El Shaddai: Almighty God

Genesis 17:1-15; Luke 1:37; Eph. 3:20-21.

ETS: God Almighty made a way when there seemed to be no way.

ESS: We should trust God as almighty God.

OSS: [Devotional] {I want the hearers to trust that Almighty God will make a way even if there seems to be no way.} Cognitive: I want the hearers to know that God is Almighty God

PQ: What aspects are included in knowing God as El Shaddai?

UW: Aspects

Intro.: [AGS]: [TS]: [RS]:

TS: Let us examine the aspects that seem necessary in knowing God as El Shaddai:

Preface: The name El Shaddai is best understood to mean “All sufficient”; The word is derived from שדך meaning “to be strong or powerful, to lay waste, to desolate.” [1] It is almost as though when God claims to be El Shaddai He is claiming, “I am God all-sufficient; from שדה shadah, to shed, to pour out. I am that God who pours out blessings, who gives them richly, abundantly, continually.” [2]

Trust. (vv. 1-2)

God promised to bless Abram and make him a great nation in Genesis 12. Quite a bit of time had elapsed since then, and in fact, many times there is the reminder of the seeming hopelessness of the fulfillment of promise by Sarai’s remaining childless and Abram’s ever increasing age.

Yet, throughout, in His timing, God showed glimpses of His fulfilling the promise. For instance, after the vague promise in chapter 12, the promise is described more detailed in Genesis 13:16. Yet, again, there is frustration in Genesis 15:2.

Before there would be the fulfillment, Abram’s wife Sarai convinced Abram to have a child with their maiden, Hagar.

Genesis 17 opens with God identifying Himself as Almighty God, the one able to fulfill that which He promises.

APPLICATION: Knowing God as El Shaddai requires trust. God will come through according to His will and according to His time. He is all-sufficient, Almighty God. John 14:13-14.

Worship. (v. 3a)

The posture of Abram in these moments represented humility and that of surrender and worship.

Because God spoke to Him in such a manner as to declare His sufficiency in fulfilling His promise, Abram bowed in reverence and worship.

APPLICATION: Knowing God as El Shaddai should lead us to worship Him because we understand that He is sufficient to come through on every promise He has ever made, to make a way when it even seems humanly impossible.

Covenant. (vv. 1a; 2-15)

Several aspects are clear within this covenant:

Change of name from Abram to Abraham. A change of name was common in Eastern countries to symbolize an important event or circumstance in life. For Abraham, it was a sign of the covenant Almighty God established with him. “Instead of Abram, ‘a high father,’ he was to be called Abraham, ‘father of a multitude of nations’ (see Rev. 2:17).” [3] (vv. 4-5)

Promise of the covenant (vv. 6-8): To make him fruitful and to grant to him land of Canaan as a permanent possession for him and his offspring. To be their God.

Condition/sign of the covenant (vv. 9-15): The outward symbol of circumcision.

The covenant was between God and Abraham including the promise from God and the condition of Abraham to live blamelessly before Him and to trust Him for the fulfillment of the promise.

APPLICATION: Knowing God as El Shaddai requires us to live in a covenantal relationship with God- to keep up our end of the promise. For NT believers, the promise is eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ; the condition of our end is to maintain relationship with God, to live according to His commands and standards.

REFLECTION:

Luke 1:37; Ephesians 3:20.

With man, eternal life is impossible. Yet, with God, through virgin birth and the perfect life of Jesus, it is possible. Through His power, He is able to accomplish far above all that we can ask or think. He is El Shaddai, Almighty God.

[1] Is there a situation that seems impossible in your life right now? Maybe one where healing is needed; supernatural intervention is needed; etc. Have you prayed according to God’s will? Have you trusted that God would act on that situation according to His will and in His time?

[2] Have you worshipped God because He is the Almighty God, El Shaddai?

[3] Have you kept up your end of the relationship?

Bibliography:

[1] Brown, A. R. Fausset, and Robert Jamieson, A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments: Genesis–Deuteronomy, vol. I (London; Glasgow: William Collins, Sons, & Company, Limited, n.d.), 151.

[2] Adam Clarke, The Holy Bible with a Commentary and Critical Notes, New Edition., vol. 1 (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife Corporation, 2014), 111.

[3]Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 26.