MAHANAIM—OR, HOSTS OF ANGELS – Charles Spurgeon

Mahanaim—Or, Hosts of Angels

“And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, ‘This is God’s host,’ and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.” Genesis 32:1, 2.
“And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, brought beds and basins and earthen vessels and wheat and barley and flour and parched corn and beans and lentils and parched seeds and honey and butter and sheep and cheese of kine, for David and for the people that were with him, to eat, for they said, ‘The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.’” 2 Samuel 17:27-29.

The Varied Experiences of God’s People

Let us go even unto Mahanaim and see these great sights. First, let us go with Jacob and see the two camps of angels and then with David to observe his troops of friends. Jacob shall have our first consideration.

What a varied experience is that of God’s people! Their pilgrimage is over a shifting sand; their tent is always moving and the scene around them always changing. Here is Jacob, at one time contending for a livelihood with Laban, playing trick against trick in order to match his father-in-law. Then he prospers and determines to abide no more in such servitude. He flees, is pursued, debates with his angry relative, and ends the contention with a truce and a sacrifice. This unseemly family warfare must have been a very unhappy thing for Jacob, by no means tending to raise the tone of his thoughts, or sweeten his temper, or ennoble his spirit.

What a change happened to him when, the next day, after Laban had gone, Jacob found himself in the presence of angels! Here is a picture of a very different kind—the churl has gone and the cherubs have come—the greedy taskmaster has turned his back, and the happy messengers of the blessed God have come to welcome the Patriarch on his return from exile! It is hard to realize, to the full, the complete transformation. Such changes occur in all lives, but, I think, most of all in the lives of Believers. Few passages across the ocean of life are quite free from storm, but the redeemed of the Lord may reckon upon being tossed with tempest even if others escape. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” Yet trials last not forever—clear shining comes after rain. Change always works. We pass from storm to calm, from breeze to hurricane—we coast the shores of peace, and then we are driven upon the sandbanks of fear.

Nor need we be surprised, for were there not great changes in the life of our Lord and Master? Is not His life as full of hills and valleys as ours possibly can be? We read of His being baptized in Jordan and then and there visited by the Spirit who descended upon Him like a dove—then was His hour of rest. Who can tell the restfulness of Jesus’ spirit when the Father bore witness concerning Him, “This is My beloved Son”? But, we read directly afterwards, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” From the descent of the Holy Spirit to dire conflict with the devil is a change, indeed! But another change followed it, for when that battle had been fought out and the triple temptation had been tried upon our Lord in vain, we read again, “Then the devil left Him and behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.” In a short space, our Lord’s surroundings had changed from heavenly to diabolical and again from satanic to angelic. From Heaven to the manger, from walking the sea to hanging on the Cross, from the sepulcher to the Throne—what changes are these! Can we expect to build three tabernacles and tarry in the mountain when our Lord was thus tossed to and fro?

The Constant Change in Life

Beloved, you will certainly find that the world is established upon the floods and is therefore ever moving. Never reckon upon the permanence of any joy and thank God you need not dread the continuance of any sorrow. These things come and go and go and come—and you and I, so far as we have to live in this poor whirling world, must be moved to and fro like a shepherd’s tent and find no city to dwell in. If this happen not to our habitations it will certainly happen in our feelings. From of old, “the evening and the morning were the first day,” and “the evening and the morning were the second day.” The alternation of shade and sunshine, of setting and rising are from the beginning. Dawn, noon, afternoon, evening, darkness, midnight, and a new morning follow each other in all things. So must it be—there is a need for clouds and showers and morning glories, “until the day break and the shadows flee away,” when we shall be fitted to bask in the beams of everlasting noon.

Jacob’s Heavenly Encounter

In the case before us, we see Jacob in the best of company. Jacob, not cheated in Mesopotamia, but honored in Mahanaim. Jacob, not trying to outwit Laban, but gazing upon celestial spirits. He was surrounded by angels and he knew it. His eyes were open so that he saw spirits who, in their own nature, are invisible to human eyes. He became a Seer and was enabled by the inward eye to behold the hosts of shining ones whom God had sent to meet him. It is a great privilege to be able to know our friends and to discern the hosts of God. We are very apt, indeed, to realize our difficulties and to forget our helps. Our allies are all around us, yet we think ourselves alone. The opposition of Satan is more easily recognized than the succor of the Lord. Oh, to have eyes and hearts opened to see how strong the Lord is on our behalf!

Jacob had just been delivered from Laban, but he was oppressed by another load—the dread of Esau was upon him. He had wronged his brother and you cannot do a wrong without being haunted by it afterward. He had taken ungenerous advantage of Esau and now, many, many years after it, his deed came home to him and his conscience made him afraid. Notwithstanding that he had lived with Laban so long, his conscience was sufficiently vigorous to make him tremble because he had put himself into a wrong position with his brother. Had it not been for this, he would have marched on to his father Isaac’s tent with joyful feet! Dreading his brother’s anger, he was greatly distressed and troubled.

These angels came to bring him cheer by helping him to forget the difficulties around him, or lose his dread of them by looking up and seeing what defense and succor awaited him from on high. He had but to cry to God and Esau’s 400 men would be met by legions of angels! Was not this good cheer? Have not all Believers the same? Greater is He that is for us than all they that are against us!

If, this morning, I shall be enabled by the Holy Spirit to uplift the minds of the Lord’s tried people from their visible griefs to their invisible comforts, I shall be glad. I beg them not to think exclusively of the burden they have to carry, but to remember the strength which is available for the carrying of it. If I shall cause the timorous heart to cease its dread and to trust in the living God who has promised to bear His servants through, I shall have accomplished my desire. The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge, and therefore no weapon that is formed against us shall prosper and even the arch-enemy himself shall be bruised under our feet.

The Multitude of Servants

In treating of Jacob’s experience at Mahanaim, we will make a series of observations. First, God has a multitude of servants and all these are on the side of Believers. “His camp is very great,” and all the hosts in that camp are our allies. Some of these are visible agents and many more are invisible, but, none the less, real and powerful. The great army of the Lord of Hosts consists largely of unseen agents—of forces that are not discernible except in vision or by the eyes of faith. Jacob saw two squadrons of these invisible forces which are on the side of righteous men. “The angels of God met him,” and he said, “This is God’s host,” and he called the name of that place Mahanaim (two camps), for there a double army of angels met him.

We know that a guard of angels always surrounds every Believer. Ministering spirits are abroad, protecting the princes of the blood royal. They cannot be discerned by any of our senses, but they are perceptible by faith and they have been made perceptible to holy men of old in visions. These bands of angels are great in multitude, for Jacob said, “This is God’s host”—a host means a considerable number, and surely the host of God is not a small one. “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels.” We do not know what legions wait upon the Lord, only we read of “an innumerable company of angels.”

We look abroad in the world and calculate the number of persons and forces friendly to our Christian warfare, but these are only what our poor optics can discover—the half cannot be told us by such means. It may be that every star is a world, thronged with the servants of God who are willing and ready to dart like flames of fire upon Jehovah’s errands of love. If the Lord’s chosen could not be sufficiently protected by the forces available in one world, He has but to speak or will, and myriads of spirits from the far-off regions of space would come thronging forward to guard the children of their King. As the stars of the sky, countless in their armies, are the invisible warriors of God. “His camp is very great.” “Omnipotence has servants everywhere.”

God’s Mighty Forces

These servants of the strong God are all filled with power—there is not one that faints among them all—they run like mighty men, they prevail as men of war. A host is made up of valiant men, veterans, troopers, heroes, men fit for conflict. God’s forces are exceedingly strong—nothing can stand against them. Whatever form they take, they are always potent, even when God’s host is made up of grasshoppers, cankerworms, and palmerworms, as in the Book of Joel, none can resist them and nothing can escape them. They devoured everything! They covered the earth and even darkened the sun and moon. If such is the case with insects, what must be the power of angels? We know that they “excel in strength,” as they “do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His Word.”

Rejoice, O children of God! There are vast armies upon your side, and each one of the warriors is clothed with the strength of God! All these agents work in order, for it is God’s host, and the host is made up of beings which march or fly according to the order of command. “Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path.” All the forces of Nature are loyal to their Lord. None of these mighty forces dreams of rebellion! From the blazing comet which flames in the face of the universe to the tiniest fragment of shell which lies hidden in the deepest ocean cave—all matter yields itself to the supreme Law which God has settled. Nor do unfallen intelligent agents mutiny against Divine decrees, but find their joy in rendering loving homage to their God. They are perfectly happy, because consecrated. They are full of delight, because completely absorbed in doing the will of the Most High.

Oh, that we could do His will on earth as that will is done in Heaven by all the heavenly ones!

The Burden of Care and God’s Double Assistance

This was a huge burden of care! It was no light thing for one man to have the management of all that mass of life and to lead it about in wandering style. But look! There are two companies of angels to balance the two companies of feeble ones. If he has two bands to take care of, he shall have two bands to take care of him. If he has double responsibility, he shall have double assistance.

So, Brothers and Sisters, when you are in positions of great responsibility and you feel the weight pressing upon you, have hope in God that you will have double succor and be sure that you pray that Mahanaim may be repeated in your experience so that your strength may be equal to your day.

Divine Protection in Times of Dread

Again, the Lord’s host appeared when Jacob felt a great dread. His brother Esau was coming to meet him, armed to the teeth, and, as he feared, thirsty for his blood. In times when our danger is greatest, if we are real Believers, we shall be specially under the Divine protection, and we shall know that it is so. This shall be our comfort in the hour of distress.

What can Esau do with his 400 men, now that the hosts of God have pitched their tents and have assembled in their squadrons to watch between us and the foe? Can you see the horses of fire and chariots of fire around about the chosen servant of God? Jacob ought to have felt calm and quiet in heart, and I suppose he was when he saw his protectors. Alas, as soon as he lost sight of them, poor Jacob was depressed in spirit again about his brother, Esau, lest he should slay the mothers with the children! Such is the weakness of our hearts! But let us not fall into the grievous sin of unbelief. Are we not without excuse if we do so?

In times of great distress, we may expect that the forces of God will become recognizable by our faith, and we shall have a clearer sense of the powers on our side than ever we had before! O Holy Spirit, work in us great clearness of spiritual sight!

Mahanaim and the Blessing of New Sight

And, once again, when you and I, like Jacob, shall be near Jordan, when we shall just be passing into the better land, then is the time when we may expect to come to Mahanaim. The angels of God and the God of angels both come to meet the spirits of the blessed in the solemn article of death. Have we not, ourselves, heard of Divine revealings from dying lips? Have we not heard the testimony so often, too, that it could not have been an invention and a deception? Have not many loved ones given us assurance of a glorious revelation which they never saw before? Is there not a giving of new sight when the eyes are closing?

Yes, O heir of Glory, the shining ones shall come to meet you on the river’s brink and you shall be ushered into the Presence of the Eternal by those bright courtiers of Heaven who, on either side, shall be a company of dear companions when the darkness is passing and the Glory is streaming over you! Be of good cheer! If you see not the hosts of God now, you shall see them hereafter when the Jordan shall be reached and you cross over to the promised land.

Reviving Memories of Bethel

Thus I have mentioned the time when these invisible forces become visible to faith, and there is no doubt whatever that they are sent for a purpose. Why were they sent to Jacob at this time? Perhaps the purpose was first, to revive an ancient memory which had well-nigh slipped from him. I am afraid he had almost forgotten Bethel. Surely it must have brought his vow at Bethel to mind, the vow which he made unto the Lord when he saw the ladder and the angels of God ascending and descending upon it. Here they were! They had left Heaven and come down that they might hold communion with him.

I like the dream at Bethel better than the vision of Mahanaim for this reason, that he saw the Covenant God at the top of the ladder—here he only sees the angels. Yet there is a choice pearl in this latter sight, for whereas at Bethel he only saw angels ascending and descending, he here sees them on the earth by his side, ready to protect him from all harm. How sweetly do new mercies refresh the memory of former favors, and how gently does new Grace remind us of old promises and debts.

Brother, does not your Mahanaim point to some half-forgotten Bethel? Judge for yourself. Should our glorious God give you, at this time, a clear view of His Divine power and of His Covenant faithfulness, I pray that the sight may refresh your memory concerning that happy day when you first knew the Lord, when you first gave yourself up to Him and His Grace took possession of your spirit.

Mahanaim as a Step Toward a Higher Life

Mahanaim was granted to Jacob, not only to refresh his memory but to lift him out of the ordinary low level of his life. Jacob, you know, the father of all the Jews, was great at huckstering—it was his very nature to drive bargains. Jacob had all his wits about him and rather more than he should have had, well answering to his name of “supplanter.” He would let no one deceive him and he was ready at all times to take advantage of those with whom he had any dealings.

Here the Lord seems to say to him, “O Jacob, My servant, rise out of this miserable way of dealing with Me and be of a princely mind.” Such should have been the lesson of this angelic visit, though it was ill-learned. Jacob was prepared to send off to Esau and call him, “My Lord Esau.” He was ready to cringe and bow and call himself his servant. He went beyond the submissiveness which prudence suggests into the abject subjection which is born of fear.

The vision should have led Jacob to stand upon higher ground. With bands of angels as his bodyguard, he had no need to persist in his timorous, pettifogging policy. He might have walked along with the dignified confidence of his grandfather Abraham. There is something better in this life, after all, than policy and planning—faith in God is far grander!

Faith Overcomes Fear

A coward’s scheming never becomes the favorite of Heaven. Why should he fear who is protected beyond all fear? Esau could not stand against him, for Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts, was on his side! O for Grace to live according to our true position and character—not as poor dependents upon our own wits or upon the help of man—but as grandly independent of things seen because our entire reliance is fixed upon the unseen and eternal!

Jacob, as a mere keeper of sheep, has great cause to fear his warlike brother, but as the chosen of God and possessor of a heavenly guard, he may boldly travel on as if no Esau were in existence! All things are possible with God. Let us, then, play the man. We are not dependent on the things that are seen. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God shall man live. Cursed is he that trusts in man. Trust in God with all your heart. He is your infinite aid. Do right and give up calculations. Plunge into the sea of faith! Believe as much in the invisible as in the visible and act upon your faith.

The Importance of Remembering God’s Works

This seems to me to be God’s objective in giving to any of His servants a clearer view of the powers which are engaged on their behalf. If such a special vision is granted to us, let us keep it in memory. Jacob called the name of that place Mahanaim. I wish we had some way in this western world, in these modern times, of naming places, and children, too, more sensibly. We must either borrow some antiquated title, as if we were too short of sense to make one for ourselves, or else our names are sheer nonsense and mean nothing.

Why not choose names which should commemorate our mercies? Might not our houses be far more full of interest if around us we saw memorials of the happy events of our lives? Should we not note down remarkable blessings in our diaries to hand down to our children? Should we not tell our sons and daughters, “There God helped your father, Son.” “Thus and thus the Lord comforted your mother, Daughter.” “There God was very gracious to our family.” Keep records of your race! Preserve the household memoranda! I think it is a great help for a man to know what God did for his father and his grandfather, for he hopes that their God will also be his God.

Jacob took care to make notes, for he again and again named places by the facts which there were seen. Jacob named Bethel and Galeed, and Peniel and Mahanaim and other places, for he was a great name giver. Nor were his names forgotten, for hundreds of years after, good King David came to the same spot as Jacob and found it still known as Mahanaim and there the servants of God of another kind met him, also!

David’s Help at Mahanaim

This brings me to my second text. Angels did not meet David, but living creatures of another nature met him who answered the purpose of David quite as well as angels would have done. So just for a few minutes we will dwell upon that second event which distinguished Mahanaim.

Turn to the Second Book of Samuel, the 17th chapter, 27th verse. David came to Mahanaim and was met there by many friends. He stood upon the sacred spot accompanied by his handful of faithful friends, fugitives like he was. There apparently was not an angel about that day, yet secretly there were thousands flying around the sorrowing king.

Who is this that comes? It is not an angel, but old Barzillai. Who is this? It is Machir of Lodebar. They bring with them honey, corn, butter, sheep, great basins by way of baths, and cooking utensils, and earthen vessels to hold their food. And look, there are beds, too, for the poor king has not a couch to lie upon. These are not angels, but they are doing what angels could not have done, for Gabriel himself could hardly have brought a bed or a basin!

Charles Spurgeon