365 Days of the Great Names of God, Day 284: Yahweh-Sabaoth

Yahweh-Sabaoth

" 'From the nations where the sun rises to the nations where the sun sets, my name will be great. Incense and pure offerings will be offered everywhere in my name, because my name will be great among the nations,' says Yahweh Tsebaoth." (Malachi 1:11 Names of God Bible)

For a long time, I thought "Lord of the Sabbath" and "Lord Sabaoth" were the same. Every time we sang "Lord Sabaoth, His name" in the great hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" in church, I thought we were singing about the Lord of the Sabbath. I assumed "Sabbath" was just an English translation of the Hebrew "Sabaoth."

Now, thanks to the guidance of our great Teacher, I understand they are entirely different names of God.

And yet, I still see in them a profound connection.

The Lord of the Sabbath is the God of "rest": of restoration and renewal; of a ceasing of labor; of comfort; of the relaxing of a burden.

Yahweh-Sabaoth is a name of God translated several ways, including:

• Jehovah of hosts (ESV)
• Lord of heavenly forces (CEB)
• ADONAI-Tzva'ot (CJB)
• Lord of Hosts (CSB)
• Lord Almighty (GNT)
• God-of-the-Angel-Armies (MSG)
• Lord All-Powerful (NCV)

When we put our trust in Yahweh-Sabaoth to fight for us and bring us out on the winning side of a battle, we enter into the comfort and renewal of the Lord of the Sabbath. 

Faith in Yahweh-Sabaoth—the all-powerful Lord of all the angelic armies of heaven—is what allowed David to rest in confidence when he was facing a giant. Faith in Yahweh-Sabaoth is what allows us to rest in confidence when we're facing our own giants.

This is not the rest of the tired. It is the rest of the triumphant.