A. INTRODUCTION
1. God is denim, strong enough to solve our problems.
2. God is lace, tender in His care for us.
B. THE MEANING OF ALMIGHTY GOD
1. The name Almighty used for God is a compound of El (Elohim-God) or Jehovah (LORD), plus an attribute.
a. El is the strong God/Creator.
b. Shaddai is His protection and sufficiency in time of pressure.
2. Shaddai and the Hebrew word for shad, meaning breast, are different words, but sound alike (Gen. 49:25; Job 3:12; Ps. 22:9).
a. The wordplay reminds us that God provides for us. He is our source of strength and comfort.
b. He loves us and is the true giver of His life to us in our problems. Out of our pressure we become fruitful.
3. El Shaddai appears 48 times in the Old Testament, which includes 31 times in the book of Job.
a. Under pressure, Job called on the names of a tough-but-tender caring God.
b. Job was counseled, “Happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty” (Job 5:17)
4. El Shaddai occurs 12 times in the New Testament, which includes nine times in the book of Revelation (2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 1:8). He is faithful to:
a. Reward the believer (Rev. 11:15-18).
b. Pour out judgment on the unbeliever (v. 18).
C. LAW OF FIRST REFERENCE
1. Definition: When a term is first introduced embryonically, all of the meaning that it will later come, is seen in its first use.
2. God appears to Abram after long testing (Gen. 15-1 7:2).
a. Abram is 99 years old (Gen. 17:1), and “as good as dead” (Heb. 11:12).
b. God reassures Abram of His promise (Gen. 17:1-2).
c. God introduced a new name for Himself, El Shaddai, “Almighty God” (v. 1).
3. New problems demand a new understanding of God, which is
received by learning a new name for Him (Ex. 3:13-14; 6:2-3).
4. Abraham’s name was changed from Abram (Gen. 17:5), he was supernaturally given a son, conceived at age 99 (vv. 1-2), born at age 100 (vv. 15-17; 21:2). We need faith to carry us from His promise to His supply.
D. EL SHADDAI: HE STRENGTHENS AND SATISFIES
1. The promise passed on.
a. It is evident Abraham passed the name El Shaddai to Isaac, who later used it in his prayer for his son Jacob to find a wife (28:3).
b. Jacob used the name to bless his son Joseph (49:22, 25).
2. God is faithful to His nature. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thess. 5:24).
a. To punish, when we rebel (Heb. 12:5-6, 10).
b. To reward, when we obey (Ps. 1: 1-3).
3. El Shaddai may delay, but He never postpones.
E. SIX STEPS FOR EL SHADDAI’S PROVISION
What we know about problems: We can’t run from them; we can’t stop them; and we can’t solve them. We need the help of El Shaddai.
1. Separation—negative holiness (2 Cor. 6:17-18).
2. Seek His presence-positive holiness (2 Chron. 16:11; Rev. 4:8).
3. Rest in His presence or promise (Ps. 91:1)
4. Continue to follow and obey His commands (Gen. 17:1).
5. Evaluate your spiritual health.
a. If you do not sense that God is using hardships to move you closer to Him or to reveal unconfessed sin, it may indicate that you are not really His child (see Heb. 12:5-11).
b. Naomi and her husband Elimelech disobeyed God by leaving Israel during a time of famine (Ruth 1:1-2).
(1) Elimelech and sons die in Moab (vv. 3, 5).
(2) Naomi returns to Israel empty (vv. 19-21).
6. Claim by faith His promise (Gen. 49:25).
F. DISCUSSION
1. Share with the group a time when the Almighty helped or corrected you.
2. What did you learn from this experience?
3. What did you learn about God?
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
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Dr. Towns' email is ELTowns@liberty.edu
