matt 26:53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? Wouldn’t that have been a shock to Judas and those who came to arrest him in the garden, coming face to face with 72,000 angels?

            Before we go on, what question comes to my mind, am I on the Lord’s side? What would happen if when I awoke in the morning and found my bed surrounded by the host of heavenly like the army of the King of Aram experienced? Remember the Cherubim with the flaming sword keeping Adam and Eve out of Paradise.  Remember the story of the king of Assyria (Isa 37:36 NIV) Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning--there were all the dead bodies! Do people look at me as on the side of Goliath who is mocking the Lord God of hosts?   Am I one that the Lord has to trample and bring to my knees? Before we can find comfort in this name, we have to face that question, am I fighting against the Lord? Jesus said, faith without works is dead.   Am I a hypocrite in the Lord’s church?   Do I put on good show here, but would the people I work with almost pass out because they would see me walk into a church? Have they been convinced that I have been helping the devil all along? Does my vocabulary fit hell more than it does heaven?   (James 4:4 NIV) You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

            The question that follows is, “how do I get on the Lord’s side?”   Here is where our Old Testament reading for today gives us insight to the Lord of Hosts. Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" 14 "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?" 15 The commander of the Lord's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.  Here is our Savior in the Old Testament.  Jesus was to be the Holy One of God. He had reason to say he could call 72,000 angels to his side. 

            What is important though is when our God wanted to bring us eternal salvation, he did not use angels. He did not sacrifice an angel, a servant. No he gave his best; he sacrificed his one and only Son.  Angels do not get our worship and praise, Jesus does. He is the one who paid for our sins, not the angels. He is the one who conquered death, not the angels. This is why the word of God calls us to repent of our sins and believe in Jesus. When we believe in Jesus we find out what our Savior, as the commander of the army of heaven would do for us.  

Because our Lord is the Lord of Hosts, of the angels, we have this promise concerning the angels: (Psa 91:11 KJV)  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. (Heb 1:14 NIV) Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (Mat 18:10 NIV)Parents and grandparents can cherish Jesus words about angels.  "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.  Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts is the one who is in charge of the angels. “Their angels” are the words of Jesus that give us the picture of guardian angels.

            With this picture then we have the Psalmist give us insight for the impact on our daily lives. As we turn back to Psalm 46 we read: (Psa 46:1-2 NIV) God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. {2} Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, {6} Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

            Earthquakes, torrential rain storms, hurricanes can be the goliaths of our lives. Other troubles can come upon in our travels, our struggles with health and with the troubles of relationship. God is our refuge and strength.   Our hearts are not to fear. When the question comes of bringing children into this world of violence and drugs and death, we need to put our families into the hands of the Lord of hosts.

 Added to that with all the political upheavals, the political unrest and change of governments, it has not changes, nations are in uproar and kingdoms are falling.   He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. The Lord of hosts is with us.

            Lord open our eyes that we may see you in our lives. When we find ourselves struggling to put this truth, this fact into a faith life, may we understand and cherish the Lord’s words in Psalm 46 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  He speaks to our heart, “shhhhh” be still. I am in charge, says the Lord of Hosts, Jehovah Sabaoth. Amen.