Lord of Hosts

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If I have learned anything in these past 3 years since re-newing my baptismal vows as a Catholic, it is that Christianity is rife with paradoxes. One “paradox” which I still have a bit of “trouble” reconciling is the fact that “ho Theos agape estin” (God is Love/Charity) and “Adnonai Tzevaot” (Lord of Hosts) are both one and the same, that they are reconcilable. Perhaps this is only a problem to the modern mind? Not that this is a source of doubt or of weakness in my faith, but I’m just wondering how a Christian can interpret these two “titles”. We are always talking about how God is Love, and yet perhaps from saying it so many times in the Trisagion/Sanctus during the Mass, we overlook the fact that we are calling God the “Lord of hosts”. I can understand how this is overlooked in Portuguese, since it is translated “Lord of the universe” (I don’t know what is used in English). Still doesn’t it make anyone else wonder?
 
What about “Lord of Hosts” is a problem?

I hear the priest mention the “heavenly host of angels” as we prepare to sing the Sanctus in Mass (Holy, Holy, Holy…) and I equate “Lord of Hosts” with “Lord of all that is in Heaven”.
 
Well, hosts (or at least tzevaot) is a military term; it doesn’t just mean “a large number”. It almost has a certain ring of “God of War” about it.
 
Ora_et_Labora said:
Well, hosts (or at least tzevaot) is a military term; it doesn’t just mean “a large number”. It almost has a certain ring of “God of War” about it.
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Ahhh…

My thoughts were influenced by the term “heavenly hosts”. I’ll see what I can find.

And thanks for being patient with me! 😉
 
It does have a military overtone. In context (in the prophetic books) it invokes the God the Israelites looked to as the One who led them out of Egypt and into the successful conquest of the promised land (it doesn’t appear in the books of Moses or in Joshua and Judges - so I think it’s more a “looking back” - “Remember, Israel, the mighty things your God has done for you.” The God who guaranteed their success if they were faithful - “the God of the army of Israel” that put fear into their opponents and gave unlikely victories to, for example, Gideon. But I do think the implication is always of the leader of the Heavenly Host - the invisible armies that defend the People of God (as in the chariots revealed to Elisha’s servant in 2 Kings 6).

Incidentally, the wikipedia article on the Names of God is remarkably well-done.
 
Ora_et_Labora said:
If I have learned anything in these past 3 years since re-newing my baptismal vows as a Catholic, it is that Christianity is rife with paradoxes. One “paradox” which I still have a bit of “trouble” reconciling is the fact that “ho Theos agape estin” (God is Love/Charity) and “Adnonai Tzevaot” (Lord of Hosts) are both one and the same, that they are reconcilable. Perhaps this is only a problem to the modern mind? Not that this is a source of doubt or of weakness in my faith, but I’m just wondering how a Christian can interpret these two “titles”. We are always talking about how God is Love, and yet perhaps from saying it so many times in the Trisagion/Sanctus during the Mass, we overlook the fact that we are calling God the “Lord of hosts”. I can understand how this is overlooked in Portuguese, since it is translated “Lord of the universe” (I don’t know what is used in English). Still doesn’t it make anyone else wonder?
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Surly the Good Father holds you near and dear unto Himself by the Power in His Holy Hand, through His Word our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore intrusted to the hand of no other.
God gave His Word to Israel through their patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob and what ever was against it did not fair so well. Even when the Israelites themselves were against it. When the Almighty gives His Word, it shall be done. No matter what would be against it.

But what could be confusing is that in the nature of man, mankind loves to hate. If you want to unite a nation get them to hate something. If you what to start a movement get them to hate the something. If you what to divide, get some to hate what others love within the same community. But this is not the case when Christianity started, for we are told to love our enemies. Which can not be done without His Holiness with you. For if you know that you are in the Hand of the Almighty, and He will not let you go,(what is there that could take you out of His Hand) even when one passes away. Then one learns there is no reason to hate anything. For He is the judge, and is just, in all that He does.
 
If its true that God and His minions are in constant warfare with Satan and his minions, then yes, God is the Lord of Hosts!
 
I think the term ‘Lord of Hosts’ encompasses a lot different meaning. However, even if one were to simplify it to mean something akin to ‘God of War…’ What of it? God is Lord of all. Nothing is evil in and of itself, only if improperly applied. War and killing can be righteous if done to defend the weak, and charity and forgiveness are evil if they enable their objects to continue unimpeded in their sins (not exhaustive lists). As you may have heard before:
“There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens…A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.”
 
I am not saying there is anything wrong with it. I am just putting the idea out there to be thought about. I think we rarely consider this, and given that nowadays we seem to consider violence incompatible with religion, I thought this might serve for a point of meditation.
 
Ora_et_Labora said:
If I have learned anything in these past 3 years since re-newing my baptismal vows as a Catholic, it is that Christianity is rife with paradoxes. One “paradox” which I still have a bit of “trouble” reconciling is the fact that “ho Theos agape estin” (God is Love/Charity) and “Adnonai Tzevaot” (Lord of Hosts) are both one and the same, that they are reconcilable. Perhaps this is only a problem to the modern mind? Not that this is a source of doubt or of weakness in my faith, but I’m just wondering how a Christian can interpret these two “titles”. We are always talking about how God is Love, and yet perhaps from saying it so many times in the Trisagion/Sanctus during the Mass, we overlook the fact that we are calling God the “Lord of hosts”. I can understand how this is overlooked in Portuguese, since it is translated “Lord of the universe” (I don’t know what is used in English). Still doesn’t it make anyone else wonder?
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I seem to remember from my college days that the Medieval morality plays often played on these paradoxical attributes by portraying God as a judge with his “four daughters” (the four attributes of God)–Mercy, Justice, Righteous, Peace–squaring off as advocates. It was usually Mercy vs. Justice and Righteous vs. Peace. The Castle Perseverance was one such play. These conflicts carry on into Shakespeare’s plays (such as the Merchant of Venice–the justice vs. mercy conflict).

God is both just (banishing Adam and Eve from the Garden) and merciful (sending us the Redeemer in the fullness of time). He is also a God of righteous anger (destroying the wicked with the Flood) and of peace (sparing Nineveh after it repented). God is perfect. Perfect mercy requires perfect justice. Perfect peace requires perfect righteousness. A perfectly loving God must be able to discipline his people when they stray in order to forgive them when they repent. That’s the difference between the true and Triune God and Zeus (or any other garden variety small-g god for that matter).
 
In Orthodoxy we have a prayer that seems to put these two ideas together quite interestingly. I know this might not contribute much to debate going on here, but it proves that “a military God” can be reconciled with a loving one:

O Lord of Hosts, be with us, for we have no other help in time of sorrow but you. O Lord of Hosts, have mercy on us.
 
Ora_et_Labora said:
I am not saying there is anything wrong with it. I am just putting the idea out there to be thought about. I think we rarely consider this, and given that nowadays we seem to consider violence incompatible with religion, I thought this might serve for a point of meditation.
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I can’t speak to that. I personally don’t consider violence incompatible with religion. I don’t believe that I know anyone else who holds that view. It did seem from your original post that you thought the concept to be a paradox. I would suggest that to you that if it does seem to be, the problem rests not with the different names that God has been known by, but rather with your perception of violence.

God bless.
 
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