Lord of Hosts

Jehovah Sabaoth

Tonight I want to consider: what does it mean that God is Lord of Hosts, and what does that tell us about his character?

1 Samuel 1:1–20 ESV

There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?” After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”

Discuss the story

barren woman

trusted God for extraordinary gift

Lord of Hosts Meaning

The name Lord of Hosts, or some variant of it, appears 284 times in the Old Testament. The term in Hebrew is Jehovah Sabaoth. This idea of hosts positions God in a light that I don’t know if we often think of him in, which is in a military light. God is the leader of heaven’s armies. However, this term has can be translated differently depending on which translation of Scripture you use.

Let me give you an example using Psalm 46:7:

"The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge." - (NKJV)

"The Lord of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold." - (CEB)

"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." - (NIV)

"The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress." - (NLT)

They all point to God’s power and authority.

God in Himself is all-powerful

God commands heaven’s army

Oxford Reference defines host: “Derived from the Latin hostis, the term “host” evolved, designating originally an armed expedition against an enemy, then the army itself, and finally, by extension, the obligation to serve in arms.”

Lord of Hosts Character

When you use this term, we think of a God who fights on behalf of those who are his own. Remember he is leading an armed expedition against an enemy. In an Old Testament context, we see God in this position as Lord of Hosts every time he fights for Israel. When God was on their side, they were invincible. When God lifted his hand of support, they were totally vulnerable.

When the Israelites were leaving Egypt, the Egyptian army pursued them, and the Israelites were fearful they would overtake them. That is, until the Lord of Hosts stepped in telling the Israelites he would fight for them: Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” - Exodus 14:13-14

Israel was in a difficult place, but they had the Lord of Hosts on their side. They had comfort in knowing that regardless of who the enemy was or the situation they faced, God was fighting for them. Not only was this important as they were leaving Egypt, but this was equally important as they entered the promised land because they would have to fight enemies there. Israel had an assurance of knowing that the Lord of Hosts, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the Lord Almighty, was on their side and no enemy would be too great for them to overcome.

Impact upon Us

One of the definitions of Lord of Hosts used in some translations is Lord Almighty. By this, you could even say he is Lord of All. This means if you aligned all the powers of the earth, and add in all of Satan’s power, they are still no match for the Lord of All, the one who is Lord Almighty or Lord of Hosts.

As you step into the New Testament, God is still the Lord of Hosts because God never changes. The good news is that God still fights for you. Consider this verse in Romans: "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31

We have the same assurance that the Israelites did. It does not matter what situation in life you find yourself in. God is for you. Since God is for you and he is the Lord of Hosts, there is no one who can ever overcome you if God is on your side.

One necessary requirement.

I do need to offer one word of caution here. Disobedience and sin can cancel out God’s protection. If you remember after the Israelites defeated mighty Jericho, they were defeated by little old Ai. The reason was because of disobedience, which is sin. While it is true God is for us, if you harbor sin in your life God may withhold his protection and covering until you come to a place of repentance. As you walk with God, remember this simple truth: obedience is the place of invincibility; disobedience is the place of vulnerability.

Is this a good name for God?

The name Lord of Hosts is a good name for God because it gives us more understanding of who he is. It reminds us that God is our defender and we don’t have to defend ourselves. In the gospel of John, Jesus makes this statement: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” - John 10:27-30