Purpose: To magnify God's ability to do everything He promises.
Aim: I want the listener to gain great confidence in God's ultimate plan to bless His own.
INTRODUCTION: What will it take to make you happy? You may be thinking that you need God to meet a material or money need that you have. You may want God to restore a broken relationship. You may have a physical weakness or disease that you would like to see God cure. Your heart may be burdened because someone you love has one of those needs.
As you think about your greatest need I want us to see that El Shaddai is the answer to any need we may have.
Listen to what Spurgeon said about the importance of the Names of God...
"There is something in every Name of God which may breed faith in our souls. Whether we know him as Jehovah, Elohim, Shaddai, or Lord, or by whatsoever other name he has been pleased to manifest himself, that title becomes the ground of our confidence, and is the means of fostering faith in his people's minds, when they come to understand its meaning. To a trembling people the Lord enlarges on his wonderful names. I think he also does it to excite our wonder and our gratitude. He that loves us so much is Jehovah: he that can create and destroy; he that is the self-existent God; he, even he, has set his heart upon his people, and loves them and counts them precious in his sight. It is a marvelous thing. The more one thinks of it, the more shall he be overwhelmed with astonishment, that he who is everything should love us who are less than nothing. It is the Holy One who has deigned to choose, and to love unholy men, and to look upon them in grace, and save them from their sins. That you may bow low in loving gratitude, God lets you see who He is."
El Shaddai is pronounced "ale-shad-dah'-ee" or "ale-shad'-ee" either way, what is important is what it means. The name Shaddai by itself is used 48 times in the Bible, 31 of them are in the book of Job, a contemporary of Abraham. The two names ELOHIM (shortened to EL) and SHADDAI are used together only 7 times and we will begin looking at those today, but before we do let's make sure we understand...
I. The Meaning of El Shaddai
A. El: "mighty power"
EL is found 250 times in the Bible.
"GOD 'el 410, this term was the most common general designation of deity in the ancient Near East. While it frequently occurred alone, 'el was also combined with other words to constitute a compound term for deity, or to identify the nature and functions of the "god" in some manner. Thus the expression "God, the God of Israel"
So EL means, "Mighty power, omnipotence, the strong one."
B. Shaddai: "all sufficient provider"
"The most preferred explanation is that Shaddai is derived from the verb shadad ("to overpower, to deal violently, or to devastate"). ... God as 'El Shaddai is presented as the all-powerful One, totally self-sufficient, absolute ruler, and the One who can and does make final disposition." [2]
"Shaddai" is probably related to the word "Mountain" and suggests the power or strength of God.
So the two names together mean, "The Almighty all-sufficient God who protects and provides"
II. The Message of El Shaddai
"The last time we are told the Lord communicated with Abram directly was more than 13 years before. Seemingly, Abram had 13 years of 'normal' fellowship with God, waiting for the promise all the time. Surely, at times during those years, Abram felt God had forgotten. Abram was becoming a great man of faith, but you don't make a great man of faith overnight. It takes years of God's work in them, years of almost mundane trusting in God, interspersed with a few spectacular encounters with the Lord." [3]
Gen.17:1-8; 15-22 A. El Shaddai supplies the impossible
[Vs.1-2] This is the first occurrence of El Shaddai in the Bible. God reveals this name as He announces His covenant promise with Abraham and then this name is repeated as this promise is passed on to Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
"It is significant that the covenant was introduced with a revelation by God of His name. This may not seem of great importance to us but in Eastern thought to reveal the name was to reveal the person and to invite intimacy." [4]
"(v.1). The Hebrew word translated "blameless" means "whole" and was sometimes used to describe an animal provided for sacrifice, meaning that it should be without blemish. But when applied to people it meant that their approach to God should be "whole (hearted)." It does not mean sinless perfection..." [5]
The point is: we must be whole hearted in our approach to El Shaddai. God hates half-hearted worship and lukewarm service.
[Vs.3-4] Abram was learning "...the remarkable truth that El Shaddai, in all His power, was personally knowable and was committed to a humble man living in the wild regions of Canaan. ... In addition this promise was available to all who would come from Abram's loins--a promise applied by Paul to all who would believe in Christ down through the ages (see Gal. 3:9). [6]
[Vs.5-6] "The patriarch's name change was crucial. The name Abram (17:5), meaning `exalted father'... implied that Abram came from royal lineage. But in Hebrew Abraham ('abraham) sounds similar to `father of a multitude' (ab hamon) of nations (17:4 5). His new name implied a look ahead to his descendents.
"One can well imagine that Abraham was hurt by the suppressed smiles on the faces of his men when he told them to call him Abraham, meaning the father of a multitude of nations when he was 99 years old (vv. 1,24) Yet Abraham knew that God had not deceived him. His new name and his wife's new name were perpetual reminders of God's sure word. Every time someone addressed him he would recall God's promise, until finally Isaac, the child of promise, would call him `abba' (father)." [7]
God was promising the impossible. Why did God promise that Abram would have a son then wait almost 25 years before He came through on His promise? Now that Abram was 99 years old and Sarah was 90 years old there was no question that a son could only come if God performed a miracle. Maybe this will answer some of our questions as to why God delays answers to our prayers.
Abraham was learning to look at God instead of just his circumstances. Romans 4:19--21 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. (NAU)
Hebrews 11:11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. (NAU)
God's future promise should make us happy in the present.
[Vs.7-8] Paul makes a strong argument from these verses that Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise to Abraham. Galatians 3:16--18 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. (NAU)
So the most important "impossible" thing that God promised was the coming of a Jewish Messiah who would save both Jews and Gentiles. Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. (NAU)
Gen.28:1-8 B. El Shaddai blesses the obedient
[V.1-4] Many years later the long promised son of Abraham, Isaac, passes on the same confidence that Abraham had to his son Jacob.
Are we passing on a joyful confidence in God to those around us?
[Vs.5-8] In this context Isaac in reminding his son that El Shaddai loves holiness. Followers of God must be careful to not make alliances with those who don't love God.
1 Peter 1:15--16 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." (NAU)
Gen.35:1-4; 9-12 C. El Shaddai doesn't share worship
[Vs.1-4] God is about to change Jacob's name, but before He does God demands that every worldly god be abolished.
[Vs.9-12] The name Jacob means "supplanter." We might think of it today as meaning a "con artist." God is about to change his name to Israel.
"ISRAEL [IS ray ell] (prince with God).... The name Israel has been interpreted by different scholars as "prince with God," "he strives with God," "let God rule," or "God strives." The name was later applied to the descendants of Jacob, or the HEBREW people. The twelve tribes were called "Israelites," "children of Israel," and "house of Israel," identifying them clearly as the descendants of Israel through his sons and grandsons." [8]
Paul made this truth very clear in 2 Corinthians 6:16--18 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty. (NAU)
CONCLUSION: Are you finding your joy and happiness in God as your El Shaddai?
[1]From Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words) (Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers
[2]Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers
[3]David Guzic’s Commentary
[4]D. Stuart Briscoe and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, vol. 1, The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 1: Genesis, The Preacher's Commentary series, 148 (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1987).
[5]D. Stuart Briscoe and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, vol. 1, The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 1: Genesis, The Preacher's Commentary series, 149 (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1987).
[6]D. Stuart Briscoe and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, vol. 1, The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 1: Genesis, The Preacher's Commentary series, 148 (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1987).
[7]“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord & Zuck Vol. 1 Page 50
[8]From Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary) (Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers
