God of Angel Armies

I could title this “The Bible study that blew my mind.”

Not long ago, as I was studying Isaiah, I kept bumping into one of God‘s terms for himself – the Lord of hosts.

It was repeated so often that I began to wonder, “Why is this such a big deal?” I decided to take a detour and examine some of the verses that talk about a host.

Turns out God’s host is a really big deal.

One of the most recognizable places we have “seen” God’s host is in the Christmas story from Luke 2. We all know the famous scene where the angels appear on a hillside to the shepherds and announce the news of Christ's birth. The Bible calls it “the multitude of the heavenly host.”

Now I confess –and I suspect some of you are with me – that in my mind’s eye this host hasn’t been overly impressive.

I’ve often imagined a group of men about 70-80 strong, hovering in the sky, singing in an orderly assembly, and dressed like choirboys. We’ve no doubt been helped in this conception by storybooks or children’s films. But I’d like to challenge that view a whole lot. I suggest that Scripture gives us a picture of something far more stunning, and perhaps even terrifying.

What is a host? The primary use of the word host in Scripture refers to a king’s army.

Pharaoh and his host were drowned in the Red Sea. The host of the Philistines came up against King Saul before David killed Goliath. The more powerful the host, the more powerful the king, and the more territory he can seize, control, or defend. Every king throughout history had to have some kind of host, or he was no king at all. Think of Rome’s mighty armies, or those of Alexander the Great.

Our view of our King – Jesus Christ – is influenced by our view of his host. Is it namby-pamby, like those choir boys, or the angels we commonly see represented in films? God talks a lot about his mighty angels, and he wants us to know that He is their Commander, that they are powerful, that they represent his glorious kingdom, and that they are there for us.

The Host is Vast

The dictionary definition of a host is a great number, a multitude. God, the Creator-King over all, has an army, and it is vast.

John gives us a clue to this breathtaking number when he writes about the revelation he saw of heaven:

“and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne …and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” (Revelation 5:11)

Those zeros are starting to pile up – that’s 100,000,000 (one-hundred million!) plus thousands of thousands! If you were to seat this number of angels in sports stadiums of 60,000 seats each, you would need 1,667 stadiums. (Maybe more for the “thousands of thousands”.) That’s enough to bend one’s mind.

Jesus drops another clue to the size of His Father’s Host. At the moment of his arrest, he tells his disciples to put away their swords, saying, Do you think I couldn’t…

“…pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:53

In Jesus’ day, a Roman legion consisted of about 6,000 infantry, making the estimated force at his disposal 72,000 warriors. Consider that this is simply the first Heavenly Guard to be dispatched! And dispatched with ease!

The Host is Formidable

Now we come to a captivating Bible character not often considered, who appears to the Apostle John in Revelation chapter 10.

This guy has remarkable – even startling– characteristics, much like a superhero out of a comic book, only real.

For example, his feet are like pillars of fire. I wonder if they propel him, or are they used as a weapon? He is clothed in a cloud, and for a crown he wears a shimmering rainbow. He towers above John, so vast in size that he can straddle Earth and Sea, planting a foot on each. From his mouth comes a roar like that of a lion, a final expression of his indisputable strength.

He is a mighty angel, one of God’s host. He is formidable.

We find one of his comrades in the story of the resurrection of Jesus, from Matthew. He is nothing if not formidable.

“…there was a great earthquake: for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.” (Matt. 28: 2-4)

Here are a few more examples of how formidable angels are:

“Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength…” Ps. 103:20

“And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea…” Rev. 18:21

“And after these things I saw four angels …holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth…” Rev. 7:1

“And [the two angels] smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness…” Genesis 19:11

Interestingly, like the Revelation 10 angel, many of these formidable angel-soldiers wield fire:

“…the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:” 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8

“the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:17

“And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” Hebrews 1:7

The Host Proclaims Awesome Things

The host is vast and formidable. It also carries important messages.

Let’s go back to the more than 100,000,000 angels around the throne of God in Revelation.

“and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne …and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” (Rev. 5:11)

Now try to imagine this, if you can. More than one hundred million angels (remember, that’s more than 1,500 sports stadiums full!) surround the throne of Almighty God. Suddenly, as if on cue, they loudly declare with one deafening voice:

Does that give you chills as it does me? No king ever had such a “long-live-the-king” coronation cry as this. You can almost feel the ground shake as they proclaim the glory of the Father and of the Lamb, Christ Jesus!

Let’s go back to earth, to Bethlehem, where another angelic cry shook the hills. The shepherds were also witnesses to an angelic proclamation.

“And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host…” Luke 2:13

On the hilltop appears a teeming army of tall, mighty angels, probably clothed in warrior’s attire and perhaps bearing fire. The shepherds were already frightened out of their minds by the first angel –how much more now! But instead of advancing, the whole host praises God in a single, hill-shaking statement:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14

The shepherds would have been absolutely convinced that the King they were about to visit was beyond compare in rank and glory, “a Savior who is Christ the Lord”. How they must’ve marveled to find him lying in the humblest of beds. No wonder they told everyone who would listen the things they had heard and seen. (Luke 2:17)

The Host Has Changed Me

This meditation of God’s host does two things for me.

First, it sharpens my view of Christ. Through this vast, formidable host, we catch a better glimpse of the awesomeness of Christ Jesus.

How glorious is this King, who commands such a host as this? He is the one whom all the mighty angels of God worship! (Hebrews 1:6) He is Jesus, Name above all names, King of kings and Lord of lords, the Overcomer of Death and Hell! At a word, He bids his angels restrain the wind, move great stones, deliver life-changing proclamations, instigate earthquakes, and perform other wonders. His is the kingdom that will never be destroyed (Dan. 7:14); how fitting that His army is the mightiest of them all!

Second, I am overwhelmed by my position in this glorious kingdom. Who am I in relation to this King and his army? One of the purposes of his great host is to minister to me!

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Hebrews 1:14

This means that I, and all who call on the name of Christ, are loved and significant beyond even our own ability to understand. Those mighty angels minister to us at God’s command. We don’t see the host (at least not usually), but they are on missions from God to do his pleasure and to help the saints. This makes me feel vastly small and important at the same time.

Angels ministering to us is the current reality. And there is another reality yet to come.

“Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” 1 Cor. 6:3

How is this possible? When I think of our fire & rainbow friend from Rev. 10, I can’t begin to imagine being a judge over him. Nevertheless, the Bible states that we shall judge these angels one day. This means that believers are ascribed a dignity and power – authority we haven’t begun to fathom, which we will exercise at a future day in a future kingdom.

What a glorious kingdom believers in Jesus Christ have the privilege to be a part of! What love is it that has invited us in?

Some people think that heaven will be boring – I think not!

I made a quick, two-week trip to the US this month to see my parents and Abbie.

The trip spanned my 44th birthday and was the best gift I could’ve asked for!

My parents and I enjoyed many good talks, walks, outings, and games together. I also spent time with Abbie, who lives with them. She and I talked over wedding plans and worked on her registry.

Abbie’s fiancé, Axel, came up to visit one weekend while I was there, and we had the chance to spend more time together. For a mom, that’s the best! :)

A number of difficult things also happened while I was stateside.

We learned of a serious illness in the family.

Additionally, two of my aunts passed away within a few weeks of each other. I am thankful I could be with my mom during what was a difficult time for her.

Abbie and I were in a scary car accident, but thankfully, everyone involved was OK. I sustained a very minor injury when the side airbags deployed, hitting my upper arm. The subsequent bruise turned every color of the rainbow, but my arm was otherwise fine. I am very grateful to God for keeping Abbie and me safe!

Back in Ukraine, Joshua and the kids were sick for the majority of the time I was away, but in spite of this, they kept everything running smoothly.

The older girls faithfully made the meals and kept the younger kids on track. They did a fantastic job, but I think they are relieved to turn the reins back over to me now that I am home. ;)

When you’re between the ages of 6 and 14, burps are hilarious.

I came into our dining room just after some of my kids had been trying to produce a big one, but it didn’t turn out as hoped. I guess the idea was to mimic various animals, and in order to sound like a hippopotamus, Kathryn –age 11– wanted to create a giant belch.

So she drank several cups of water in quick succession and awaited the coveted burp.

The unhappy result was that instead of belching like a hippopotamus, her stomach felt uncomfortable and way too full.

I came into the room just in time to hear her animated lament, “Well, that’s taught me not to foolishly mess around with hippopotamus burps!”

Reader, you’ve been duly warned. Hippopotamus burps are not to be messed with!

Thanks for reading!