S8 Episode #9- Jehovah Sabaoth

THE ONE WITH Jes + JEHOVAH SABAOTH

In this episode of The Collected Podcast, Jes explores the name Jehovah Sabaoth—the LORD of Hosts, Commander of Heaven’s Armies, and the God of the impossible. Through Hannah’s anguished prayer, David’s bold faith, and the miraculous moments woven throughout Scripture, we see how this mighty name reveals God’s sovereign power and tender presence. From Genesis to Revelation, Jehovah Sabaoth reigns over all creation, fights unseen battles on our behalf, and points us to the ultimate victory found in Jesus, the Messiah. If you’re facing a situation that feels too big, too broken, or too long unresolved, this episode will remind you that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies is near—and He is mighty to save.

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SHOW NOTES

I’m so excited to be back with another episode in our Names of God Series! It’s part 15 of the series in which we are highlighting different names and character attributes of The Lord. Understanding who God is and who we are in Him are vital parts of walking in freedom and remaining rooting in who we are created to be. This week we are learning about Jehovah Sabaoth (sah-BAY-awth) – The LORD of Hosts, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, God Almighty, Ruler and Creator of all, The Lord who is mighty to save. This is a powerhouse of a name! If you are facing an impossible situation, or you find yourself in need of deliverance, then stick with me today, because I believe that The LORD of Hosts has something specifically for you. So let’s jump in! 

FACING THE IMPOSSIBLE 

This is one of the most used names of Jehovah in the Bible, specifically by the prophets. So it seems appropriate that the first time we see this name of The LORD is in relation to the birth of a man named Samuel, who would become the last judge and the first great prophet. The very first time that we are introduced to this name is in 1 Samuel 1:3. Let’s take a look, starting with verses 1-3: 

There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim. Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas.

Other translations use the name LORD Almighty (NIV), LORD of Hosts (ASV), or LORD of All (NLV) 

We see that this story takes place in a city named Shiloh, so of course I was curious to discover more about this place. We learn in Joshua 18:1 that Joshua moved the tabernacle from Gilgal to Shiloh, to continue his work of distributing allotments of land to the Israelite tribes after they had conquered the Promised Land. This change in location was practical because it brought the people closer to the territory that still needed to be distributed. However, this move may have had another, more spiritual, purpose as well. 

In Lifeway’s study Joshua: The Faithfulness of God, we learn that this move “provided Joshua with the opportunity to draw fresh attention to The LORD. Understandably, the scene at Gilgal gave the Israelites lasting memories of His presence with them. It marked the place where the Lord parted the Jordan River so they could walk across it… Shiloh did not render for Israel the same precious memories of the Lord’s presence. However, soon enough, the Israelites would see that they could rest in the assurance that the Lord who guided them at Gilgal would also be with them at Shiloh.” 

At times, I think it can be hard to leave a place or a season of life where God has worked in precious or powerful ways. However, I love how in this one city name we can pull a beautiful reminder that whenever The Lord takes us to a new place, His presence always goes with us. And in that new place, it is important to remember the past faithfulness of God, while also waiting in anticipation to see what new things He will do. 

Back to our story! In these verses we are introduced to some new characters– Elkanah and his two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Other than the names of the women, the only other thing we are told is that Peninnah had children and Hannah had none. 

Before we go any further, I feel like there is someone out there who has experienced great pain because of something they lack and perhaps you have allowed this to shape your identity. I feel like the LORD has something for you in this message today. He wants to speak to your heart and remind you that you are not defined by what you lack. He is at work in your life and you have immense value and purpose with exactly what you have right now. In Christ, you lack nothing. 

The story goes on to tell us: 

On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. And because he loved Hannah, he would give her a choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.

“Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

We begin to see a more complete picture of the power dynamic between these two women. Peninah may have had the children, but Hannah had the love of their husband, so much so that she would receive a “choice portion” of the meat. Other translations describe it as a “double portion”. 

We are told that this went on year after year. 

Year after year. 

These 3 words take one breath to read, but they span years of longing, waiting and heartbreak. Is there something that you have had to face year after year? An unmet longing, a difficult relationship, grief that lingers long after the initial loss, a prayer that seems to be left unanswered after years of crying out to The LORD? 

With every year that passed, Hannah must have become more distraught. We are told that she was reduced to tears and could not even eat. Her grief over what did not have was keeping her from enjoying the blessings that she did have. This is not to diminish Hannah’s pain or yours for that matter. Rather, my hope for you throughout the course of this episode is that you would get a glimpse of God’s goodness in the midst of your pain and longing, and that your waiting would turn to worship, as (spoiler-alert!) we will see in Hannah’s story. 

As we return to the story, we see that Hannah cries out to The LORD of Heaven’s Armies as she is praying in anguish. Let’s pick up with verse 9: 

Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”

As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”

“Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”

“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”

“Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

What a beautiful picture of hope. Hannah’s situation has not changed. She still does not have a baby, but she has now placed her grief, longing and bitterness at the feet of Jehovah Sabaoth (sah-BAY-awth) – The LORD of Heaven’s Armies– the One who has sovereign control over all things in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth. 

In the Enduring Word Commentary, David Guzik says it so perfectly: “This is exactly what Hannah needed to do. Instead of keeping the bitterness of soul and the anguish in her heart, she poured it out of her soul before the LORD.” Guzik goes on to say, “Hannah shows how we can regain the joy of fellowship in the house of the LORD again: by pouring out our heart before the LORD and by receiving His word with faith.”

The situation was out of Hannah’s control, she recognizes that she is powerless. Only The LORD of Hosts could work a miracle in her womb, so in her weakness, she cries out to Jehovah Sabaoth (sah-BAY-awth) for strength. Although she still isn’t pregnant, she receives peace and joy in her worship. 

She released her impossible situation into the hands of the Almighty God who is more powerful, capable and loving than we can ever begin to imagine. In her book, Lord, I Want to Know You, Kay Arthur writes, “So often, not until we find ourselves failing and powerless do we realize our need to run to our Jehovah Sabaoth (sah-BAY-awth). This is a name for those who find their resources inadequate in the midst of a struggle. This is the name of God to run to when there is no other help– from our perspective.” 

So let me ask you, what impossible situation are you facing right now? Where have you reached the end of your rope or your own resources? This might be the very place where you are able to experience God’s deliverance, provision and goodness in a new way. 

Hannah’s prayer was answered and God blessed her with a baby boy named Samuel. Samuel was dedicated to The LORD and raised in the temple by the prophet Eli. When Hannah brings her son to the temple, she says to Eli, “Sir, do you remember me? I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the LORD. I asked the LORD to give me this boy, and He has granted by request. Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life” 

Hannah is faithful and obedient to that promise that she made to God. And I have to believe that it brought great joy to her heart to see the incredible ways that God would use Samuel throughout his lifetime. In the coming years, Samuel would receive profound messages from God and he would be used to anoint Israel’s first two kings– Saul and David. 

We will come back to Hannah’s story again at the end of the episode, but I want to shift now to a more indepth look at the Name of Jehovah Sabaoth (sah-BAY-awth). 

JEHOVAH SABAOTH 

The first time that we see the Hebrew word sabaoth itself in the Bible is in Genesis 2:1, “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished.” Here we see that Sabaoth is used to describe heavenly bodies and it has a literal translation of “that which goes forth”, “armies”, or– as we see in this translation– “hosts”. The Heavenly Hosts were created by God and are under His command. 

In his commentary on Psalm 46 in The Treasury of David, Charles Spurgeon says it like this: “The Lord rules the angels, the stars, the elements, and all the hosts of Heaven; and the Heaven of heavens is under His sway. The armies of men, though they know it not, are made to subserve His will. This Generalissimo of the forces of the land, and the Lord High Admiral of the seas, is on our side– our august Ally: woe unto those who fight against Him, for they shall flee like smoke before the wind when He gives the word to scatter them.” 

PSALM 46

Psalm 46 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, and it is packed with references to Jehovah Sabaoth. Let’s take a closer look…  

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.

So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.

Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! [Interlude]

A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.

God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.

The nations are in chaos and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts!

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.

He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    He burns the shields with fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. [Interlude]

In the beginning of this Psalm, the writer opens with the most powerful and catastrophic imagery that he could imagine– the earth crumbling and mountains falling into the sea. Nations are raging and the whole earth is in a state of chaos, but God– Jehovah Sabaoth– is still more powerful than even the most destructive forces that we could face on this earth. Even in the middle of the devastation The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is among the people and they will not be destroyed. 

In this chapter, Jehovah Sabaoth is described as a protector and a fortress, and everything in the heavens and on earth is under His command. He is near to his people and we can be still in his presence– even when everything around us seems to be crumbling.  

This brings to mind Exodus 14:14, “The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” The Israelites have escaped slavery in Egypt, but now Pharaoh's armies are in hot pursuit and the people find themselves trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea. 

Jehovah Sabaoth is the LORD of the impossible! He alone controls the heavenly armies and all of creation must obey His will. He flooded the earth in Genesis and then caused the waters to subside (Genesis 7-8). He parted the waters of the Red Sea in Exodus and the Jordan River in Joshua. He made water come out of a rock… twice (Exodus 17, Numbers 20)! He made the sun stand still in the sky in Joshua’s battle against the Amorites (Joshua 10:13), and He moved the sun 10 spaces to reveal Himself to Hezekiah in Isaiah 38:8. He made fire not burn Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego– and they didn’t even smell like smoke (Daniel 3). He made ravens feed Elijah (1 Kings 17), He closed the mouths of lions (Daniel 6), He made a donkey speak (Numbers 22-24), and one day He will make the wolf lay in peace with the lamb (Isaiah 11:6). He will restore all things and make a new heaven and a new earth.  

Revelation 21 tells us:  

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.’

And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making all things new!’” 

DAVID + JEHOVAH SABAOTH

In 1 Samuel 17:45-50 we have another amazing account of the power of The LORD of Heaven’s Armies! A young David is facing a fierce Philistine warrior known as Goliath and David calls on the name of Jehovah Sabaoth… 

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

David may have only been one person, but he called about The LORD who has all of the heavenly armies at His command. I believe (and I’d assume that David would agree) that David could have shot a feather at Goliath and it still would have taken Goliath down.

The LORD of Heaven’s armies can use anything in creation to complete His mission. Here He used a single stone to display His power and bring victory to His people. 

A PRAYER OF REJOICING 

As we near the end of our time together today, I want to circle back to Hannah for a moment. After her son is born, she follows through on the promise she made to God–  she leaves Samuel– her only child– at the tabernacle to be raised by Eli, the priest. She has just made the biggest sacrifice of her life– she gave away the very thing that she had longed for and prayed for year after year after year– and in this moment she rejoices to Jehovah Sabaoth. Her prayer is beautiful testament to her faith and provides a vivid picture of the character of God and His sovereignty over all: 

“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
    The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
    I rejoice because you rescued me.

No one is holy like the Lord!
    There is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.

“Stop acting so proud and haughty!
    Don’t speak with such arrogance!
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
    he will judge your actions.

The bow of the mighty is now broken,
    and those who stumbled are now strong.

Those who were well fed are now starving,
    and those who were starving are now full.
The childless woman now has seven children,
    and the woman with many children wastes away.

The Lord gives both death and life;
    He brings some down to the grave but raises others up.

The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
    He brings some down and lifts others up.

He lifts the poor from the dust
    and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
    placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
    and he has set the world in order.

“He will protect his faithful ones,
    but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.

    Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
    the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
    he increases the strength of his anointed one.”

Praise the name of Jehovah Sabaoth! Hannah reminds us that He makes us strong, He rescues us, He is our rock and our judge. He fills us, protects us, raises us up, and gives us life. 

Hannah is also foreshadowing the eternal life that would be ours through the coming Messiah. In the Enduring Word Commentary, David Guzik explains, “At this time Israel did not have a king and didn’t seem to want one. So when Hannah spoke of His king she looked ahead to the Messiah, who will finally set all wrongs right. He is His anointed… This is the first place in the Bible where Jesus is referred to as the Messiah. She first applied to him the remarkable epithet MESSIAH in Hebrew, CHRIST in Greek, and ANOINTED in English, which was adopted by David, Nathan, Ethan, Isaiah, Daniel, and the succeeding prophets of the Old Testament; and by the apostles and inspired writers of the New.” 

IT ALL POINTS TO JESUS

Let that sink in. Hannah– the same woman who was the first person to cry out to The LORD of Heaven’s Armies, is also the same person to first use the term Messiah. I love how each name of God in the Old Testament points us directly to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in the New Testament. His victory over death and the forces of evil brings life to His followers once and for all. 

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells his disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

In Revelation 11:15 we see "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"

The LORD of Heaven’s Armies cannot be defeated. All victory is His now and forevermore! 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

As we close today, my prayer is that you will find hope and confidence in the name of Jehovah Sabaoth. He is in control, even when the world feels unstable. He is fighting unseen battles, and in Him true hope and victory are found. He is the God of the impossible and He is near to you, even now!  

NEXT STEPS

Here are a few action steps to help you dip deeper this week!

  1. Memorize Exodus 14:14 “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Let this verse anchor your heart in seasons of uncertainty.

  2. Journal a Prayer of Rejoicing: Even if your situation hasn’t changed, write a prayer like Hannah’s, declaring who God is, what He’s done, and what you believe He will do. Be honest, vulnerable, and expectant. Ask Jehovah Sabaoth to meet you in your weakness and bring peace even before the breakthrough.

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Most Recent, Podcast Episodes, Names of God SeriesJessica BiondorecentComment