Literally, the Hebrew original reads Yahweh Sabaoth.
Yahweh
is God’s proper name that he revealed to Moses when renewing his covenant with Israel (Exodus 3:14). Sabaoth
means that which goes forth, and refers to large groups of people, such as the Israelites going forth from Egypt (Exodus 7:4; Exodus 12:41) or armies going forth to battle (Deuteronomy 20:9; 1 Samuel 17:45). The combination Yahweh Sabaoth
most often refers to the Lord of heaven’s angelic army (1 Kings 22:19; Psalm 148:2).
This title, Lord of hosts,
is used especially by the major prophets Isaiah (fifty-eight times) and Jeremiah (seventy-three times), and also in post-exilic prophets Zechariah (fifty-one times), Haggai (eighteen times), and Malachi (eighteen times). This recognition of Yahweh as the ruler of heaven’s angelic army ought to instill various attitudes in the mind and hearts of God’s people, such as:
a holy fear of God’s majesty (Isaiah 6:3–5; Isaiah 8:13)
comfort in knowing that God will fight against and conquer the enemies of his people (such as Assyria, Isaiah 10:16; Isaiah 10:23–24; Isaiah 10:33; Babylon, Isaiah 13:4; Isaiah 13:13; Isaiah 14:22)
hope and encouragement about Israel’s future (preserving a remnant of his people (Isaiah 1:9), and the promise of a glorious temple and the incoming treasure of the nations (, Haggai 2:7, Haggai 2:9)).
The title emphasizes God’s power to accomplish what he declares, which nothing can annul (Isaiah 14:24, Isaiah 14:27). This includes fulfilling the promise made to David that one of his descendants would sit eternally on the throne of God’s kingdom (Isaiah 9:7).
The use of this title Lord of hosts
is used by Malachi to highlight the honour and fear that God’s people owed to the Sovereign Commander of heaven’s armies.
6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’