We learn of the name El Elyon in Genesis 14. The chapter opens with 9 kings engaging in battle—four against five. These are kings of city-states, meaning “each man was like the mayor of a great city, ruling over those within his walled city as well as those in the immediately surrounding area.”
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord [YHWH] appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty [El Shaddai]; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” (Genesis 17:1-2)
Your first reaction to this title, Adonai, is probably to recoil in disgust or distress, quite possibly because of the context of slavery not only in the US, but in other countries where even today people are held in slavery and treated abominably. But would you, for just a moment, put away all your preconceptions of what it means to be the Lord—the master—and what it means to be a slave? Let the Bible inform you of what God is like as a Lord, and what He sees as His responsibility to those He rules.
“In the beginning, God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1
Elohim is the first name God reveals for Himself in the Bible. It is based on a root word that means “strong” or “mighty”. The same word is used other times in the Bible to refer to pagan gods, to angelic beings, or to human rulers. A few examples:
When you think about God, what comes to your mind? Is He a grandfatherly figure who indulges the least little whim of His grandchildren?
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8) The Scriptures tell us that “no one can see [God] and live” (Exodus 33:20) and that “no one…
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 6:7
Do you remember the Casper Milquetoast comic strip? I don’t either. But you may have heard the name…
Sorrow and mourning are natural parts of life. It is God who gave us the ability to cry. In fact, Warren Wiersbe says, “As you read the Bible, you get the impression that God expected His people to weep. ‘There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die… a time to weep and a time to laugh’”
Luke 6:20 reads, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” This resonates for us, doesn’t it? We all understand being poor: “Poverty is said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs.”[1]
