Getting To Know God – El Shaddai – The All Sufficient One Series

Getting to Know God – El Shaddai – God Almighty

Over the last couple of months, we’ve been working our way through the names of God. In the days gone by, a person’s name tells us so much about him or her and God’s names similarly tell us so much about his character. Over past months, we’ve looked at

Elohim – the general name for God. It speaks of his strength and his creative power Elohim spoke and the world came into being. It is a name which is a plural and thus speaks of God being three persons – the holy trinity. It is also a name which begs us to worship him. John writes in Rev 4:11 - "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

We then studied his name of El Elyon – The Most High. This is a name which was revealed to King Nebudchadnezzar to show that no matter how important he thought he was or how much power he believed he possessed, there is one that his higher and mightier. God is the Most High, El Elyon who rules in the kingdoms of men.

The next name we looked at was El Roi – The God who Sees. What a revelation to know that God is one who sees what we are going through. This was a name that was revealed to Hagar, Abram’s maidservant. You might remember that Abram and his wife Sarahi were waiting for God to fulfill a promise to them. You see God had said that Abram when he was 75 years old, that he was going to be the father of many nations. Well they had been patiently waiting for 10 years and no movement at the station. They were getting a bit sick of waiting and so they had a great idea. Why not have a child by Hagar. So that is what happened and Hagar became pregnant. But no sooner than this occurred, than Sarah regretted it and started to make life difficult for everyone. Hagar was ill treated so much that she ran away from her master and God found her beside a spring, on her way back to Egypt where she was born. God met her in a miraculous way and revealed himself as El Roi. The God who sees what we are going through. He is a God who knows and understands – what a comfort that is.

Well tonight I want to look at another of God’s names. It is a name that most of you have heard before – it is the name El Shaddai. It has been popularised in Amy Grant’s song “El Shaddai, El Shaddai, Ekkana Adonai. Age to Age you’re still the same, by the power of your name”. But what does this name mean? Any ideas???? Well hopefully after tonight, you’ll have a few more ideas.

Let’s pray before we go any further – asking that God give us understanding and soft hearts.

Pray.

If you’ve got your bibles there, turn with me to Genesis chapter 17. I want to take you back to the very first time that God revealed himself as El Shaddai. And incredibly, it is recorded immediately after the events of Hagar that we’ve just been speaking about. In Chapter 16, we see God revealing himself to Hagar as El Roi – The God who sees and then in Chapter 17, God appears to Abram. I mean, it would not be fair to leave him out of the party would it.

So in Chapter 17:1 we read

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” 3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful;

And God goes on to repeat his covenant to Abraham that he would be the Father of a great nation.

If you were with us last time I preached on God as El Roi, you’d remember me telling you God first made the covenant with Abram when he was 75 years old (12:1-4).

12 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”