Meditation

Hi there,

The name Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts or the Lord of Armies, appears over 250 times in the Old Testament, making it one of the most frequently used names of God in all scripture.​

It is most frequently used throughout the Prophetic Books. Isaiah uses it in moments of national crisis; Jeremiah, through judgment and exile; and Zechariah uses it more than 50 times in 14 chapters.​

Today's passage contains its first two uses right at the beginning of 1 Samuel, a book whose purpose is to highlight two major events: The establishment of the monarchy of Israel and the preparation of David to sit on the royal throne.​

While the name "The Lord of Hosts" evokes a sense of power and command, it's notable that its first usage is in a personal prayer offered by a broken woman. The Lord of Hosts is not a distant power, but one who bends towards the broken and needy.

Today's text is 1 Samuel 1: 1-11​

The whole passage is a lot and will take some time to copy. I've highlighted the two instances of the name Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord Almighty. Leaving you to decide how much context to add for your own copy work. If you're short of time, verses 10 and 11 are undoubtedly the most moving.

The Birth of Samuel

1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ² He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.​

³ Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.​

⁴ Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. ⁵ But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.​

⁶ Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. ⁷ This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. ⁸ Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”​

⁹ Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. ¹⁰ In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.​

¹¹ And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

Encouragement

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.​

Psalm 46:7

​​Andy

God’s Word In Your Hand

This short video gives additional insight into the name "The God of Armies/ Lord of Hosts.

This study is inspired by a remarkable artwork I found on godsfingerprints.com. You can learn more about the background and purchase it here.

(Links are not affiliate links, and I am not compensated for any purchases.)

​Andy

God's Word In Your Hand

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