The Lord of Hosts / The Lord of Armies

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, this evening we are exploring the character of God as Jehovah Sabaoth.

Several of the names and characteristics of God that we have studied up to this point appear only a few times in the Old Testament. That is NOT the case with Jehovah Sabaoth

Jehovah Sabaoth was used approximately 270 in the Old Testament, signifying divine authority, protection, and might. It portrays God as sovereign ruler of angels, stars, and human armies alike.

Two of the most familar passages, at least to me, are 1 Samuel 1:3 and Isaiah 6:3. Let’s take a look.

Remember, I always suggest that you read the ENTIRE CHAPTER in order to get full understanding and the context of the the passage. Reading the whole chapter will also increase your one on one with the Lord as well as continue to familiarize you with His voice as you study.

When I first started reading and studying the Bible seriously, I would ask the Holy Spirit to help my understanding of what I was reading and to help me become sensitive to His voice.

First Passage

1 Samuel 1:3
New International Version

3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.

The man this passage is speaking of is Elkanah son of Jeroham who is the husband of Hannah. Hannah was barren but prayed to God for a son. God heard her prayer and gave her a son whose name was Samuel. Without reading the entire chapter it would have been difficult to understand why he was there making a sacrificial offering.

Second Passage

Isaiah 6:3
New International Version

3 And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

In the earliest ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, translators often used Kyrios Pantokrator (“Lord Almighty”) as an interpretive equivalent to Jehovah Sabaoth.

Question, can you determine which familar passage of scripture this verse is referencing? If you are not able to recognize the passage that is actually a GREAT thing. It means that when you go back to read the character in its entirety it give you yet another opportunity to spend time with the Lord. In this instance, I recommend starting from Isaiah 1:1 and reading all the way to the end of Isaiah 6.

This passage is regarding the visions Isaiah had concerning Judah and Jerusalem during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Tonight’s devotional regarding Jehovah Sabaoth is regarding the universal sovereignty of the Lord. There is a reason that it was used over 270 times in the Old Testament alone. God does NOT CHANGE.

Tonight, be thankful that God is same Sovereign Alighty God for Elkanah, Hannah, Isaiah as he is for you and me.

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father,

Tonight we come before You with humble hearts, recognizing You as Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts, the Lord Almighty, the Sovereign King over all creation.

You are the God who commands the armies of heaven, the God who sits high and lifted up, and the God whose glory fills the earth. There is no power greater than Yours, no authority above Yours, and no circumstance outside of Your rule.

Lord, thank You that Your greatness does not make You distant. Thank You that the same God who reigns over heaven hears the prayers of Your children. Just as You heard Hannah’s cry, You hear us. Just as You revealed Your glory to Isaiah, You reveal Yourself to those who seek You.

Forgive us for the moments when we look at our battles and forget that You are the One who fights for us. Help us to trust that You are already present in every situation we face. Teach us to surrender our fears, our worries, and our plans into Your capable hands.

Jehovah Sabaoth, remind us that our confidence is not found in our own strength, but in the One who holds all power. When we feel overwhelmed, remind us that heaven’s armies are under Your command. When we feel unseen, remind us that You are the God who sees us.

May our lives declare, as Isaiah heard proclaimed in his vision, that You are holy, holy, holy. May we walk in reverence, trust, and worship before You.

You are the same Sovereign God yesterday, today, and forever.

In the mighty and precious name of Jesus, Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)