Our Theme Verse for 2016 Psalm 9:10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. 1
Rainbow Forest Mission Statement Connecting the Disconnected to Christ, Community and the Call Our Purpose To glorify God in everything we say and do Connecting to the Christ The Names of God Series Experiencing God as Jehovah Sabaoth Finding a Plan and a Promise for Your Difficulties Joshua 5:13-15; 6:1-7 2
13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, What does my lord say to his servant? 15 And the commander of the LORD s army said to Joshua, Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy. And Joshua did so. Joshua 6:1-7 1 Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. 2 And the LORD said to Joshua, See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 3
5 And when they make a long blast with the ram s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him. 6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark of the LORD. 7 And he said to the people, Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the LORD. Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it and is safe. The Meaning of the Name Jehovah Sabaoth Found as LORD of Host in our English Bibles. Occurs 281 times in the Old Testament! This is another way of saying, God of the Angels. The term host means army or other organized group. Multitudes in the service of God. The Captain of Heaven s Armies 4
The Use of the Name in Scripture The name, the LORD of HOST (Jehovah Sabaoth) is never found in the Pentateuch, Joshua or Judges. It rarely occurs in the books of Kings or Chronicles, and rarely in the book of Psalms. It is a phrase mostly related to the Prophets The name is prominently used 80 times in Jeremiah, the prophet who wept over the destruction of Jerusalem. It also occurs 14 times in Haggai, 50 times in Zechariah, and 25 times in Malachi, the Last book of the Old Testament. He is the LORD over all creation. He is LORD over the animal host. He is LORD over the angelic host. He is LORD over the host of mankind He is LORD over the weather systems He is LORD over the political systems He is LORD over the economic systems. He is LORD of Everything He is LORD over All 5
Jehovah Sabaoth is the Lord of all the host of heaven He is in charge of everything What happens first when you experience God as Jehovah Sabaoth? You can experience the reality of the presence of God in the midst of your problems. Not just a matter of feeling. The reality of His presence is there. More than just words out of your mouth A real sense that He is there with you Walking with you.talking with you! Joshua 6:27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land. Even, if you don t what to do, where to go but you want a real spiritual awareness that He is with you. This will happen when you experience God as Jehovah Sabaoth!!!! Several issues involved with this meeting 6
The Difficulties that bring us to this Meeting With Jehovah Sabaoth The Dilemma at Such a Meeting The Discovery we Make This Meeting A Decision to Make at this Meeting And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, This Is God s Call to Worship This Is God s Call to Obedience When you begin to call out for a meeting with the LORD of Host this is what will happen You Will Receive God s Plan In The Midst of Your Perplexity Jeremiah 29:11-14 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. 7
How do you know that Jehovah Sabaoth has given you a plan? How do you know that this plan is from the Lord? It will be Encompassing in Its Perception Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. It will be Encouraging in Its Promise 2 And the LORD said to Joshua, See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor Isaiah 41:9-10 ; 13-14 9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off ; 10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 13 For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, Fear not, I am the one who helps you. 14 Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. 8
Sid Barker shared his testimony in the Heritage Service He said as he as praying and reading his Bible that God gave him a promise Exodus 14:13-14 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." Jeremiah 29:11-14 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. 9
God s Plan will be Elementary In Its Proposal. Vs. 3-5 They will be simple enough that anyone can understand!!!!! You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him. It Will Be Essential in Its Practice You have to be obedient to His plan not try to figure it out just follow it In the next chapter.. one man refused to follow the plan and he messed it up for everyone. Achan Trust in the Lord. Delight in the Lord. You must do what God says to do in order to receive what God promises!!!! We don t have to earn the promises of God but we must cooperate with Him so He can trust us with the answer and the blessings 10
God s Plan will be Exciting in Its Prospect Imagine being asked to follow this plan that God gave Joshua. march around walls seven days When God is in something.it is exciting and people will get excited about it. Instead of being so negative and complaining and down in the dumps If you meet with Jehovah Sabaoth you will find an exciting journey. When you Meet God as Jehovah Sabaoth and He Gives You a Plan: It will be Encompassing in Its Perception It will be Encouraging in Its Promise It will be Elementary in Its Proposal. It Will Be Essential in Its Practice It will be Exciting in Its Prospect... 11
Psalm 84:1-12 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6 As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. 8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah 12
9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! 10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! 13