El Shaddai – God Almighty

El Shaddai – God Almighty

“Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.” (Genesis 17:1-2)

In this exchange between God and Abram we see God address Himself as Almighty. The Hebrew word for Almighty is Shadday or Shaddai. This word Shaddai is derived from another word which implies one who nourishes, supplies and satisfies. Therefore it is God (El) who helps us and it is God Shaddai who blesses us with an abundance of blessings.

It is God’s desire to bless man and in His providence take care of man’s needs. When we see El Shaddai it is God who is powerful enough to accomplish His desires. Only an all-powerful God, an Almighty God, who can bless the whole of mankind with all manner of blessings.

We have thus far seen El Elyon God the Most High. El Adonai God my Lord and master. And El Roi God who sees. In Hebrew El is God and the conjunction is the characteristic that God wishes to show us. In the title El Shaddai there is another Akkadian word from which Shaddai is derived. “Sadu.” Sadu means mountain which is signified as strength and power. Together this means that God is big enough and powerful enough to supply mankind with their needs and that God is our sustainer.

In Genesis Chapter 28 we see Isaac giving a blessing to Jacob who was sent to his mother’s father to seek a wife from his mother’s brother. Isaac had faith that His God would sustain his son during his journey and throughout his life. In faith Isaac offered this blessing. “May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples.” (Genesis 28:3)

Later in the book of Genesis we read how God had blessed Jacob. It was a confirmation of the blessing that God had given to his father Isaac and Grandfather Abraham. In this blessing God addressed Himself as El Shaddai. “God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you.” (Genesis 35:11)

In the book of Revelation as preparations are being made for that great and final battle with evil we see the declaration that God is the powerful sustainer. “And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.” (Revelation 16:7,14)

We also see in Revelation that in the New Jerusalem there will not be a Temple as the El Shaddai will be the Temple and He shall dwell with His people. “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:22-23)

Our God is powerful enough to create all that there is. He is powerful enough to sustain all that there is. A God that big is Almighty enough to sustain us throughout eternity. He is a God of love and desires to keep us in His providence. He wants to give us the good and perfect gifts from the riches of His glory. All He wants from us is to have a little faith in the big God that He is. To trust and obey His Word and follow His Son in faith. When we stumble He is willing to lift us up and carry us on to our home in His glory. Our God will sustain us throughout eternity. “He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” (Isaiah 40:29-30)

Thomas N Kirkpatrick

First Baptist Church of Durant, November 8, 2015