The Names of God Lesson 2

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The Names

of God

Lesson 2

El-Elyon, El-Shaddai, (Revealed to Abram)

Text: Genesis 14:18-20

Genesis 17:1

Intro: tonight we are going to look at two of the three names of God as they were revealed to Abram. These are not the only names or descriptions of God Abram knew, but they are the main ones we are going to look at. There were other descriptions given in these chapters of Genesis such as “(15:1) Fear not Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward”. We will never be able to capture every aspect of who God is to us with one simple name. At different times, God means different things to us. It is also in these chapters there are other descriptions of God by other people. However we will look at these in a future date. But, for tonight, let us start with “EL-ELYON”

  1. El-Elyon,

    1. Back story,

      1. Abram (Abraham) Called and anointed of God,

        1. Genesis 12 is the first time we meet Abram,

          • We find that God comes to him, and tells him to leave his fathers house, and go to a place where God shall reveal.

          • Abram was 75 years old at the time (12:4)

          • and he left Haran

            • Haran, or the Ur, of the Chaldees was located around the Persian gulf in Iraq

          • when he left he took Sarai his wife, Lot his brothers son, and all their possessions.

            • QUESTION? How would you feel if at the age of 75 God called you to leave your home and family?

        2. It was also at this time God pronounced His first blessing on Abram:

          • Genesis 12:2&3 “And I will make you a great nation,And I will bless you,And make your name great;And so you shall be a blessing;3 And I will bless those who bless you,And the one who curses you I will curse .And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. ”

          • it continues in vs.7 and the Lord tells him, he will give him this land,

            • this is a blessing that appears several more times through the life of Abram, and it is a source of controversy even today.

          • So Abram travels what is known as the fertal crescent, north around the modern middle east down past the Med. Into Egypt.

            • Here is where the Pharaoh took Sarai, but the Lord stopped it.

              • Abram had to leave,

            • during this time, God continued to bless Abram, and Lot,

              • they both became wealthy and had much, so much that there rose a conflict between the herdsmen of the two. So Abram and Lot parted ways.

        3. Lot headed toward the cities of Sodom,

          • Chapter 14, a confederacy of four kings invaded the southern area of Palestine and took the people prisoners as well as spoiled the cities.

            • When one escaped, he ran and told Abram what had happened.

            • So Abram took 318 solider servants (14:14) and ran down the kings.

          • He saved Lot as well as the others of the cities that were taken, also he had captured the spoils of the cities.

        4. On the way back from this is when Abram discovers the first name we will look at,

          • He comes across Melchizedek, king of Salem,

            • the priest King, which is a subject for another time

          • Abram offers him an offering.

          • Then he comes to the king of Sodom.

            • This is where it gets interesting, (we will look at this more on Sundays)

              • the king of Sodom comes out to meet Abram and tells him, let my people go, and you can keep the spoils.

        5. Genesis 14:22-24 “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, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion. ”

          • so this is where we have it, El_Elyon.

    2. Meaning of El-Elyon,

      1. Creator and Possessor of Heaven and Earth,

        1. here we have a man that just made an offering, but then he acknowledges that everything is God’s

        2. the spoils, the people, the lands, even to the heavens.

        3. Abram discovered that God owns it all.

      2. The Treasures of Sodom,

        1. you will see that phrase again soon,

        2. When Abram got back to Sodom, he was bring everything back,

        3. and when the king offered (that may be a strong word) to let him keep the spoils, Abram remembered who it all belonged to anyway.

        4. So Abram turned down what was offered, and he did this so not only he would know God was his provider, but also so that others would know.

    3. Application:

      1. Do We Know God as Creator and Possessor of Heaven and Earth?

        1. Do we have a firm understanding of the simple fact that everything belongs to Him?

        2. Psalm 24:1 “ The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.  ”

        3. Read also: Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 10:14, Job 41:11, I Corinthians 6:19, I Corinthians 7:23, I Timothy 6:7

      2. Have we given God honor and glory due Him?

      3. Have we traded the blessings of God for the treasures of Sodom?

        1. Depending on the world rather than God?

  2. El Shaddai, (the second Name)

    1. Back Story,

      1. Abram promised a child,

        1. when Abram left his home at the age of 75, he left without a child.

          • This could be the reason Lot went with him.

          • But, God promised him a child

        2. so during this entire time Abram and Sarai was waiting, but the years came and went.

        3. It came to the place where Abram was on the verge of giving up, and spoke to God and said perhaps one born in my house (a servant) will be my heir,

        4. Genesis 15:4 “And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.”

      2. His Child, and Sarai’s Child,

        1. if you hear that prophecy, it says it shall be of Abram, but there is no mention at this time of Sarai. There will be,

          • Genesis 17:19 “And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.”

        2. but before we get there, Saiai gave Abram her handmaiden to have a child with.

          • So she conceived and bare Ishmael at the age of 86.

      3. Genesis 17:1 “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”

        1. and there it is El-Shaddai,

    2. The Meaning of El-Shaddai,

      1. Almighty God,

        1. all powerful, and all sufficient.

        2. Abram had already discovered that God owned everything,

        3. Now, he is finding out, God has all control over things,

          • and this includes his ability to have children,

          • this was given when Abram was 99 years old.

        4. God reaffirms His covenant with Abram, and lets him know that if God said He would, then He has the ability to do it.

      2. Abram becomes Abraham,

        1. his name was changed form father to father of many, or a multitude.

          • You can imagine that his very name must have been a biter name to bear having no children,

          • but then the LORD changed it to Father of a Multitude.

        2. It is at the end of Ch.17 that the Lord lets Abraham know that his heir would be through Sarai.

      3. Sarai becomes Sarah,

        1. her name was changed from Princely to Princess, it appears the difference is the difference between a simile, and a Metaphor,

          • a simile is like a princess where a metaphor is she is a princess.

        2. Not only was god affirming his power in the life of Abraham, He was also dong it for Sarah, at 90 years old.

    3. Application:

      1. Are we trusting God, not only for our provision, but also our ability?

        1. I think we like to take pride in the fact we are able to do things on our own,

          • I have told the story of the pastor I meet who told me their origination was so good that if the Holy Spirit left today, 95% of it would continue unharmed.

            • I thought what a shame,

            • If we can do it, then do we need God?

          • I want us to do things only God can do, so He receives the credit.

        2. We need to place our trust in the Lord follow His direction for life.