The Lord of Hosts (Wednesday, August 12, 2026)

The Lord of Hosts

1 Samuel 1:3

In this study we are going to be looking at a particular name used for God in the Old Testament. The name is “The Lord of Hosts”. This name is used more than 200 times for God in the Old Testament and therefore is very significant. The first time it is used in in the above passage David also uses this name when he was confronting Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:45.

As we will see in this study the name connects God with a host and shows him to be Lord of that host. Therefore, we will have to look at the phrase “host of heaven” to fully see why God is referred to as the Lord of Hosts.

Two ways “hosts of heaven” is used in the Bible:

1)  Physical things created in the second heaven (firmament, Genesis 1:6-8)

  • These will be things like the Sun, Moon, Stars, and even Planets (Deuteronomy 4:19 ; 2 Kings 23:5)

2)  Spiritual beings created by God that dwell both in the second heaven and the 3rd heaven.

  • Those the 3rd heaven (1 Kings 22:19). Note the host of heaven cannot be numbered (Jeremiah 33:22). Many times, we teach that stars are angels in the bible which is true (Revelation 1:20 ; 9:1 ; 12:3-4) . This does not make a contradiction with Psalm 147:4 which says  the stars are numbered, these are physical stars. In Hebrews 12:22 we see that the there is an innumerable number of angels in the heavenly Jerusalem. Therefore, we must let the context show us which is being spoken of.
  • Also in there are spiritual beings that inhabit the second heaven as well (Ephesians 6:12 ; Isaiah 24:21).

What can we learn from this regarding the name, “The Lord of Hosts”?

1) God created the host of heaven; therefore, he is the Lord of Hosts

  • Physical things of the heavens (Genesis 2:1 ; Psalm 33:6)
  • Spiritual things of the heavens (Ezekiel 28:15 ; Job 1-2)

2)  God controls the host of heaven; therefore, he is the Lord of Hosts

  • Physical things of the heavens (Isaiah 45:12 ; Jeremiah 31:36)
  • Spiritual things of the heavens (1 Kings 22:19 ; Job 1-2)
  • This is why Jesus is said to be the captain of the Lords Hosts (Joshua 5:13-14)

3)  The Host worship God, therefore, he is the Lord of Hosts (Nehemiah 9:6)

  • You might ask how the Sun, Moon, and Stars worship God do, well they do exactly what he says every day, all day. We cannot say that about ourselves.
  • Note also the devils when confronted with Jesus worshipped him (Mark 5:6)
  • All men will eventually worship Jesus as well (Philippians 2:9-11)