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. They had comfort in knowing that regardless of who the enemy was or the situation they faced, God was fighting for them. Israel was in a difficult place, but they had the Lord of Hosts on their side. The Lord will fight for you you need only to be still.” - Exodus 14:13-14 The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. 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. When the Israelites were leaving Egypt, the Egyptian army pursued them, and the Israelites were fearful they would overtake them. ![]() When God lifted his hand of support, they were totally vulnerable. When God was on their side, they were invincible. ![]() In an Old Testament context, we see God in this position as Lord of Hosts every time he fights for Israel. Remember he is leading an armed expedition against an enemy. When you use this term, we think of a God who fights on behalf of those who are his own. 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. By this, you could even say he is Lord of All. One of the definitions of Lord of Hosts used in some translations is Lord Almighty. Let’s carry it to another logical but greater conclusion. He is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies or the Lord of Hosts. Again, we don’t often think of God in the sense of a general leading an armed brigade, but that is one aspect of who God is. The first designation of this word leaps off the page to me because it is an armed expedition against an enemy. Here is how the 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.” What is a host? (In this context)Ī host is an old term that was used to describe an army. Whether you call him Lord of Hosts, Lord of Heaven’s Armies, or Lord Almighty, they all paint a picture of an all-powerful God. They all point to God’s power and authority. While the translations may define this word a little differently, there is one consistency among them. "The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us the God of Israel is our fortress." - (NLT) ![]() "The Lord Almighty is with us the God of Jacob is our fortress." - ( NIV) "The Lord of Armies is with us the God of Jacob is our stronghold." - (CEB) "The Lord of hosts is with us The God of Jacob is our refuge." - (NKJV) Let me give you an example using Psalm 46:7: However, this term has can be translated differently depending on which translation of Scripture you use. ![]() 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. The name Lord of Hosts, or some variant of it, appears 284 times in the Old Testament.
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