God is often referred to in the old testament as "Lord of hosts."  The term, "Lord of hosts," is specifically called the name of God in at least three different verses:
1.  II Sam. 6:2, "And David arose...to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts..."
2.  Is. 51:15, "But I am the Lord thy God that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name."
3.  Jer. 10:16, "The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name."

    The word, "host," is translated into English from four different Hebrew words meaning:
1.  Chayil - strength, wealth, army.
2.  Chel - strength, wealth, army, force.
3.  Machaneh - camp, encampment.
4.  Tsaba - hosts, warfare, service.

    God is specifically said to be the Lord of hosts over:
1.  All the people of Israel (Ex. 12:41; II Sam. 7:26; I Chron. 17:24).
2.  The armies of Israel (I Sam 17:45).
3.  All the people of God (Is. 8:18).
4.  All the hosts of heaven (Is. 45:12).

    God is not only the "Lord of hosts" but also the captain of the hosts of the Lord as set forth in Josh. 5:13-15, "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?  And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come.  And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.  And Joshua did so."

    While God appointed Joshua as the man to lead the armies of Israel into the land of Canaan, yet God as the Lord of hosts and the captain of the Lord's host was truly the commander and leader of Israel and her armies when they went to war against the inhabitants of the land of Canaan.  When Israel followed the commandments, guidance, and direction of the "Lord of hosts," she prospered and was victorious over all her enemies.  When she transgressed and failed to seek the guidance of the Lord of hosts as in the initial battle against Ai she was smitten of her enemies.  Truly the same principles apply to us today as individuals, families, and church bodies.  If we are to prosper in our spiritual warfare in this life we must seek and follow the commandments and guidance of our captain, the Lord of hosts.

    A significant pattern is set for us in the scriptures whereby first a great victory is won by the Lord of hosts alone, then he sends forth his armies to fight in their battles under his direction.  First we see that God alone delivered the nation of Israel out of Egyptian bondage as he sent forth the ten judgments upon the Egyptians culminating in the deaths of the firstborn sons of all the Egyptians.  Then God destroyed Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red Sea.  After this great deliverance we see God directing Israel as to her battles.  This is typical of the great victory fought and won for us by the captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10) Jesus Christ who delivered us from our sins by his death on the cross.  This same captain and Lord of hosts now directs and commands us in our spiritual warfare.

    Also in I Sam 15:2, 3 we see the Lord of hosts commanding the king and his army as to their campaign, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.  Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."  This is typical of us as we war against fleshly lusts, worldly pleasures and powers, and those things that war against our soul.  Our success is found in completely obeying the commandments and direction of our Lord of hosts."

    The Lord of hosts has provided for his army and each soldier a full and complete armour as set forth in Eph. 6:10-18.  We are to put on this "whole armour" and prove their value to us in our Christian warfare.  We are to use the weapons of our warfare provided to us by the Lord of hosts for they are "mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."  We are not to "entangle ourselves with the affairs of this life that we may please him who has chosen us to be a soldier."  As good soldiers we are to obey the commandments/direction of the Lord of hosts and not be rebellious as King Saul was and of whom the Lord of hosts sent Samuel to state, "Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being King."  May the Lord of hosts help each of us to prosper in our spiritual warfare. 

In our next essay we will consider the name of God," The Holy One."

Elder Vernon Denton is the pastor of Denton Primitive Baptist Church, Denton, Texas.