Knowing His Name: El Elyon

Introduction:

One of the key elements to keep in mind as we study the name God is that this is so important because the names of God help us learn who God is.

It helps us to learn who God is because it reveals his character.

We learn who God is by learn about his names.

There is a self-revelation of God to us by knowing His names.

In our first lesson, we learned that our God is Elohim.

We saw that is the name used of God in the opening passages of the Scripture and that is the name that appears 4,565 times in the OT Scriptures.

We saw that “Elohim” is from two Hebrew roots; “el” which means “mighty” or “mighty”.

We also saw that the second part of the Hebrew word “him” is plural in form and that the word “Elohim” is speaking regarding the entire Godhead.

We see this in the very first verse in the Bible:

Genesis 1:1 AV

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

“In the beginning Elohim created....” the entire Godhead was involved in the creative process.

Genesis 1:27 AV

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Agin, we see Elohim in the plural form and the usages of the plural form pronouns “us” and “our”.

The entire Godhead was speaking together and involved in the process.

So, we saw that the meaning of Elohim speaks of the “all-powerful, all-mighty sustaining creator Godhead”.

Then we noticed that when we got to the 3rd chapter of Genesis we are introduced to a new name of God.

Genesis 3:1 AV

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

And we saw that LORD in all caps is the old word Jehovah, which also is Yahweh, and speaks about “The Holy One”.

We notices that it appears in the book of Genesis that Yahweh Elohim is a names of God that is used when God is dealing directly with people on the matter of sin and disobedience, because the last time that name appears in tho book of Genesis:

Genesis 3:23 AV

Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

So we see that the term Yahweh Elohim is “The all powerful, almighty, holy, sustainer creator Godhead”.

And then we brought all of that down to see that since this name reveals a certain character trait of God; we saw that I am not a creative after thought and that I was created by the Godhead with my flaws and be used and to shine for His glory.

That is the name Elohim.

There is another fascinating name of God that is found with much less frequency in the Scriptures; the name “El Elyon”.

I. The Meaning of El Elyon

Of course, the first thing that stands out to us that we learned last time is the first part of the name, “El”, which means “mighty” or “all powerful” and refers to God as the creator and sustainer of all things

The Hebrew name “Elyon” is an Israelite name for God, translated “Most High God”.

This word speaks of His strength, sovereignty, and supremacy.

It tells us in this name that God is the preeminent of ultimate being.

Now, this word is used with much less frequency than other names in the Word of God; not the most infrequency, but much less frequency.

This name for God used less than 30 times in the OT Scriptures; somewhere between 22-26 times to be somewhat exact; but this is a much less used name of God.

And with me, just like Greek, I love original words that have little frequency in the text; I love to study those words.

In fact, outside of the books of Moses, this name for God appears:

Once in 2 Samuel.

The Psalms.

Once in the Book of Isaiah.

Twice in the book of Lamentations.

When Lucifer was committing cosmic treason against God, this was the word that He used to illustrate the place in heaven he wanted.

Isaiah 14:14 AV

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

II. The Manifestation of El Elyon

Now, to help us to get a grasp on the meaning of “El Elyon” we will follow “the rule of first mention”, that is the first time that a word, phrase, or event occurs in the Bible that usually holds the key to our understanding of how is is used elsewhere in the Scriptures.

The first time that the Hebrew name of God, “El Elyon” is used is in .

Genesis 14:18

Genesis 14:18 AV

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

The context of the fist time that the name “El Elyon” appears is one of the most fascinating encounters in the Bible.

Canaan had been attacked by four invading kings.

They looted the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and captured Lot, Abraham’s nephew.

Upon hearing of Lot’s capture, Abraham took is servants () and went after the invaders.

He defeated them by dividing their forces and attacking at night.

After this great victory against far superior forces, Abraham was visited by Melchizedek.

Melchizedek is described as “the Priest of the Most High” or “El Elyon”.

Melchizedek blesses Abraham and tells him that it:

Genesis 14:20 AV

And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Genesis

Genesis

Genesis 14:20 ESV

and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

By using the name “God Most High” (El Elyon), Melchizedek revealed something about God not known before.

He reminded Abraham that it was God Who had won the battle for him.

There is none with more power in the universe than “El Elyon”.

The name “El Elyon”, God Most hHigh, reveals that God is able to deliver is from our enemies, which are primarily spiritual.

1 Peter 5:8 AV

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Our spiritual enemy is cunning and crafty and he is always preying on some believer in order to destroy them; and we learn that it is God Most High (El Elyon) that is able to deliver us from our greatest spiritual enemy.

Psalm 57:2–3 AV

I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.

Psalm

It is “God Most High” that keeps our spiritual enemies form overcoming us.

It is “El Elyon” who is able to defeat all of our enemies because He is the Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth.

III. The Material of El Elyon

What should be our application and response to knowing God as ‘El Elyon”.

And we see this by looking at those in the Bible who knew Him by that name.

Abraham was so overcome by “El Elyon’s” grace in giving him the victory that he have him a tithe of all he had.

The name “El Elyon” reveals that He is the God Most High, He is the possessor of everything.

This simply means that God created everything that exists, snd it all belongs to Him.

When Abraham gave the tithe (and we do not know of what the tithe consisted), he was only giving back to God what was His in the first place.

So by our understanding of El Elyon and that He is God Most High and he is the possessor of everything; whether we tithe monetarily, of our time, or our talents, we are giving back to God what was and is His.

Genesis 14:22 AV

And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

James 1:17 AV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Dt.

Deuteronomy 32:8 AV

When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

Do you ever find yourself to be upset when certain people seem to have a lot of this worlds goods while others who are more deserving do not, we have forgotten that God is El Elyon.

This is the last time

He decides who gets what in this life, and only He can can do that because it all belongs to Him.

El Elyon is God Most High who is the possessor of everything and He alone determines who receives the things that they receive.

How should knowing that “El Elyon” is God Most High who is the possessor of everything affect your attitude towards possessions and your circumstances in life?