Jehovah-sabaoth

TO READ: Psalm 24:1-10

Who is the King of glory? The LORD of Heaven’s Armies —he is the King of glory.

Psalm 24:10

God is the refuge for his people and the conqueror of nations. God commands a heavenly host —spirits that battle the abounding evil that threatens us. “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us” (Psalm 46:7).

God shows us his power, not only through his personal intervention, but by sending individual members of his host to empower, console, or encourage us in our earthly pilgrimage. People do not always recognize such heavenly visitors because they have the ability to appear as humans. Many of us have perhaps “entertained angels without realizing it!” (Hebrews 13:2). Usually the people in Scripture became aware that they were involved in an angelic visitation. Gideon didn’t realize that the angel of the Lord (a pre-Incarnation appearance of Jesus himself) was God until he suddenly disappeared (Judges 6:21-22)! An angel strengthened Daniel after Daniel recognized his heavenly visitor: “‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said, ‘for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!’ As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, ‘Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me’” (Daniel 10:19).

The heavenly host sang a cantata at Christ’s birth, succored Christ after his temptations, and hovered around his cross to rescue him if he called. They rolled away the stone on Resurrection morning and “sat on it” (Matthew 28:2)!

The hosts of the Lord are marvelous, but not nearly as marvelous as the Lord of hosts!