El Shaddai
Genesis 17:1-8, 28:3, 35:11, 43:14, 48:3
If you are anything like me then you have experienced confusion during your time reading the bible. You have come across a phrase, a proverb, or a name that you are unfamiliar with and were not sure what its full meaning and implications were. When this happens you can study it by yourself, maybe walk away confused, or just accept it as an unknown for now. It can be easy to end your time studying a passage without a deep understanding of what you read. There is often a lot left on the table that can help us understand who God is and what He is trying to say.
The names of God are indicative of different aspects of His character, indicative of who He is. When we brush past them maybe we will remember that He is called that name, but we may not understand what the inclusion of that name for God is trying to tell us. Over time as we study the word it is a gift we get to dive deeper into understanding who God is.
El Shaddai or “He is God Almighty”, it is directly written seven times in Genesis and Exodus and indirectly mentioned a handful of other times throughout the old testament. You don't have to search too far into the bible to find this name of God for the first time. In Genesis 17 we see an encounter between God and Abram. The passage begins with “.. the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty…”. God calls Himself God Almighty, El Shaddai, right as he appears to Abram. What does Abram do? He fell on his face. I would have to if I didn't pass out.
Okay, so we know that God revealed Himself as El Shaddai, God Almighty. But what is really trying to say here? How can we more deeply understand God through this?
First, when you break down “Shaddai” it literally means: “sha”—the one who is—and “dai”—sufficient. God is sufficient.
Secondly, we can take a look at the context of our main passage, as well as the other passages in Genesis where it is mentioned, and discern what this reveals to us about the character of God. In the text, God is making a covenant with who He has now named Abraham. God Almighty tells Abraham that He will make him a father of a multitude of nations, generations of offspring, a fruitful forefather. Take a minute to read the text again.
What is God Almighty saying to Abraham? What do we know about God through this text?
El Shaddai, God Almighty provides. God tells Abraham that He will make him fruitful, a father of generations, he will multiply greatly. Verse 6 says “I will make you exceedingly fruitful..”. God Almighty is the one bringing all of this into reality, not Abraham. God Almighty provides.
El Shaddai, God Almighty is faithful and everlasting. In verses 7 and 8 God Almighty uses everlasting, this covenant is everlasting. His provision is everlasting. God Almighty and His provision are everlasting and faithful.
When we read “God Almighty” in Genesis 17:1, at the very least we agree, and maybe a memory of the phrase being featured in a pastor's prayer. But once we dig into it, there is so much to learn about who God is.
After reading this morning, how do you see God? Do you see Him as God Almighty? Take some time to process El Shaddai.
