Yahweh Sabaoth

Today is the last message in the series The Names of God. Next week, we will begin a new message series called The Good Life. Everybody wants to have the good life. Many people think that the good life is about having financial security or living in the lap of luxury. We are going to look at how to truly have “the good life”. Before we begin the message this morning, let’s read our theme verse together.

Deuteronomy 10:17 CSB

17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe.

Deuteronomy 10:17 CSB

17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe.

Deuteronomy 10:17 CSB

17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe.

When you think of the throne room of God, what images come to your mind? Close your eyes and picture what the prophet Isaiah recorded as a heavenly vision he had in .

The prophet Isaiah recorded a heavenly vision he had in .

Isaiah 6:1–5 CSB

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth. 4 The foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Armies.

Isaiah 6:1-

Isaiah 6:1–5 CSB

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth. 4 The foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Armies.

Isaiah 6:1–3 CSB

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth.

Several times in Scripture we are given peeks into the throne room of God. It is an awe inspiring picture of the greatness, majesty, and splendor of God. It seems these days we are so focused on the personal and relational aspects of God’s nature and character that we have forgotten the truly awesome grandeur of who he is. We need to make sure that in our efforts to relate to God that we continue to have reverence and adoration for him as well.

In this passage, God reveals himself as Yahweh Sabaoth. God is the God of hosts. God is the God of angel armies. Don’t get confused. God is the God of the sabbath, the day of rest, but that is not what we are talking about here.

Now you might be thinking, “Well, that’s great. God is the commander of the armies of heaven, but what does that mean to me. How does that help me in my problems today?” How does this help you when your boss is treating you unfairly? How does this help you when you are suffering with health conditions? How does this help you in your marriage? How does this help you when you are feeling the pressures and problems of life?

Let me tell you, this aspect of God’s nature and character is extremely practical and powerful. For me, of all of the different perspectives of God’s nature and character, this one speaks to me the loudest. This is the one, I think, we have failed to understand and take hold of as a practical matter of our spiritual lives.

People of God, our churches, nationally, are in crisis. Followers of Jesus are abandoning the faith. Churches are closing their doors left and right. Pastors are leaving the ministry by the truck load. Why? I believe it is because we don’t understand who God is. God is Yahweh Sabaoth. He is the God of hosts.

Churches are focusing on process and programs, rather than on people. People matter more than anything else, but we are forgetting that. We want to protect our pet peeves and processes more than we want to see lives changed. We have decided to turn to self-help, pithy statements, therapies, and programs. Our churches are in crisis because we have stopped living by faith and have started living by sight.

Hebrews 11:6 CSB

6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 CSB

6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Say it with me. Without faith it is impossible to please God. The reality of God as Yahweh Sabaoth requires us to live by faith. Let me show you what this looks like. Open your Bibles to .

In , the king of Aram (modern day Syria), was at war with the nothern kingdom of Israel. At this point in Israel’s history, the kingdom was split into two parts; the northern kingdom, Israel, and the southern kingdom, Judah. Elisha was the prophet of God at this point in time and he had sent a message to the king of Israel warning him that the king of Aram was moving to attack him. The king of Aram found out that the king of Israel was put on his guard and thought there was a spy in his ranks.

The king of Aram was enraged that the king of Israel had been tipped off to his troop movements. He wanted to know who the spy was. One of the his servants told him,

2 Kings 6:12 CSB

12 One of his servants said, “No one, my lord the king. Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in your bedroom.”

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Now, that is better than Siri or Alexa. We know they are always listening, but at least you can turn them off or get them out of your bedroom. What you didn’t know that they were always listening? How do you think you get the ads you get? One day you are talking about getting a new car. Then, bam, the next day, 600 ads from car dealerships. Anyway, the servant told his king, that there was a prophet in Israel who is so powerful, he knows what you are saying, even in the most private of situations.

Think about that. Do you think that was Elisha’s power? No, of course not. It is the power of God revealing things to Elisha. The king wanted to know where Elisha was. He needed to get him out of the picture if he was going to be successful. He couldn’t have someone revealing his battle plans before he strikes.

The king found out that Elisha was in a city called Dothan. If you remember, Dothan was the place that Joseph’s brothers dumped him into a pit before trading him to slave traders. Dothan was on an ancient international highway. Dothan reminds us that what we perceive is not always reality.

Well, the king sent his soldiers by night to surround Dothan. He sent horses, chariots, and a massive army. He wanted to make sure no one could get in and no one could get out.

2 Kings 6:15 CSB

15 When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?”

Probably none of us has ever walked out the door in the morning to confront an armed barbarian horde in the front yard waiting to do us bodily harm. But we all know what it’s like to be suddenly confronted with life-threatening problems beyond our control. And we all can relate to the servant’s panic in the crisis.

I would imagine that the people who were victims of the latest hurricane have asked the question, “What are we going to do?” I would imagine those who have been victimized by mass murders have asked the question, “What are we going to do now?” When our apartment burned after only being married about six month, Karen and I wondered, “What are we going to do?” When your spouse suddenly walks out on you, you ask, “What am I going to do?” When you health fails, “What are we going to do?” When you child is diagnosed with something terrible, “What are we going to do?” When you lose you job, “What are we going to do?” Do you feel the panic and the pressure? What am I going to do now? If you haven’t been there yet, it is almost assured, at some point in your life, things are going to look completely overwhelming and you are going to ask, “What are we going to do?”

Look at Elisha’s response.

2 Kings 6:16–17 CSB

16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.” So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6:16–17 CSB

16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.” So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6:16-17

2 Kings 6:16 CSB

16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.”

I want you to hear this and remember this. You may not need this now, but chances are, you will need it one day.

2 Corinthians 5:7 CSB

7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Elisha wasn’t afraid because he had eyes of faith. If you only live by what you can experience with you 5 senses, you will have only what your 5 senses can provide. If you live by faith in God, you will have what only God provide. Are you living by faith or by sight? It is faith in God, not sight, which causes you to get out of the boat while the storm is raging. It is faith in God, not sight, which causes you to move into the unknown. It is faith in God, not sight, which moves the mountains. It is faith in God, not sight, which makes the impossible possible. You see, our lives are only in crisis when we fail to live by faith in God.

Hebrews 11:6 CSB

6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

You might be thinking, “okay, easy to say, but let’s get real. How can you have this faith that replaces fear?” Look at what Elisha did.

2 Kings 6:17 CSB

17 Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.” So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

If Elisha didn’t have eyes of faith, I imagine he would have panicked. Anybody would. The King of Aram is coming to get you and he is probably not going to be kind to you. They had all kinds of ways to make someone’s life miserable, but instead of panicking, Elisha had faith and he prayed. He prayed not for his own benefit. He had already committed this issue to prayer. He prayed for the benefit of his servant. Elisha was a man of God. He was a man of prayer. He learned something very important that we all need to learn.

Philippians 4:6–7 CSB

6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Elisha was surrounded by crisis and he didn’t lose it. He was surrounded by an army who wanted to capture him. He was threatened by a life-threatening crisis, but he didn’t panic. He had faith and he prayed.

Brothers and sisters, you need to hear this. Please don’t miss this. The time to build your faith is before the crisis. The time to get stronger is now. You don’t wait to learn to swim until after you are caught in a rip current. You don’t wait to build your strength until after you are in the competition. You work hard and build up your strength before the crisis hits. So many people fail because they didn’t work to build their faith in God before the crisis. God is Yahweh Sabaoth. He is the God of hosts. He is the God of angel armies. His power and strength is available to you. You have nothing to fear, but you must come to him in faith.

I want to close this message this morning by getting really simple and practical. Having faith is not some mystical mumbo jumbo. It is not like the Force in Star Wars or some sort of Harry Potter magical conjuring. Look at again.

Hebrews 11:6 CSB

6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Sounds pretty simple and straightforward. Believe that God exists. However, believing that God exists is a mark of faith. Many people today doubt or deny that God exists. Many even so-called Christians don’t live their lives as if God exists. They are practical atheists. They come to church on Sunday, but live the rest of the week for their own interests.

Believing that God exists affects everything about how we live our lives. Believing that God exists affects how we treat those around us. People are made in the image of God; therefore, all people are to be treated with dignity and respect - even online. I speak to myself on that one. Believing that God exists affects my business because my job isn’t about providing a better or more cushy life for myself. It is about God providing me a way to contribute to his kingdom. Believing that God exists affects how I conduct myself, how I treat my spouse, how I treat my children, and how I treat the guy who cut me off in traffic. Why? It matters because God has told me how to live.

Micah 6:8 CSB

8 Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.

If I believe that God exists, then I will do what God wants me to do.

Hebrews 11:6 CSB

6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Everyone one is seeking something, the only question is what are you seeking? Maybe you are seeking a spouse, a new job, direction in life, or money. None of those things are of themselves bad or sin, but if they are your priority, then you will run into issues. A life of faith is developed by seeking the kingdom of God. When you seek the kingdom of God, God will add to you all that you need.

Matthew 6:33 CSB

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

All the things will be provided for you. Everything that you need will be provided for you when you have your priorities in line with seeking the kingdom of God. To seek the kingdom of God means to put God first above all else. Be honest with yourself. What are you really seeking after? Are you seeking God first? I am concerned that there are very few people who are truly seeking God first these days. Are you one of them? If you don’t know what it means to seek God first, then you probably aren’t doing it. Here is what I want you to do. On your connection card, mark the box that says “other”. Then, writer on the space, “seeking”. Make sure that we have a good email address for you and your cell phone number. This week, we will send you some counsel on what it means to truly seeking God first.

God is Yahweh Sabaoth. He is the God of hosts. He is the God of angel armies. His power is only available to us when we exercise faith in him; believing that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Your victory is won by the power of Yahweh Sabaoth. Your weapon of warfare is your prayers of faith. You don’t fear what you see when you have eyes of faith.

Perhaps you are here this morning and you have never made the decision to follow Jesus. Let me tell you what Jesus has done for you because he loved you so much. Jesus was born of a virgin and without sin; Jesus became sin for us. You are a sinner. Your sin leads you to do ungodly things and separates you from the God who loves you. We have a sin problem inside of us. Jesus went to the cross and shed his blood. He died and he rose again. He did all of this because he loves you and he wants to save you from your sin. He wants to transform you, so you can experience his goodness, so we could experience his grace. He wants to heal you and bring peace to your life.

Let me tell you what Jesus has done for you because he loved you so much. Jesus was born of a virgin and without sin; Jesus became sin for us. You are a sinner. Your sin leads you to do ungodly things and separates you from the God who loves you. We have a sin problem inside of us. Jesus went to the cross and shed his blood. He died and he rose again. He did all of this because he loves you and he wants to save you from your sin. He wants to transform you, so you can experience his goodness, so we could experience his grace. He wants to heal you and bring peace to your life.

To reject Him is to reject life. To delay this decision is to continue on the way that leads to destruction. God, in his love decided to give mankind the opportunity to escape the wrath of his judgment. Jesus came and laid down his life for us. God expressed his love for humanity and paid for the sin of mankind through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

CSB

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 10:13 CSB

13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

God, in his love decided to give mankind the opportunity to escape the wrath of his judgment. Jesus came and laid down his life for us. God expressed his love for humanity and paid for the sin of mankind through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

promises,

The word “call” means “to appeal unto.” Lost sinners who come to Jesus for forgiveness of sins, believing that He is the Christ, the Son of God, will be saved.

CSB

Romans 10:9–10 CSB

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

The word “call” means “to appeal unto.” Lost sinners who come to Jesus for forgiveness of sins, believing that He is the Christ, the Son of God, will be saved.

The amazing grace of God, no matter how bad you have been, no matter how dark your life is, no matter how many people you’ve let down, when you call on Jesus, he hears your prayer and he will forgive every sin and make you brand new.

CSB

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

The amazing grace of God, no matter how bad you have been, no matter how dark your life is, no matter how many people you’ve let down, when you call on Jesus, he hears your prayer and he will forgive every sin and make you brand new.

This morning, if you are here and you know that you need God’s forgiveness for your sins; realize that you are not here by accident. Will you surrender your life to God and experience his forgiveness? Please bow your heads and close your eyes. Will you pray this prayer with me expressing that you are trusting in God’s ability to forgive you and save you?

“Heavenly Father, forgive me for my sins, make me new. I ask Jesus to be my Savior and to be the Lord of my life, first in every way. My life is not my own, I give it to you. Thank you for new life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Our deacons will be coming forward to pray with you and for you. If you prayed to receive Jesus, please come and let us pray with you and celebrate your new life in Christ. If God is dealing in your heart and life right now, don’t let this moment pass.

As you stand and we sing together.

Perhaps you didn’t come forward for one reason or another, but you really do want to talk with us about what is going on in your life. Perhaps you need help, prayer, or you just want to know more about being a follower of Jesus. I would encourage you to do one of two things. After we are dismissed, just stay where you are. One of our deacons will come and talk with you and pray with you. The other thing you can do is check one of the boxes on the Connection Card. Put it in the offering plate as it passes. We will get in touch with you this week. You see, this church exists to minister to one another. We are here to support you in your walk with God.

Yahweh Sabaoth

God is Yahweh Sabaoth. God is the God of hosts, the LORD of angel armies.

You don’t fear what you see when when you have eyes of faith.

You don’t fear what you see when when you have eyes of faith.

We pray. We don’t panic. Prayer replaces panic with peace.

How do you develop a life of faith?

1. Believe that God exists.

How do you develop a life of faith?

2. By seeking the kingdom of God.