Meditate.
David replied to the Philistine (Goliath),
"You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the
name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies (Jehovah-Saboath)—the God of the armies of
Israel, whom you have defied. Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill
you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to
the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God
in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his
people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD's battle, and he will
give you to us!" 1 Samuel 17:45-47
Five Small Stones
From Elam Valley, Israel
Site of Philistine Battle
Great story…and a true story! David was an
authentic, true person—not just a story. He was the youngest son of Jesse and
the grandson of one of my favorite Bible ladies, Ruth. Being the youngest son
in the family, David was tasked with caring for the family sheep. He fought
lions and bears while protecting his sheep, so facing this giant Philistine was
no problem for David. Read more about his life in First and Second Samuel, the
beginning of First Kings, and First Chronicles, as well as in many of the Psalms
which he wrote. He was an amazing man, who although he was not sinless by any
means, he was known to be a man after God’s own heart, repentant and obedient
to God. He recognized that his battle against Goliath was not his own battle,
but it belonged to the Lord. He did as God directed him. His brothers didn’t
have the dedication to the Lord that David had and David found power in the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies
(Jehovah-Saboath)—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you (Goliath) have
defied. God was David’s refuge and his strength. In this Psalm belong God
speaks of His love for David and His promise of Jesus Christ as an heir.
Yes, our protection comes from the LORD, and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king. Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people. You said, "I have raised up a warrior. I have selected him from the common people to be king. I have found my servant David. I have anointed him with my holy oil. I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong. His enemies will not defeat him, nor will the wicked overpower him. I will beat down his adversaries before him and destroy those who hate him. My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him, and by my authority he will grow in power. I will extend his rule over the sea, his dominion over the rivers. And he will call out to me, 'You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.' I will make him my firstborn son, the mightiest king on earth. I will love him and be kind to him forever; my covenant with him will never end. I will preserve an heir for him; his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven. Psalm 89:18-29
The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is written
about in the New Testament as noted below in the books of Romans and James.
Romans addresses a prophesy by Isaiah about Israel and James
And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out, "Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved. For the LORD will carry out his sentence upon the earth quickly and with finality." And Isaiah said the same thing in another place: "If the LORD of Heaven's Armies had not spared a few of our children, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah." Romans 9:27-29
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan
with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is
rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver
have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your
flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence
against you on the day of judgment. For listen! Hear the cries of the field
workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out
against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears
of the LORD of Heaven's Armies. James 5:1-4
This passage from James could have easily been written for these days we may be facing soon. Terrible troubles have been forecast for Christians in the days ahead as we may experience economic downfall from government overspending. This COVID pandemic is taking a toll on the economy around the world. Treasures could be worth nothing if a depression occurs. But we still will have the LORD of Heaven’s Armies fighting for us. How do you feel about that? Do you trust in the LORD of Heaven’s Armies fight for you? How is your relationship with the LORD?
Prayer ~ How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of Heaven's Armies. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the LORD. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O LORD of Heaven's Armies, my King and my God! What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. O LORD of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you. Psalm 84:1-4, 12
Verse of Salvation ~ My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. James 5:19-20
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