Name of God: Jehovah Sabaoth
THE LORD OF HOSTS
Malachi 3:1 - Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
Devotional
The name “The Lord of hosts” appears around 285 times in the Bible–emphasizing the importance of the vast authority and power of God. In the Old Testament, this title comes from the Hebrew Jehovah Sabaoth or YHWH Tz'vaot. YHWH is God’s covenant name, meaning “I AM”—revealing His eternal, self-existent nature, while Tz'vaot means “hosts” or “armies.” Together, the name proclaims that God is the supreme commander of all forces—angelic beings, earthly powers, and all of creation. Nothing stands outside His rule, and nothing can oppose His will. When we call Him the Lord of hosts, we are confessing that ultimate strength and authority belong to Him alone.
What makes this name so striking is not only the power it conveys, but the way God chooses to exercise that power. The Lord of hosts could overwhelm His enemies instantly, yet the God who commands armies is also the God who draws near to the weary and defends the vulnerable. His battles are not merely against external enemies, but against sin, injustice, and the brokenness that separates humanity from Him. He wars against the powers and principalities of evil and darkness.
This truth comes into sharp focus in God’s promise of salvation through Jesus. The prophet Malachi records the words of God: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:1). The Lord of hosts does not arrive with legions to destroy, but with a messenger to prepare hearts and a Savior to restore them. The God of heaven’s armies comes in humility, fulfilling His covenant not through conquest, but through Christ—showing that His greatest victory is salvation, not destruction.
Devotional Prayer Questions
1. Where in my life do I need to trust the power of the Lord of hosts instead of relying on my own strength or control?
2. How is God inviting me to receive His salvation and mercy? How can I also show mercy, forgiveness, and hope to others?
The Lord's Prayer
Use the Lord's Prayer to guide your prayer time.
“Father”
The Commander of angel armies calls you child.
Thank Him that you never enter spiritual battle alone.
“Hallowed be Your Name”
Exalt Him as sovereign over all unseen realities: You command angels. You dismantle darkness. You wage war for Your people. You defend the weak.
Honor Him as Captain of your salvation.
“Your Kingdom come / Your will be done”
Invite Him to take command: “Rule over my thoughts—silence lies. Rule over my emotions—calm chaos. Rule over my reactions—govern responses.”
Pray His Kingdom against spiritual warfare in your church—disunity, fear, distraction, accusation, and apathy.Ask Him to guard your leaders and their families.
“Give us this day our daily bread”
Ask the Lord of Hosts to supply strength for spiritual battle.Pray for believers under attack.Pray for missionaries, pastors, and those laboring in gospel-resistant areas.
“Forgive us our sins…”
Repentance is warfare.
Confess sins that feed the enemy’s strategy—anger, gossip, unbelief, lust, bitterness, self-pity.Forgive others to shut the enemy’s foothold.
“Lead us not into temptation”
Pray the armor as a soldier preparing for battle.
Ask for discernment, courage, endurance, and victory in every spiritual conflict today.
Prayer Requests
After praying through the Lord's Prayer, please pray openly for those around you, our Church, those that are lost and then if you are joining us in person, please pray over a few prayer requests on the prayer cards located on the front of the stage and return them in the basket at the exit.
With Your Family
Prayer is so important for us to develop especially with our family. Throughout the 21 Days of Prayer we want to provide simple prayer prompts that you and your children can pray through that can break down the name of God into an easily understood manner and how we can pray through that. In addition to the prayer below, prompt your children to pray for family, friends, teachers, others in their life and remember to always lead the prayer with gratitude.
Thank God that He is Jehovah Sabaoth, the LORD of Armies.
This means God is the strongest leader who fights for what is good and right.
Because God is so mighty, He protects missionaries who are telling others about Jesus in places near and far.
Pray for these brave people today, asking God to keep them safe as they share the Gospel.
Communion
If you are joining us in person, please pick up the communion elements provided and take it to close out your prayer time.
Scripture:
Read the following passage before participating in communion:
Mark 14:22-25: And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Prayer:
Take a moment and ask God to examine your heart and reveal any sin that is hindering your relationship with Him. Confess that sin to the Lord. Then, as you read the passage, take a moment to praise and thank God for His body and His blood, and eat the bread and drink the cup.
