The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Psalm 46:6-7)

In Judaism it is believed that a host angels are assigned to supervise and control the different Gentile nations — the Bible seems to support this notion. For example, the prophet Daniel was visited by an angel who was resisted by “the prince of the kingdom of Persia” (Daniel 10:13). This same angel also referred to the prince of Greece (Daniel 10:20) strongly suggesting that there are indeed angels, fallen or otherwise, that oversee the different nations. With Israel, however, it is believed that God Himself directs the affairs of Israel, hence the statement, “The Lord of hosts is with us.”

In Hebrew, the phrase “with us” is לנו lanu; the numerical value of this Hebrew word is 86 which also happens to be the numerical value of the word אלהים elohim or God. This association between the two words strengthens the idea that the Lord Himself oversees His people Israel, not just an angel. For example, when He went through the land of Egypt to strike down the firstborn and deliver His people from bondage, He was the One who passed over their homes, not an angel. As they prepared to cross the Jordan River and enter the land of Canaan, Moses encouraged them with these words: “The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes” (Deuteronomy 1:30).

The point is that, when He begins to shake heaven and earth (as mentioned in the previous devotion), the nations will totter and fall and their principalities will be humbled. Yet Israel shall remain standing and elevated to prominence signaling to the nations that the Lord is with His people. Being that you and I have been grafted into the family of faith, this promise is for us as well. We can be confident that the Lord is with us and that He will see us through the shaking that is surely coming. So then, let us continue to stand on the Rock of our Salvation, knowing that when the storm comes, we shall remain and not be moved because the “The Lord of hosts is with us.”

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

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