Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20050814.htm

FEASTING ON THE NAMES OF JEHOVAH
Part VII: Applying The Name Of "Jehovah-Sebaot," Our God Of Hosts
(Isaiah 47:4; 48:2; 51:15 and 54:5)
  1. Introduction
    1. Though the term, "Lord of hosts" appears many times in Scripture, unique to Isaiah 47:4; 48:2; 51:15 and 54:5 is it used with specific reference to the term being the NAME of the Lord: the phrase in these passages all uniquely read, "the LORD of hosts is his name."
    2. The ways this phrase is used in these passages supplies hope that God is ABLE and WILLING to bless those whose strength and desire to handle the debilitating effects of their OWN SINFUL FAILURE are at a low ebb (as follows):
  2. Applying The Name Of "Jehovah-Sebaot," Our God Of Hosts, Isaiah 47:4; 48:2; 51:15 and 54:5.
    1. The "Lord of hosts" "Jehovah-Sebaot," declared His will and ability to judge the seemingly unstoppable Babylonians after they had taken His people captive for their sin, Isaiah 47:4:
      1. The phrase, "the LORD of hosts is his name" in Isaiah 47:4 appears in the context where the prophet Isaiah predicted the Babylonians would take the people of Judah captive for their sinful rebellion against God and His Law, cf. Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., p. 968, "Intro. to the Book of Isaiah."
      2. In the chapter itself, Isaiah forsaw Babylon's abusive, arrogant rule over His people, and predicted God would then cause Babylon to be destroyed in judgment for her abuse and pride, Isaiah 47:1-3, 5, 11.
      3. Thus, in the middle of this word against Babylon, Isaiah expressed hope in God as the God of hosts Who is sovereign over even Babylon that takes His people captive, Isaiah 47:4!
    2. The "Lord of hosts," "Jehovah-Sebaot," declared His will and ability to release Judah from Babylonian Captivity though she was unworthy of this due to her sinful rebellion, for God was faithful to His unconditional covenant to her to help and to bless her, Isaiah 48:2:
      1. The phrase, "the LORD of hosts is his name" in Isaiah 48:2 appears in the context where the prophet Isaiah predicts Judah's captive state in Babylon due to her sinful rebellion, cf. Isaiah 48:1-2a.
      2. In that context, Isaiah prophetically spoke to the future captives, noting they would be held captive in Babylon in accord with God's Word they would be judged since Judah had trusted in false idols to escape destruction by Babylon, Isaiah 48:3-8.
      3. Thus, God promised through Isaiah that though Judah did not deserve it, He would graciously, powerfully deliver her from captivity due to His own unconditional covenant to bless her, 48:9, 18, 20.
    3. The "Lord of hosts," "Jehovah-Sebaot," declared His will and ability to restore the repentant captives of Judah in Babylon though such restoration seemed humanly futile to them, Isaiah 51:15:
      1. The phrase, "the LORD of hosts is his name" in Isaiah 51:15 before the Babylonian Captivity occurred (Ibid.) to a repentant Judah later in that captivity, cf. Isaiah 51:1a.
      2. God there prophetically encouraged this righteous remnant that He as God of Hosts would be willing and able to restore them as a nation from Babylon though it would seem humanly impossible; He noted that as He once made them a nation out of an aged and humanly, hopelessly childless couple in Abraham and Sarah, He would again be willing and able to restore them as a nation, Isaiah 51:1b-2, 3.
    4. The "Lord of hosts," "Jehovah-Sebaot," declared His will and ability to establish the Messianic Kingdom for Judah though such a blessing for sinful Judah seemed humanly futile at the time, Isaiah 54:5:
      1. The phrase, "the LORD of hosts is his name" appears in Isaiah 54:5 in the context where Isaiah has just finished describing the substitutionary atonement of Messiah, Jesus, cf. Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
      2. Based on the cleansing from sin for Judah through that atonement (cf. Isaiah 53:5), and based on individual salvation by faith in Him and His work on the cross (Isaiah 53:11), God promised to establish the Messianic Kingdom of great blessing, and that while Judah was yet slipping into apostasy before the Babylonian invasion had even occurred (Ibid.; Isaiah 54:5, 7-8, 11-17)
Lesson: "The Lord of hosts" was willing and able to bless Judah regardless of her debilitating sinful failure, and that due to His great GRACE toward Her in the Abrahamic Covenant and in Christ!

Application: May we today take heart that God's GRACE is greater than our sinful failure and its debilitating fall-out, and trust in Christ and His gracious provisions for blessing in spite of our SIN!