Lord of Heaven’s Armies

Our God is strong, mighty; mighty in battle to save His people. He’s the Lord of heaven’s armies. This shows it’s not just an army, but armies, in heaven, and He’s the Lord. ‘There’s no one as mighty as the Lord God of heaven’s armies’ (Psalm 89:8).

When Pharaoh came to his senses and realised he’d listened to Moses’ demand to ‘let my people go’, he took the best chariots, along with all other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them, and pursued the Israelites.

The scene of the Egyptian army, with powerful chariots, marching towards the defenceless Israelites, put the Israelites in panic and terror. Moses, with authority, assured the Israelites that the Egyptians, which they saw now, would never be seen again. Probably some thought yes, because the Egyptian army would kill them all. But Moses knew that the God of the heaven’s armies was in their midst, and Pharaoh’s army was nothing compared to heaven’s armies.

God made a way for the Israelites through the Red Sea, but the Egyptians still pursued them. As David said in Psalm 20, we are not to trust in chariots. Pharaoh shouldn’t have trusted his chariots to overcome the children of Israel, but he realised this too late. When God made the chariots’ wheels come off, so they had difficulties driving, the Egyptians said, “let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt” (Exodus 14:25).

The waters that stood still for the children of Israel were the same waters that swept away the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh. They were all covered by the sea, and not one of them survived. The Lord God of heaven’s armies was fighting for the Israelites.

Jericho was tightly shut so that nobody could get in, but God send the commander of His army to assure Joshua that he was delivering Jericho into his hands (Joshua 5:14). The walls of Jericho came tumbling down, because the Lord of heaven’s armies was fighting for Joshua.

There was a time when the Midianites oppressed the Israelites, and when they cried to the Lord, He heard them. The Midianites, Amalekites and the Eastern people were so numerous they were like locusts, and their camels like the sand on the seashore.

God, the Lord of heaven’s armies, short listed only 300 men to go with Gideon to face them. It was not about the number, but it was about the Lord of heaven’s armies fighting for them. The Lord caused the Midianites and the Amalekites to turn on each other with their swords. (Judges 7:22).

Brethren, we’re at war, but we don’t have to fight for ourselves. Open the ancient gates and let in the Lord of heaven’s armies. Make the Lord of heaven’s armies holy in your life. He’s the one you should fear. He’s the one who should make you tremble. Put on His whole armour and allow Him to take over and fight your battles for you, and you’ll see His deliverance. For the battle doesn’t belong to us. It belongs to Him, and we’re just vessels, used to glorify Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord of heaven’s armies, it’s good to know You’re on my side. Give me faith and strength to let go of my ‘chariots’, and give you my ‘walls’. I can’t do it by myself. Take over, Lord. Help me, deep in my heart, to know that it’s not about numbers, Lord. Neither is it about chariots nor building walls, but it’s about trusting You with all my heart for all my battles, in Jesus’ name, Amen.