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So in Berean’s Bible study, we are going through the book of Zechariah, a book that I would probably not consider reading through on my own time. However reading through the minor prophets has been a blessing but one connection I’ve drawn over the past few weeks pertains to the phrase “LORD of hosts” as seen in Zechariah 1.
We learned in Bible study that “LORD of hosts” implies a general or military like connotation. Hosts was a word often used to describe large armies, which in this case, the Lord leads. It was hard for me to attribute certain characteristics to this title, such as His power and sovereignty until I realized how crazy his army is. The source that helped me understand a bulk of what kind of hosts the Lord commands comes from a sermon I heard at my home church over spring break. The verses and that the following information come from Dr. Fox in a sermon titled “Love is a Life Laid Down”, which can be found below.
http://english.chinesegracebiblechurch.org/sermon/index.php?c_lang=big5
The first passage we will look at is Matthew 26:52-53
52Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.
53″Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
Here Jesus tells Peter that he has the ability to summon more than 12 legions of angels. I’m not going to speculate just how many “more” he could have summoned so we’ll focus on the word “legion”. Assuming Jesus was using cultural context, a Roman legion at that time had 6000 soldiers in it. If we account that number to Christ, that’s over 72,000 angels he could have fight for him.
That in itself is beyond our comprehension, but it’s also a small part of God’s seemingly infinite army. In Revelations 5:11, John said he looked and heard “myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands” of angels around the throne. As we will see in the next text, these angels not only proclaim God’s worth, but are also gifted in battle. We know in our minds that there is a war that is not of flesh and blood, but I feel that we cannot understand the magnitude and intensity of the fight.
The text that supports this is found in II Kings 19. Here King Hezekiah finds himself helpless before his circumstances. Many of us would be if 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were on our door step ready to spill blood. He petitions the Lord in II Kings 19:19 asking,
19“Now, O LORD our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”
The Lord’s response is surely a sign of grace and is demonstrated by the power of one angel, as seen in II Kings 19:32-35.
32‘Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, “He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it. 33″By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he shall not come to this city,”‘ declares the LORD. 34′For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’”
35Then it happened that night that the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead.
King Hezekiah’s prayer request was answered by one angel because of God’s commitment to his own glory as well as his covenant with David. One of the Lord’s angels has the power to wipe out 185,000 men in one night. Not only should the people who were saved be in awe, but we should also have a reverent fear in today’s age.
Can you imagine what would have happened had Jesus not relinquished his power in order for the prophecy to be fulfilled? Right before Peter cuts the servant’s ears off in John 18, Jesus’ responsed “I am He” when asked if he was Jesus the Nazarene and that the men drew back and fell to the ground. If you combine the authority of Christ with 72,000 angels that can likely kill more than 185,000 people in one night, what kind of force do you get? Yet despite the circumstance, Christ humbled himself and as the Bible says and Dr. Fox points out, gave up his life.
If you look at it another way, it demonstrates the seriousness of the war that we cannot see among the angels. For me it would almost seem like an anime fight, where people have crazy powers and fighting abilities. These soldiers serve one general, the Lord of hosts.
Regardless, Christ is exalted. In my study of Hebrews, the author makes it clear that Christ is superior to angels. Often we separate the roles of God and Christ, but at least in the of the role “LORD of hosts”, they are seemingly equal as displayed by one of my favorite Psalms, and on this note I will end this entry. What are the attributes of this warrior? Strong and mighty, mighty in battle.
Psalm 24
1The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.
2For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
3Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
5He shall receive a blessing from the LORD
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face–even Jacob. Selah.
7Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
8Who is the King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
9Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
10Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah.
Hmm, getting the Maplestory business out of the way, I am currently inactive in Scania due to school and other activities but have found my way back into a private server. I am currently playing a brawler with what spare time I have, and I must say it is quite fun. I think it’s safe to expect a return to Scania in the summer and a push toward 160. I miss video editing.
But with trivialities aside.
” In these last days He has spoken to us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world. And he is the radiance of his glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of his power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” Hebrews 1:2-3
In my continuing study of Hebrews, perhaps the thing that has stuck out most is how the author begins the book. He establishes Christ’s preeminence, which is considered the theme of the book, from the beginning, making a bold proclamation to new Hebrew believers that His work is better than all things. Before I continue, let us consider the definition of preeminence as defined by dictionary.com
eminent above or before others; superior; surpassing: He is preeminent in his profession.
In Hebrews 1:2-3, the author shows that Christ is: the beginning, the middle, and the end, and most importantly – worthy to be praised.
This is more of a reflection on MacArthur’s commentary combined with my response to what he has done. This passage, analysis, and reflection really set the tone for the rest of my study which is why I am going through the effort of expressing my thoughts here.
MacArthur splits this passage up into seven excellencies that Christ exemplifies. MacArthur’s dedication to such detail in every passage challenges and frustrates me in my own studies, because his method of study is so thorough yet at a pace where I’d have to dedicate years to a book. No way will I be in Matthew for 18 years… i forgot the exact number. Anyway here is how MacArthur divides up the verse.
His Hiership: ”In these last days He has spoken to us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things.”
His Creatorship: ”…through whom also He made the world”
His Radiance: ”And he is the radiance of His glory”
His Being: ”And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature”
His Administration: ”…upholds all things by the word of His power”
His Sacrifice: ”…when he had made purification of sins”
His Exaltation: ”He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
I found this to be a powerful display of the entirety of Christ. By being an heir it demonstrates that the world was created for Christ, yet at the same time it was created through and by Him. He sustains with the world with his power by “upholding all things by the word of His power” because of the sacrifice he made for us on the cross. His perfect life, which results in an unblemished human sacrifice, allowed Christ to complete his work and to assume the inheritance that is rightly his. When Christ sits, it signifies that it is finished and that we should worship the “exact representation of [His] nature”. Our lives are (hopefully) not close to being completed, which further testifies to our need to represent the one whom we have been been baptized with in death and brought with into newness of life.
MacArthur sums up this passage very well, so I will end with a quote.
Here we have God’s portrait of Jesus Christ. We have seen the preeminent Christ in all His offices. We have seen him as prophet, the final spokesman for God. We have seen Him as priest, atoning and interceding. We have seen Him as King, controlling, sustaining, and seated on a throne. This is our Lord Jesus Christ.
Preeminent indeed. Pretty cool, huh?
