Have you ever wanted to be rescued?  Rescued from despair, danger, evil, illness, hopelessness, fear, anxiety…rescued from a bad relationship, rescued from your own bad choices?  Jehovah-sabaoth (I have also run across the Hebrew spelling Tzevaot when reading about the name Jehovah Sabaoth) which means The Lord of Hosts; He is the Lord of the Army of God and The Lord of the angelic hosts.

But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior;
   therefore my persecutors will stumble;
    they will not overcome me.
They will be greatly shamed,
   for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonor
   will never be forgotten.
O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous,
    who sees the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
   for to you have I committed my cause.

 Sing to the LORD;
   praise the LORD!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
   from the hand of evildoers.

Jeremiah 20:11-13

There was a time when I was under a sort of spiritual oppression.  Someone in my life was bearing down on me so heavily that I could hardly stand.  I did not know Jehovah-sabaoth then, but I knew Him as El Roi, the God Who Sees, and so I cried out to Him.  I had never prayed like this before – but I prayed for weeks, Lord, rescue me from this situation.  Protect me from this person.  Lord I will not speak against them, so please Lord reveal this person for what they are doing to me – Lord vindicate me…and my prayer was answered – everything was revealed.  I had called upon the Lord of Hosts, I had called for help when I was helpless.  The problem was resolved and the spiritual oppression was lifted as well.  The memory of all of this still astonishes me.  This was one of those experiences that was so painful and beautiful at the same time – truly God is the One who can rescue us.  

In the Bible, this name appears repeatedly in the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi – all prophets.  Kay Arthur explains that “This name of God belongs to a certain time in the experience of God’s people.  It is God’s name for man’s extremity.  So often, not until we find ourselves failing and powerless do we realize our need to run to our Jehovah-sabaoth.  This is the name for those who find their resources inadequate in the midst of a struggle” (p. 134).  But even before the People of Israel called upon the Lord of Hosts, Hannah did.  I love this story!  Hannah was married to Elkanah and he had another wife named Peninnah.  Hannah was unable to have children, while Peninnah had several sons and daughters.  Hannah’s husband loved her so much that when he offered the family went up to the temple to sacrifice he would give Hannah a double portion of what he gave the rest of the family.  Yet, on top of the sadness she already had, Peninnah tormented Hannah so Hannah was miserably unhappy 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?’ “ (I think that is so sweet!).  Hannah prayed so fervently to the Lord of Hosts that the priest thought she was drunk. “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.’ “  She dedicated the life of her son to the Lord of Hosts before the baby was even in her womb (1 Sam 1:1-20).  God did indeed answer her prayer by giving her a son who grew up to be one of the greatest prophets in the history of Israel.  Samuel was the one who anointed Saul and David and he was very influential.  Surely Hannah’s prayer was answered, she was vindicated, and her rival silenced.

The Lord of Hosts, the Lord of the Army of God also rescues nations from their enemies. Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hand (1 Sam 17:45-47).  Yes, the Lord of Hosts can rescue a people from destruction. “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7).

We are the objects of God’s biggest rescue mission – we are the beneficiaries; He has contended for us and showed us the Way to freedom.  So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:31-36).

JustaGirl…just like you!