Lexical Summary stratia: Army, host Original Word: στρατιά Strong's Exhaustive Concordance army, hostFeminine of a derivative of stratos (an army; from the base of stronnumi, as encamped); camp-likeness, i.e. An army, i.e. (figuratively) the angels, the celestial luminaries -- host. see GREEK stronnumi HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 4756 stratiá (from 4754 /strateúomai, "to fight as a soldier") – properly, an army, or any organized host (e.g. of angels, constellations, etc.). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as strateuó Definition an army NASB Translation host (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4756: στρατιάστρατιά, στρατιᾶς, ἡ (στρατός (cf. στρατεύω)), from Aeschylus and Herodotus down, the Sept. for צָבָא; 1. an army, band of soldiers. 2. sometimes in the poets equivalent to στρατεία, as Aristophanes eqq. 587 (ἐν στρατιαις τέ καί μάχαις), 2 Corinthians 10:4 Tdf. after the best manuscripts ((see his note; cf. Liddell and Scott, under the word II.); Passow, under the word στρατεία, at the end). 3. in the N. T. ἡ οὐράνιος στρατιά, or ἡ στρατιά τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (Hebrew הַשָּׁמַיִם צְבָא), the host of heaven (see δύναμις, f.), i. e. a. troops of angels (1 Kings 22:19; Nehemiah 9:6): Luke 2:13. b. the heavenly bodies, stars of heaven (so called on account of their number and their order): Acts 7:42 (2 Chronicles 33:3, 5; Jeremiah 8:2, etc.). The word translated “host” in the New Testament evokes the image of a vast, ordered army. Scripture applies this picture both to the angelic throngs that serve God and to the heavenly bodies that became the object of idolatry. The two appearances of the term create a powerful contrast: one celebrates the glory of God revealed at the incarnation, the other exposes the tragedy of Israel’s apostasy. Occurrences in the New Testament • Luke 2:13–14: “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!’” Old Testament Background The Septuagint often uses this word to translate Hebrew ṣĕbāʾôt (“armies” or “hosts”), especially in references to “LORD of hosts.” In the Hebrew Scriptures it can describe: 1. Israel’s organized troops (Numbers 10:14). This layered backdrop sets the stage for its New Testament usage. Heavenly Hosts and Angelology In Luke’s nativity account the armies of heaven are not depicted in battle array but in worship, declaring peace because the long-promised Messiah has come. Angels act as heralds of salvation history, reinforcing the truth that unseen spiritual forces serve God’s redemptive purposes (Hebrews 1:14). The passage also anticipates future scenes in Revelation, where innumerable angels again lift their voices in praise (Revelation 5:11–12). Idolatry and Astral Worship Acts 7:42, echoing Amos 5:25–27, refers to Israel’s turning from the living God to venerate the celestial “host.” What was created to display divine glory became a snare when worship shifted from Creator to creation (Romans 1:25). Stephen’s indictment illustrates a consistent biblical theme: false worship always invites judgment, ultimately culminating in exile (2 Kings 17:16–18). Christological Significance The contrast between Luke 2 and Acts 7 highlights the decisive role of Jesus Christ. Where idolatry once provoked God to “turn away,” the birth of Christ brings reconciliation and peace. The army of heaven celebrates, not because conflict is absent, but because the decisive victory has entered history in the person of the Savior (Colossians 2:15). Theological and Ministry Implications 1. Spiritual Warfare: Believers engage an unseen conflict (Ephesians 6:12), yet the presence of God’s host assures ultimate triumph (2 Kings 6:16–17). Application for Believers • Fix eyes on the Lord of hosts, not the hosts themselves (Psalm 121:1–2). Englishman's Concordance Luke 2:13 N-GFSGRK: ἀγγέλῳ πλῆθος στρατιᾶς οὐρανίου αἰνούντων NAS: of the heavenly host praising KJV: of the heavenly host praising INT: angel a multitude of [the] host heavenly praising Acts 7:42 N-DFS Strong's Greek 4756 |
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