of the Lord a corrupt thing.
For I am a great God, saith the Lord of hosts. And my name is
dreadful among the heathen. And that name that we find there
is Lord of hosts. Lord of hosts. 24 times in the book of Malachi
is this name mentioned. And eight times in the first
chapter is this name mentioned. And this name is mentioned just
a little over 240 times in the Old Testament, so 10% of the
time it's found in the book of Malachi. And for four chapters,
we would think God is telling us something. God is telling
us something about himself and he's telling these through the
prophet Malachi, he's telling a great deal about God. This
is who these folks are dealing with. This is no small puny God,
but this is the Lord of Hosts. Now it depends on the translation,
but sometimes he is called the Lord of Armies, the Lord of Hosts,
or the Lord Almighty. Those are the way this name is
generally translated, Lord of Hosts, is a title that emphasizes
God's rule over every other power in the material and spiritual
universe. He has the power over all things,
so that's why he would be called the Lord Almighty or God Almighty. This title occurs more than 240
times in the Old Testament and 24 times here in the Book of
Malachi. All creation, even in its fallen
condition, is under God's rule and reign. I was talking to Brother
Trabrand, and he said, you know, even in the fallen condition,
we can find places of great beauty in this earth. How many times
have we heard Craig mention the gorge? It's beautiful, and yet
it's in its fallen condition. And crater-like, these occurrences,
these things that we look at are the results of a great catastrophic
event. And yet we look at them in beauty.
And before the fall of Adam in the garden, what beauty was there? I mean, it's inexplainable. But
this passage of scripture that we have here, in chapter 1 and
verse 4, this name is mentioned, Lord of Hosts. Chapter 1, verse
6, this name is mentioned. Chapter 1 and verse 8, this name
is mentioned. Verse 9, verse 10, verse 11,
verse 13, and verse 14. Eight times in this chapter,
short chapter, only 14 verses long, we have this name mentioned.
This word Lord comes from the word Jehovah in the Old Testament.
If you're a modern thinker, it's called Yahweh. As I grew up,
it was called Jehovah. I'm going to stick with that.
Jehovah. And the word of host is all created
agencies and forces are under the leadership or dominion of
Jehovah, who made and maintained them. So that's who God is revealing
himself to through the prophet Malachi to these folks. And in
this last verse, here are those folks that says, we promise to
bring the best. And when they get out in the
herd and they see their prize stock, they say, I'm gonna give
that broken one. And God said in that last verse,
he says, I am a great king, saith the Lord of hosts. And my name
is dreadful among the heathen or respected among the Gentiles. My name is respected among the
Gentiles, but I'm having problems here having any respect out of
the Jews. So he's revealing to that. And
to the Jews, just remember, in the Hebrew language, when these
people were reading it, God is sharing with them that the God
of armies is speaking to them. The God of heaven and earth is
speaking to them. This is not one of their idols. This God is the God of hosts,
the Lord of hosts, Jehovah of hosts, Jehovah of armies, the
Lord Almighty. Would you turn back with me to
the book of Genesis chapter 2? Genesis chapter 2, we have this
word host mentioned here, and it covers so much. Genesis chapter
2, he's the Lord of hosts, and this is the same word over here
in the book of Genesis chapter 2 verse 1. As our brother Moses
was writing by inspiration, we have it written down here, thus
the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of
them. without description, beyond description. No way of describing the completeness
of it or the totality of creation. They are all under the rule and
reign of Almighty God, Jehovah. And so that's the one that's
speaking to these Jews, these Hebrews in Malachi. Malachi is
speaking to them by the authority of God, just like any gospel
preacher or anybody sharing the gospel with their neighbor or
their children. They are speaking by the authority
of the Lord Jesus Christ. I appreciated what that pastor
shared with me when he was talking to his daughter. He says, number
one, you don't consider yourself a sinner, and number two, you
don't believe the report. And that's the problem with these
folks. They didn't believe they were sinners. and they didn't
believe the report, or they would have bowed before this Lord God
Almighty, the Lord of hosts. They would have bowed. They would
have no problem. A believer will bow before this
king. Unbelievers taunt him. We'll not have you rule over
us. And in the book of Isaiah chapter 45, Isaiah chapter 45, We read here this word host again,
and it shares with us again an understanding of who this is.
This is the host that the Lord reigns over, Jehovah of hosts,
Jehovah the king. In Isaiah chapter 45 and in verse
12, chapter 45 and verse 12, and
I made the earth and created man upon it. I, even my hands,
have stretched out the heavens, and all their hosts have I commanded. Jupiter is under the absolute
control of this God. The farthest star that has ever
been recorded is under control of this star. And guess what? Those Hebrews that Malachi was
writing to, are under the absolute control of this God, and they
will answer to him. Now a believer will bow with
joy, recognizing him as the ruler of all things. This Lord of hosts,
there's probably no greater description of the Lord of hosts than what
we read in a passage in the book of Daniel chapter 4. Would you
turn there with me, Daniel chapter 4? We're reading the words of
a pagan king in Daniel chapter 4. And I was reminded as I was
working on this that all scripture, these words of a pagan king,
the words of Baal or Balaam. The words of Korah, the words
of Moses' sister and Aaron. All of those folks, their words
are under the power of Almighty God. And here in the book of
Daniel chapter four, we read these words by Nebuchadnezzar. Now we brought this up a number
of times, but this passage of scripture truly illustrates what
the meaning of Lord of Hosts is, what the very meaning of
it. And Nebuchadnezzar is sharing this with us, and he is being
led of the Holy Spirit. God is using him to declare the
greatness of the Lord of Hosts, Jehovah of Hosts. Daniel chapter
4 and verse 34. Daniel chapter 4 and verse 34.
This is after he has come out of the seven years of barrenness. Seven years turned out like a
critter. And the Lord gives his mind back
to him. It was the Lord that put him
in the field. It was the Lord that gave his mind back to him.
It was the Lord Nebuchadnezzar realized at least in the flesh.
The reason he was king of Babylon was the Lord God Almighty. And here in verse 34, the first
words, I like the last words of David over there. Here's the words of Nebuchadnezzar
after he comes out from under this binding by the Lord, seven
years. Now, I don't know who was reigning
during that time, but Nebuchadnezzar wasn't. And it tells us here,
verse 34, and at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted
up mine eyes into heaven, and mine understanding returned unto
me. And I blessed the Most High,
and I praised and honored him that liveth forever. whose dominion
is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation
to generation. He rules always and for all time. He never ceases to rule. Nebuchadnezzar sums up for us
in many respects the title that we find in the scripture 240
times and 24 times in the book of Malachi and eight times in
the chapter one of the book of Malachi, the name of Jehovah
Lord of hosts. Here he goes on to say, and all
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And he,
God, this high God, this supreme God, this one that is almighty,
doth according to his will in the armies of heaven, of the
army of heaven. And sometimes we find a translation
will translate Lord of hosts as Lord of armies. He has all
the angels in his control. He told his disciples, I could
have called ten legions of angels. He has that control. And he called
all the demons that were necessary during his ministry. They were
under his absolute control. They are God's demons. Satan is God's Satan. And the
angels are God's angels. And the earth is the Lord's.
And the heavens are his. And the people on them belong
to him. And he has dominion over them. And he has them in his
hand. And so Nebuchadnezzar, after
coming out from under this, what some people would call a spell,
Insanity, whatever you want to call it, coming out from under
that. He didn't spit and sputter and wonder what was going on.
He recognized the fact that what had happened to him was happening
to him because of Almighty God. All the inhabitants of the earth
are repeated as nothing. And where does he include himself
in that? All the inhabitants of the earth. That quick, I was
turned into a beast of the field. One moment I'm the king, glorying
in my kingdom, and what I have done, in the next moment I'm
eating grass like the oxen. All the earth, all the inhabitants
of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he does according to his
will. That was his will that Nebuchadnezzar was turned out
to pasture. And it was his will that Nebuchadnezzar come to himself
and confess this great confession that fills in any blank spots
about Lord of hosts that we might have. That's who Malachi is saying
is talking to Israel, is the Lord of hosts. He doeth his will
in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay his hand or
say unto him, what are you doing? He does absolutely as he pleases,
for his sovereignty is eternal and he rules always and for all
time. What a confession that Nebuchadnezzar
made. In Psalm 90, back up just a little
bit into Psalm 90 if you would. In Psalm 90 and verse 2, we have
this said about of the Lord as the Lord of hosts, Psalm 90. And verse 2. Before the mountains were brought
forth, forever thou hast formed the earth and the world, even
from everlasting to everlasting. Thou art God. What a statement
made about God. And that's the God that is speaking
to Israel, to the Hebrews under Malachi. Well, we could go to
all the rest of the books of the Old Testament, and that's
the God who's speaking to Israel in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy. That's the God that is speaking
about the kings in 1st and 2nd Samuel, and 1st and 2nd Kings,
and 1st and 2nd Chronicles. This is that God. And that's
the God that caused the king to permit the children of Israel
to go back to Jerusalem, and build a temple, and rebuild the
walls of Jerusalem. This is the king, the Lord of
glory. In the book of First Chronicles,
would you go back there for just a moment? First Chronicles chapter
17. First Chronicles chapter 17 and
verse 7. Excuse me, 17 verse 24. Let it even be established. That thy name may be magnified
forever, saying, the Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel. And let
the house of David, thy servant, be established before thee. Now,
this is a true statement about the church. The Lord of hosts is the God
of the church. That's why we continuously repeat, we continuously
insist that Christ is the issue. It's not articles of faith, it's
not books, it's not publications, it's the word of God, it's Christ,
and he is the issue. And in chapter 17 and verse 7,
let's back up there for just a moment. It says, now therefore,
thou say unto my servant David, thus saith the Lord of hosts,
I took thee from the sheep coat. Now, David was a sheep herder.
And you know what? If God had left him alone, he'd
have been happy being a sheep herder. He would have never had
any inspiration or aspiration to be a king. I took you from
the sheep coat, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest
be ruler over my people in Israel. Whatever God desires, he does. And he did that with David. And
we know that he was not the most I hate to use the word masculine
man among the sons of Jesse, because the man who went with
the orders to anoint a king was fooled by all his brothers. He
picked out the most masculine, the largest, the most powerful,
and said, truly, this is him. God said, no, I'm Lord of hosts. I rule the farthest star, I will
take care of this. And we just simply see the foolishness
that we have sometimes in insisting on ours instead of God's way.
And God said no, and he went through and marked them off and
marked them off. And finally, is there another son? Well, he's
taking care of the sheep. You don't want him. And God said,
that's him. Bring him in here, and he anointed
him king. Now, did you know he was anointed king before he ever
set foot on the throne? He was king during most of Saul's
reign, because he was chosen of God to be king. The Lord of
hosts chose him in Psalm 24. Psalm 24 and verse 10. This Lord of Hosts, this Lord
of Armies, this Lord Almighty. In the Psalm, Psalm 24 and verse
10, we have so often through the
scriptures, 240 times this name is brought up, Lord of Hosts,
Lord of Armies, Lord Almighty, God Almighty. Psalm 24 and verse
10, who is the King of Glory? Good question. Answer, the Lord
of hosts. He is the King of glory. This
Lord Almighty, he is the King of glory. And I am reminded as
I read through the book of Malachi, the number of times that God
was required and did tell those folks who he was. Now, it's a
bad sign about the hearts of those people when the Lord of
hosts, Jehovah of hosts, Jehovah Almighty, has to remind the people
who say they belong to him who he is because they can't figure
it out. It really tells us of the desperateness
of their own hearts. They don't have any relationship
with God. They don't know this Lord of
hosts, or they would not be going out into their field and promising
to bring in the best, the male of the first year. And when they
get out there, says, well, this will do, cuz it's only for a
minor God. The Romans and the Greeks had
it right. They had stations of gods. They had this god, and he wasn't
quite as powerful as this god, and he wasn't quite as powerful
as this god, and that's just the way religion has it. There's
gods that are just not very powerful. Well, God wanted Israel to know
and God has allowed the church to know that he is the Lord of
hosts. He is the sovereign king. And when we don't recognize that,
it really shows what our heart is like before this king. We'll
not have you rule over us. We're gonna have somebody else
that will accept our sacrifices. And what is the sacrifices of
religion today? My righteousness, my works, my
Bible readings, my visitations, my all the stuff, and I'm gonna
trade that. And we're really saying, I don't
believe in the Lord of hosts. Because if we did, we would have
no problem with understanding this is what he requires. Even
in symbolism, he's requiring perfection. the best possible. Now I made mention of down in
the message there in Ashland about the message was without
spot and without blemish and I went over there to the book
of Exodus chapter 12, and I said they held that animal aside for
that long to inspect it. And so they couldn't tell, they
hoped it was okay at the end, he couldn't tell what was inside.
And there was a man who had been a butcher all his life. And he
came up to me and he said, if you hold an animal aside for
three days, and there's something wrong inside, you'll be on the
outside. And I said, whoa, I learned something. I learned something. So picking out the best to give
to God and offering it, that was what was required. And they
were not following that. In Psalm 46, Psalm 46, you turn
there with me. Psalm 46 and verse 7. The Lord
of hosts is with us. That's with the church. Psalm
46 and verse 7, Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob
is our refuge. The Lord of hosts, the Lord God
Almighty, the Lord Almighty, the Lord of armies, the Lord
of hosts is with the church. That's who our protector is.
That's who's protecting us from falling. That's who's protecting
us and giving us the draw to himself. That's who he is. It's
not just some mediocre God and it's left up to us to get things
done. He's the Lord of hosts. And when
Isaiah, in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. And those angels were saying,
holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. And Isaiah said, in
Isaiah chapter 6 and verse 5, mine eyes have seen the king,
the Lord of hosts. And that's when he said, woe
is me. So it's a big difference between those folks, they had
no interest in ever saying this on their own, woe is me. I've
been in the presence of the Lord of hosts, and I'm alive. But
when God reveals himself to his people, then there is a reverence
that cannot be created. A reverence for God that cannot
be brought out of a box. It is something God puts in our
heart. When the Holy Spirit indwells
us, there is a reverence for God that is beyond imagination. And that's why so many people
don't believe in the sovereignty of God. They don't have any interest
in that God. And people who have an interest
in that God, they have a reverence for him. In the book of Hebrews
chapter 4, Hebrews chapter 4. There's a number of things brought
out in Hebrews chapter 4, but this verse just jumped off the
page at me as I was looking at this lesson, Hebrews chapter
4 and verse 13. This is the God. Hebrews 4 and
verse 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest
in his sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the
eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Now, one of the commentators
mentioned with regard to this verse brought us back to the
time when they were offering animal sacrifices and that high
priest was required to offer certain parts on the altar. And they would raise that animal
up and open that animal up. And he says, this animal was
naked before the one who has to do. And he said, this is the
way God is viewing us. We are open, what's it say? But
all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom
we have to do. This is the Lord of hosts. He
truly sees us as we are. And in salvation, knowing full
well what we are, He imputes to us His righteousness, takes
our sin as far as the east is from the west, and we no longer
have any fear of that nakedness. Adam was afraid of his nakedness
and hid himself, covered himself and hid himself. But God said
when he takes care of all that, those things, he doesn't have
to go looking for problems in us because it's all been taken
care of. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
Savior and that again is a statement we find in the New Testament
that is similar to the Lord of Hosts in the Old Testament and
that is the Lord Jesus Christ. That word Lord has with it more
than just a shallow meaning of someone that's trying to take
care of something. This has a seriousness with the
church. People who believe the grace
of God have a seriousness about the Lord. Jesus Christ, that
he truly rules and reigns all things. And we're in his hand,
and he rules over us, and he takes care of us, and yet he
moves us in the direction that we need to go. As the king's
heart is in the hand of the Lord, as rivers of water, he turns
it with us wherever we will. If he does that for the king,
what's he doing it for us? He turns us with us wherever
we will. And we are thankful for that
very thing, that he would turn us. So the Lord of hosts, 24
times in the book of Malachi alone, is he reminding those
folks. Now, I cannot pronounce host
in the original language. I'll put it in the bulletin this
Sunday. They have strange spellings, and it's not comfortable for
us to say it. But those Hebrews understood
that. They understood the definition of that. They didn't understand
the spirit of it, or they'd have been doing differently. Because
God's people worship God, and they're not out trying to scam
God. They're not trying to scam anybody. It's such a shame how people
scam God in every way. We've got this water from the
River Jordan. And brother, if you sprinkled
it on your head, it's a scam. And it's worse when it comes
to the gospel. It's a scam. It is a pure scam
to get anybody to think about anybody but the Lord of hosts. But that truly is a revealed
notion of revealed statement, just like Nebuchadnezzar. Before
that, he could have cared less, and he was really proud of himself.
Jesus said the righteous, self-righteous, the rich ones, self-righteous.
They're like people who don't have any diseases. They don't
need a physician. They that are sick need a physician.
And everybody that's in the church knows that. They know that, they're sick
and they have a physician. Everybody in the cities of refuge
knew exactly why they were there. We didn't have to compare notes.
We know we're there because we're sinners, God's revealed that.
So the Lord of hosts, these folks that were in that group there
that Malachi is writing to, 24 times Malachi went like this. He's not a puny God, folks, and
He will get His way. He's not small. He's not a broken
critter. He has all power and all authority. Now, we found a verse recently
that even in that, He is patient, but the time will come he will
render judgment. And he did there. He did here
in the book of Malachi. Well, we'll pick up this next
time in chapter two, but we'll never leave the Lord our host
in the book of Malachi. Every chapter we'll have a reminder
that this is the one with whom we have to do. We are naked before
Him with whom we have to do. He knows our frame. He knows
us. And He is gracious to give us
Christ to cover up the mess.