Yesterday we began to study this name of God, Jehovah-Sabaoth, the LORD of hosts. We looked specifically at how this name is used in 1 Samuel. Today, we are going to look at how it is used by the prophets. But first, let me share a couple of interesting things I've learned about this name.
The name "LORD of hosts" is not found in the NIV. The NIV uses the name LORD Almighty instead of LORD of hosts. This seems a little confusing to me, and perhaps a little inaccurate, to translate Jehovah-Sabaoth the same way as El Shaddai. Of course, that's just my opinion, and I make no claim to be a Hebrew scholar. But I just wonder why, when two distinctly different words are used in Hebrew, they are translated as only one name in English by the NIV. Just something that made me wonder.....
Something else I found interesting is this: as I mentioned yesterday, the name Jehovah-Sabaoth is used frequently in the prophets (specifically Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi). But the name is not used by the prophet Ezekiel. So I wondered about that, and this is what I discovered. "This name of God belongs to a certain time in the experience of God's people......This is a name for those who find their resources inadequate in the midst of a struggle. This is the name of God to run to when there is no other help - from our perspective. This name is not for those who have ceased to fight. Therefore, you don't find it in Ezekiel. In Ezekiel's day, God's people were to settle down for seventy years of captivity." (from "Lord, I Want to Know You" by Kay Arthur). Hmmmm......that's something to think about, isn't it? And perhaps an indicator that this is a name for us to cling to, to call on, in the culture in which we live, as we find ourselves in a "struggle" against a worldview, a world system that is turning from God. As we seek to stand firm in our faith, where do we turn? To Jehovah-Sabaoth!
It seems that this is a name to remind God's people (including us! not just those "Bible people"!) exactly who God is! Think about that today as you examine these Scriptures. Ask the 5Ws/H (examples: HOW is the LORD of hosts described? WHO is the LORD of hosts? WHAT is He over? WHO is the host? HOW are we to live in light of this name?)
I'm going to give you a list of Scriptures to get you started. If you have time, you might want to use your word study tools to find others:
- Malachi 1:10, 14
- Jeremiah 20:11-13
- Isaiah 44:6
- Zechariah 14:16
- Amos 5:14
- Amos 3:13-14
- Amos 4:13
- Isaiah 9:7
- Zechariah 8:3
"The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold." (Psalm 46:7)
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