Isaiah 6:1-7 (KJV) In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

A Compound Name of God is where two of His names are combined. We have studied several Compound Names:

El Olam (The Everlasting God)
Yahweh Qadash (God the Holy)
Yahweh Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
El Roi (The God Who Sees Me)

Tonight we’re looking at the most frequently used Compound Name of God. This is the Name of God Yahweh Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts. Some people are confused by the Hebrew Word Sabaoth, thinking this is the same as Sabbath. That’s not true. The Sabbath is a day set aside to God to rest and honor Him. We worship the Sabbath on The Lord’s Day, the Day Jesus rose from the grave. Sabaoth does not equate to Sabbath. Sabaoth means “To Rule The Multitudes”. God is both Yahweh – Eternal, Almighty, Self Existent and God is “The Ruler of the Multitudes”. God controls the hosts of Heaven. God controls the armies of the world.

God Is The LORD of Hosts

The word Sabaoth is found two times in the New Testament. James spoke of those who defrauded their hired laborers, saying:

James 5:4 Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

God as the Lord of Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts hears the cries of the oppressed. The Lord of Sabaoth watches those who do evil, and if repentance does not come He will come and address the evil with tribulation. God will not bless wrongdoing! The Lord of Sabaoth punished Israel for their wrong doing. In the second use of “Sabaoth” in the New Testament the Apostle Paul referred to the dispersion of Israel during the time of Isaiah. Quoting two texts – Isaiah 6:13 and Isaiah 1:9 – he wrote under inspiration of God:

Romans 9:27-29 (KJV) {Isaiah} also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 29 And as {Isaiah} said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

Israel disobeyed God in the time of Isaiah and the Babylonian and Assyrian Empires over ran them. Israel was as the sand of the sea and the stars of the sky, as God promised Abraham (Genesis 22:17), but Yahweh Sabaoth will not bless evil. Oh Beloved, never believe that God is a Respecter of Persons!

Romans 2:9-11 (ESV) There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

The LORD of Hosts watches what every person does. Israel in Isaiah’s time was suffering because they stopped loving Yahweh Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts and began to do the wrong. But the same Lord of Sabaoth – the LORD of Hosts – is merciful. He would not wipe out Israel. He blessed the remnant who believed, and protected them.

(Romans 9:29) Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed
We had been as Sodom and been made like unto Gomorrah!

God was not the LORD of Hosts for the Sodomites and the sexual perverted.
But He is the LORD of Hosts for those who believe in Him.

There are several truths we can see about our God as Isaiah writes in this most frightening time of Israel’s history.

1 The LORD of Hosts IS. We read:

Isaiah 6:1 (KJV) In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord

Who was King Uzziah? He was the best King that Israel had since the reign of Solomon. The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles 26 that he became king when he was but 16 years old. He reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. The was the best King because the Bible says “he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD”. He honored Yahweh.

2 Chronicles 26:5 {Uzziah} sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

Everything the man did prospered because he trusted himself to the LORD of Hosts.

• He warred against the Philistines, and destroyed their capital city.
• He built towers and fortified Jerusalem’s walls.
• He dug wells in the desert and outposts for the people.
• He had the most elite fighting men the world had ever known.
• His armies he provided the most advanced weaponry.

But when Uzziah was older and at the end of his reign he allowed pride to take him. The Bible says:

2 Chronicles 26:16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

Uzziah sinned against his Lord. God sent leprosy on him, and last days of his life this legend of a man stayed in hiding. As the forces of Babylon lined up to destroy Judah, at that most crucial moment, Uzziah died as all people die. Who will help us now? Who will we turn to?

In this Presidential election we are watching two mud slinging opponents telling us that if we choose one or the other then we choose destruction. Nothing ever changes. Fifty years from now both Clinton and Trump will be dust, their souls in the hands of a never ending Yahweh. But the LORD of Hosts will live onward. I love the way that Pastor John Piper said it:

“God was the Living God when this universe banged into existence. He was the Living God when Socrates drank his poison. He was the Living God when William Bradford governed Plymouth Colony. He was the Living God in 1966 when Thomas Altizer proclaimed Him dead and Time Magazine put it on the front cover. And He will be living ten trillion ages from now when all the puny potshots against His reality will have sunk into oblivion like bb’s at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.”

The LORD of Hosts is ETERNAL. The LORD of Hosts is EVERLASTING. Our God is YAHWEH SABAOTH, and He is always there for us.

 In the 2016 Olympics at Rio De Janeiro we are hearing about all of the medals won, but nothing of the great stories of faith going on in the background. Eric Metaxas reported in the August 22^nd, 2016 Breakpoint:

In the women’s 10,000 meters race, Almaz Ayana, from Ethiopia, obliterated the previous world record by 14 seconds. Responding to unfounded rumors about cheating, Almaz retorted, “My doping is my training and my doping is Jesus. Nothing otherwise —I am crystal clear.”

American swimmer Simone Manuel set an Olympic record in the 100-meter freestyle, becoming the first African-American woman to win gold as a swimmer, the first African-American woman to win a medal in an individual swimming event, and the first American to win the 100-meter since 1984. After the race she said, with tears rolling down her cheeks, “All I can say is all glory to God.”

Simone Biles, acknowledged to be the world’s greatest female gymnast—and perhaps the best ever. But what’s truly inspiring is her story—adopted at age 6 by her grandparents because of her mother’s battle with addiction. Now reconciled with her mom, Simone draws strength from her relationship with God and her faith.

Katie Ledecky, who may become the greatest woman swimmer of all time—and who won the 800-meter freestyle by an amazing 11 seconds—says her faith in Christ “is part of who I am.”

2 The LORD of Hosts IS ON HIS THRONE.

Isaiah 6:1 (KJV) In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up …

There is chaos in Jerusalem and the enemy is at the gate. What do we see in Heaven? Are angels running about in a panic? Has God stepped away to

plow a field, or
shine His shoes, or
cut grass and do a little hedge trimming, or better yet
to play golf and take a vacation while Jerusalem quakes?

No, dear Ones. Any time you look into Heaven you see order, and peace. But what you see most of all is The LORD of Hosts enthroned, high and lifted up. God is in control. People think that they are in control, and God allows us all freedom within bounds. Yet God is always Sovereign. God made this world, this universe, and everything in it. In time the Scripture says:

Romans 14:11 (ESV) … As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Our God is Sovereign. He is on the Throne forever. We can call on Him in time of need, and He can make the difference. The first place this name of God “The LORD of Hosts” is found in Scripture is in 1 Samuel 1. The Book starts out telling the story of a man named Elkanah, a man that had two wives. Let me say quickly that the Bible does not endorse one man having two wives. God made man and woman, and put them together for life according to Jesus (Mark 10:6 from the beginning of creation God made them male and female).

Elkanah was not following God’s design, and it brought trouble to his home.
When you do not follow God’s design you will bring trouble to your home.
When you do not follow God’s design you will bring trouble to your home.
When you do not follow God’s design you will bring trouble to your home.

Elkanah’s wife Peninnah had children, but his wife Hannah did not. The Bible tells us that every time the husband left the home Peninnah would mock Hannah because she was childless. Hannah was so bullied by Peninnah that she couldn’t eat or sleep. There was nothing Hannah could do to fix her situation. Elkanah loved her more than Peninnah, but it wasn’t enough. The bullying wouldn’t stop.

So Hannah prayed.

1 Samuel 1:10-11 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. [11] And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of Hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

Hannah directed her prayer to the LORD of Hosts. Hannah was in a helpless and hopeless situation. She can pine away through depression, or she can call upon the LORD of Hosts Who is on His Throne. Hannah would have a baby, the Prophet Samuel, one of the greatest Prophets that Israel ever knew. God is in control. God fights for His people.

The second time the LORD of Hosts is mentioned is when a young shepherd boy stands before a giant named Goliath. The boy named David, armed with only a sling and five smooth stones goes up against a Goliath who was 9 feet 6 inches tall, and his armor alone weighed 125 pounds. What gave David the courage to face such an opponent. Listen to what David said:

1 Samuel 17:45-46 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. [46] This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

David went from Shepherd to King because the Bible says in 2 Samuel 5:10 “the LORD God of Hosts was with him”. God’s people can call on Him, for our God is the LORD of Hosts. He fights for His own.

Psalms 24:9-10 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. [10] Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Zechariah 4:6-7 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. [7] Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

What battles are you fighting? God is on His Throne. Take your troubles to the LORD of Hosts, YAHWEH SABAOTH. He is able. You can thrash around in the thorny patch of your dilemma and all you’ll do is get more scratched up. Or you can be still and cry out to Yahweh Sabaoth. He is there, and He fights for His people.

3 The LORD of Hosts Is Everywhere, And HOLY. Again we read:

Isaiah 6:1-3 (KJV) In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Though the Lord of Hosts is enthroned in Heaven, He is nonetheless everywhere. There is no place where He is not. The Bible says that He is high and lifted up, and His TRAIN filled the Temple. The “Train” is the robe of God, the King’s Robe, and it filled all of Heaven. But it does not stop there. The whole earth is full of His glory. Our glorious Savior and Protector is everywhere.

Psalms 113:4-6 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! [5] Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, [6] who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?

God loves and looks after His people. God is everywhere. He is not far from us. The Apostle Paul said “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). When we love Him and are His, He will protect us. The Lord of Hosts stands against those who are unrighteous and unholy. The Angels cried “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts!”. He will bless them that bless Him, but stands against those who stand against Him and His own. We are told in Amos:

Amos 9:2-5 (ESV) If they dig into Sheol, from there shall my hand take them; if they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down. [3] If they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search them out and take them; and if they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them. [4] And if they go into captivity before their enemies, there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them; and I will fix my eyes upon them for evil and not for good.” [5] The Lord GOD of hosts, he who touches the earth and it melts, and all who dwell in it mourn, and all of it rises like the Nile, and sinks again, like the Nile of Egypt;

Oh how protected are the people of God. But oh how dangerous it is to range far from Him in our hearts! God is everywhere watching us, and stands ready to save whosoever will believe in Him.

Jeremiah 23:23-24 (ESV) Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away? [24] Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.

God is everywhere. But God is also thrice holy. The Angels that flew before the Throne of the LORD of Hosts covered their faces and covered their feet. These Angels had never known sin, but to be in His Presence they covered their faces from His holiness. They not only wiped their feet before entering His Throne-room, they COVERED their feet. God is Holy. He is Righteous. He is set apart, totally without sin. When Isaiah saw into the Throne-room of the Lord of Hosts what did he do?

Isaiah 6:5 (KJV) Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.

He cried out to God! He recognized his sinfulness, and repented, crying out to the Lord of Hosts. The Bible tells us that when Isaiah cried out that:

Isaiah 6:6-7 (KJV) Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

This is a beautiful picture of the Cross of Christ. Our Lord Jesus died on that Cross for us, being offered up for our sins. He is our Passover. He offered up Himself (Hebrews 7:27).

Colossians 1:20-23 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. [21] And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled [22] In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: [23] If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

An Angel went to the altar of God and took a burning coal, symbolic of the glory of God, and touched Isaiah’s lips. When we confess with our mouths Jesus is Lord, and believe in our hearts that He has risen from the grave, we are saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (see Romans 10:9-10). When that coal touched Isaiah’s lips his iniquity is taken away, and his sin was purged.

The LORD of Hosts is never far from you if you have received Christ as Savior. Jesus has promised:

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

The Lord of Hosts is holy. The Lord of Hosts is everywhere. The Lord of Hosts will fight for you, but you must be His. Give yourselves to Him. Trust Him. Love Him. Live for Him, and in Him. For one day you, too, will be with Him in His glorious Heaven.

A little girl who lived her whole life in the city had opportunity to go to the country on a vacation. One starlit night, she and her mother stood gazing up into the beautiful night sky devoid of the lights of the city. After a while the child said “Mama, if heaven is so pretty on the wrong side, I wonder what it looks like on the right side!” If you know Him one day you will see.