April 16th, 2024
The Lord is called many different titles in the word of God. His name is Jehovah, but He is called many different things that reflect His attributes. You will likely be familiar with some of them, like Jehovah Jireh (provider), Jehovah Rafah (healer), and Jehovah Shalom (peace). However, the one I want to talk about this week is likely less well- known. More than 250 times in the Scriptures, God is called Jehovah Sabaoth, or Jehovah of Hosts. It’s a title that conveys His power and might.
One of the most dangerous things we can do is limit our view of God to our understanding or experience. The angels that surround the throne of God are still in awe of Him after an eternity before His throne!
We can’t comprehend with our mind a God that is both completely love and completely just. He is both the God of mercy and the God of judgment. He is perfectly good, encompassing the highest form of beauty, love, hope, peace, and justice. Men have striven throughout history to achieve all the things that God carries only in Himself.
With that being said, we must encounter God, every day, not expecting that He will say and do only what makes us comfortable. God will never violate His Word, which is truth, but He will often violate our imperfect understanding of it. The idea of God as Jehovah of Armies (or hosts) may be slightly uncomfortable for us. He is our Father, our loving shepherd, our provider, and our protector, but He is also the commander of heaven’s armies.
Jesus is coming back for His bride but when He comes there will also be judgment for those who are not washed in His blood. Revelation 19:1-16 says,
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The One sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
God’s justice and love cannot be seen any more clearly than in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. His blood was the price that had to be paid for our sin. We need not fear judgment if we’ve accepted Him through faith, but we do need to understand that our God isn’t weak or passive. He’s the Lord of Hosts! Psalm 96:11-13 says,
“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.”
Understanding this truth about the nature of God will fill us with boldness. Think about the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). David was fearless only because He knew God was mighty. David ran into the valley toward the giant declaring,
“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (1 Samuel 17:45)
David knew that Goliath hadn’t challenged Israel or him. Goliath’s fight was with the Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. David knew victory was the only possible outcome when he stepped out in faith, because he knew who was behind him!
There is a story in 2 Kings about Elisha and his servant facing the Syrian army. Elisha’s servant rose in the morning and saw they were surrounded, and he was terrified. 2 Kings 6:15-17 says,
‘The servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.’
Elisha’s servant was afraid only because he didn’t understand who was behind him.
No one understood this truth better than Jesus Himself. He knew that He was the
beloved of the Father. He knew that angel armies were one prayer away because His
Father commands them. In Matthew 26:53 Jesus said,
“Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and He will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?”
Jesus lived in perfect understanding that His Father commanded heavens armies yet loved every lost sheep. He sacrificed Himself in obedience, not defeat. He laid down His life in love, not because He was overcome for even one moment. Just the declaration of His identity as God’s Son caused a band of soldiers to fall to the ground. John 18:4-6 says,
“Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.”
God’s glory and power is not diminished in His love and mercy. He is the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of heaven. He is absolute justice and the Judge of all the Earth. He is life and light, and we will all fall on our knees before Him. When we understand that it’s the Commander of Heaven who dwells inside of us, we will fear nothing. This week, I encourage you to step out in boldness, knowing who stands before you and behind you! As Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
One of the most dangerous things we can do is limit our view of God to our understanding or experience. The angels that surround the throne of God are still in awe of Him after an eternity before His throne!
We can’t comprehend with our mind a God that is both completely love and completely just. He is both the God of mercy and the God of judgment. He is perfectly good, encompassing the highest form of beauty, love, hope, peace, and justice. Men have striven throughout history to achieve all the things that God carries only in Himself.
With that being said, we must encounter God, every day, not expecting that He will say and do only what makes us comfortable. God will never violate His Word, which is truth, but He will often violate our imperfect understanding of it. The idea of God as Jehovah of Armies (or hosts) may be slightly uncomfortable for us. He is our Father, our loving shepherd, our provider, and our protector, but He is also the commander of heaven’s armies.
Jesus is coming back for His bride but when He comes there will also be judgment for those who are not washed in His blood. Revelation 19:1-16 says,
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The One sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
God’s justice and love cannot be seen any more clearly than in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. His blood was the price that had to be paid for our sin. We need not fear judgment if we’ve accepted Him through faith, but we do need to understand that our God isn’t weak or passive. He’s the Lord of Hosts! Psalm 96:11-13 says,
“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.”
Understanding this truth about the nature of God will fill us with boldness. Think about the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). David was fearless only because He knew God was mighty. David ran into the valley toward the giant declaring,
“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (1 Samuel 17:45)
David knew that Goliath hadn’t challenged Israel or him. Goliath’s fight was with the Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. David knew victory was the only possible outcome when he stepped out in faith, because he knew who was behind him!
There is a story in 2 Kings about Elisha and his servant facing the Syrian army. Elisha’s servant rose in the morning and saw they were surrounded, and he was terrified. 2 Kings 6:15-17 says,
‘The servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.’
Elisha’s servant was afraid only because he didn’t understand who was behind him.
No one understood this truth better than Jesus Himself. He knew that He was the
beloved of the Father. He knew that angel armies were one prayer away because His
Father commands them. In Matthew 26:53 Jesus said,
“Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and He will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?”
Jesus lived in perfect understanding that His Father commanded heavens armies yet loved every lost sheep. He sacrificed Himself in obedience, not defeat. He laid down His life in love, not because He was overcome for even one moment. Just the declaration of His identity as God’s Son caused a band of soldiers to fall to the ground. John 18:4-6 says,
“Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.”
God’s glory and power is not diminished in His love and mercy. He is the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of heaven. He is absolute justice and the Judge of all the Earth. He is life and light, and we will all fall on our knees before Him. When we understand that it’s the Commander of Heaven who dwells inside of us, we will fear nothing. This week, I encourage you to step out in boldness, knowing who stands before you and behind you! As Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
1 Comment
Enjoyed reading this Thank you for sharing