The Way Back to Him

Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Psalm 80:7

The name “God of Hosts” is found just nine times in the Bible. However, its corollary, “LORD of Hosts” is found over 240 times. In the Hebrew it is “Lord Sabaoth” and it emphasizes the truth that God is the commander of a vast spiritual army. Whenever the people of God have drifted into compromised lifestyles, it was important for them to remember who their God is.

In this heart felt petition found in Psalm 80, the writer Asaph prays for the revival of faith among the people of Israel. They had been saved from Egyptian slavery, brought into the land of Israel and planted there, like a vine. God had prospered them, but then in their prosperity they had forgotten Him. Their hearts filled with pride, which led to their demise and destruction. They had forgotten their God, but their God had not forgotten them.

Whenever God’s people take His blessings for granted, whenever His kindness and mercy are abused, their hearts are hard to be turned back to Him. We may always return to God, provided we know the way, but the abuse of grace seems to erase the trail for us. We have thoughts of returning, but then an evil thought is inserted into our thinking, that we can just say, “Sorry, Lord,” and then go right back to living with compromised lives again.

The Lord of Hosts is powerful and great angels bow before Him in utter submission. We humans are made lower than the angels yet we are less wise and in our pride try to sneak into the tent of meeting for just a taste of spiritual food, but then we use the strength it provides for our own selfish wills. We need to remember who God is. He is the Lord of Hosts, and “our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:29).

This name “LORD of Hosts” was used by Hannah as she cried out to God for a son, whom she could dedicate to Him (1 Sam 1:11). Her faith stood in sharp contrast to the compromised living of Eli’s sons who also “served” in the temple. (A pastor is well-warned that this can happen in church also, that the devotion of some people may excel his own!) “Familiarity breeds contempt” (“Allzu grosse Vertrautheit erzeugt Verachtung”) and we do well to remember Who Christ is. He is the Lord of a vast spiritual army!

He does not wage war like the world does. His weapons are of light, not of darkness, they are of grace and kindness, not of cruelty and meanness. He may, of course, use all unpleasant things in our lives to turn us back to Himself (Rom 8:28–29), but He promises the day will come when He will wipe away all tears from our eyes. He delights to bless His children.

If you have forgotten who the Lord is, if you have taken His salvation and His blessings for granted, if you cannot seem to find the way back to Him, then bow before Him now as best as you can in your heart as the Lord of Hosts, as the Consuming Fire, as the Lord of Lords, and in humility you will hear the loving and kind voice of God calling you back, cleansing you from sin, restoring you to faith, and calling you to know His heart and His love afresh.