Sunday, 10 April 2016

THE EL SHADDAI GOD

THE EL SHADDAI GOD


 INTRODUCTION

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the ALMIGHTY” Rev 1:8 [emphasis mine]
“And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God ALMIGHTY, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them” Exodus 6:3 [emphasis mine]

The word “El” points to the power of God himself; it means mighty, hence God, who helps. The word “Shaddai” is found in connection with God meaning “breast” and it signifies one who nourishes, supplies and satisfies [Exodus 6:3, Ezekiel 10:5]; it is God who abundantly blesses with all manner of blessings. El Shaddai being here rendered “God Almighty”, the strong one or “the Almighty God”. Jesus Christ is the Almighty God – All Powerful and All Sufficient One

He is the Almighty by creating all things but of nothing; by upholding all creatures in their beings; by the miracles he wrought on earth; by the resurrection of himself from the dead; by obtaining eternal redemption for his people; and by his having the care and government of them upon him, whom he keeps, upholds, bears, and carries to the end, through all their infirmities, afflictions, temptations, and trials. He is the originator and terminator of all things. God is not only Lord of the future. He is also powerful enough to bring all what was predicted or promised to pass. He is the "Almighty." who is able to accomplish what is disclosed in this Holy Scriptures.

The Hebrew word “shadday” means strong, mighty, and “shiddat”, which means strength, irresistible, able to destroy or might; absolute power and graced to always overcome. It is formed from the Hebrew word "shad," the breast, invariably used in Scripture for a woman's breast; for example (Genesis 49:25; Job 3:12; Psalms 22:9]. El-Shaddai, a God all-sufficient, a God that is enough and will be so [Micah 7:20]. The word “dai” suggests provision, blessings and sustenance, shedding forth or pouring out of great abundance or bountiful. He is able to carry out His purposes to the fullest and most glorious and triumphant completion. He is the helper that blesses. The blessings of God upon Joseph is an example of one who has the blessings of the All Sufficient God or the Fruitful One.

“Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb” Gen 49:25 

The Lord God is fruitful and makes us like Joseph to be the son of the Fruitful God and we too are so fruitful that our branches are full of fruits and goes over the wall to feed neighboring nations both spiritually and physically. We spread the good news of the gospel to them and even our barns are so full in harvest that we will feed the nations like Joseph did in Egypt to the nations in his days.

“Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob” Gen 49:22-24 

Like Joseph the Church will march victoriously against and resists her attackers; enemies will fight and shoot against the Church but they will not prevail. Though hostile religious groups rises against and hate the Church with all hostility but the Church shall sit unshakingly in the “strength of his bow” triumphantly. God supplies the power of the force for fighting and standing by the hand of the MIGHTY Jacob even as a covenant with the Church of God. Such is the El-Shaddai God that will bless the Church with the blessings of the breast that is with great care, affection or love, fruitfulness of goods and the multiplication or great insight and revelation of the truth.

The rest of the Almighty God always REST upon those who dwells in the secret place of the Most High God [Psalms 91:1]. It occurs six times in Genesis [Gen 17:1; Gen 28:3; Gen 35:11; Gen 43:14; Gen 48:3; Gen 49:25]

“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. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly” Genesis 17:1-2

ALMIGHTY AND ALL SUFFICIENT

God is "Shaddai," because He is the one that nourishes, the Strength-giver, and so, in a secondary sense, the Satisfier, who pours himself into believing lives. As a fretful, unsatisfied babe is not only strengthened and nourished from the mother's breast, but also is quieted, rested, satisfied, so El Shaddai is that name of God which sets Him forth as the Strength-giver and Satisfier of His people. The primary name El sufficiently signifies almightiness. "All-sufficient" would far better express both the Hebrew meaning and the characteristic use of the name in Scripture.

Very important is the virtues of nutritional and medicinal values in the breasts of women which satisfies to the maximum all that is needed for the growth and medical wellbeing of children that were well breast-fed in their growing up years. They mature aright without any deficiency and they were not sick with all manner of childhood ailment because all necessary biological nutrients and antibiotics are assimilated through the breast milk of the mother. Spiritually, put all the children of God that depends on the big breasted God to supply their nutritional, biological, medical and spiritual shall never lack for God has all sufficiency.

“And to him who is able to do superabundantly above all we ask or comprehend, according to the “dynamis” [POWER] energizing in us” Ephesians 3:20 ECB

Almighty God “El-Shaddai” not only enriches, but makes fruitful. This is nowhere better illustrated than in the first occurrence of the name [Gen. 17:1-8]. To a man ninety-nine years of age, and "as good as dead" [Heb. 11:12]. He said: "I am the Almighty God El Shaddai . . . I will . . . multiply thee exceedingly." To the same purport is the use of the name [Gen. 28:3-4]. And Abraham descendants against all odds multiplied and became like the stars of heaven.

Almighty is the characteristic name of God in Job, occurring thirty-one times in that book. The hand of El Shaddai falls upon Job, the best man of his time, not in judgment, but in purifying unto greater fruitfulness [Job 5:17-25].

“Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son” Gen 18:14 

Almighty God is superlatively rich and have abundance in His storehouse such that by His name El-Shaddai there is nothing that He cannot do. And so He is able to protect and defend us, and to fulfil all promises made to us, and to supply us with everything we wanted or will ever need; being, as some choose to render the word, "God all sufficient", having a sufficiency of all good things in him to communicate to his people. There is nothing that this El-Shaddai God cannot provide including new body parts or new nature.

“And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land” Gen. 35:11-12 [See Genesis 48:3-4]

In the above scripture God the Almighty seem to be saying it is by my character as Almighty that I will make you fruitful, multiply and make you a nations of kings.

“I am God Almighty.” So he proclaimed himself before to Abraham Genesis 17:1. “Be fruitful, and multiply.” Abraham and Isaac had each only one son of promise. But now the time of increase is come. Jacob has been blessed with eleven sons, and at least one daughter. And now he receives the long-promised blessing, “be fruitful and multiply.”

RIGHTEOUSNESS AND CONSECRATION PROVOKES THE BLESSINGS

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” 2 Cor. 6:14-18

The Fatherhood of God is synonymous with His name as El Shaddai but there are penitent behavioral pattern expected in the life of those who decides to come under this covenant. They must be unequally yoked with unbelievers not living like men of the world [Psalms 1:1-3]. Such men are depicted as light and have to allegiance or fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness but they keep their vessels clean and morally pure in sanctification of body, soul and spirit. They live a separatist life knowing that you cannot play with the pigs in their pen and not be dirty.

Covenant blessings is predicated upon walking in lines with the principles of holiness and right standing with God. We are in the world, we are not of the world and must not walk as they walk in the flesh full of pride, lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes.

We were adopted in the above scriptures and given the rights with Jesus Christ to partake of the inheritance of the Father with Him. Like in the parable of the prodigal son, the Father is saying to us that all He has is ours. This include both spiritual and physical including wisdom, strength, power, grace, favor and wealth.

“Blessed is the man that walk not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” Psalms 1:1-3 

That upright walking with God is the condition of our interest in his all-sufficiency. If we neglect him, or dissemble with him, we forfeit the benefit and comfort of our relation to him. Walking before God, being perfect, and pure hearted is a vital key to seeing the blessings of El-Shaddai God.

 “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” Gen 17:1 

GOD’S STRONG HAND OF DELIVERANCE

“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name” Exodus 15:1-3 

The deliverance of God's church will be accomplished, when God takes the work into his own hands and express His mightiness for the people shall be willing in the days of His Power. With a strong hand, that is, being forced to it by a strong hand, the enemy typified as Pharaoh keeping the Israelites in bondage shall let them go. As some are brought to their duty by the strong hand of God's grace, who are made willing in the day of his power, so others by the strong hand of his justice, breaking those that would not bend.

After Moses, Jehovah is more frequently used, and this, El-Shaddai, very rarely; it bespeaks the almighty power of God. He is known as He displays the mightiness of His power in war as valiant and competent warrior or deliverer and awesome supplier or provider for His people. To Joshua Jesus Christ appeared as the powerful warrior when he showed forth as the Commander of the heavenly army or Captain of the LORD’S Host [Joshua 5:14].

ALL SUFFICIENT GOD

We must understand the mother hood of God as He relates to us as a mother who has all sufficiency to take care of her infant child even till puberty. He as mother has all manner of experience to take care of us but also train us until we become like Him having His image and likeness and never lacking in all needs. All He demand is to worship, serve and obey His ordinances and we will not lack in His ability to save, deliver and provide more than enough.

“And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land” Genesis 35:11-12 

We are the Kings and the Priests that come out of the loins of the Almighty God
The God with whom we have to do is a God that is more than enough.

[1.] He is enough in himself; he is self-sufficient; he has everything, and he needs not anything.

[2.] He is enough to us, if we be in covenant with him: we have all in him, and we have enough in him, enough to satisfy our most enlarged desires, enough to supply the defect of everything else, and to secure to us a happiness for our immortal souls [See Psalms 16:5-6; Psalms 73:25].

God desires to bless His children and provides in abundance all of man’s need. Only an all-powerful God can meet the needs of all mankind with all manner of blessings.

“Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem” Isa 66:10-13 [also Isaiah 60:16]

Come and taste that the LORD is good, come and suck from the Big Breasted God and be assured of constant supplies that never dries up. El Shaddai has a feminine mother gender who satisfies the Church with the breast of her consolation, abundance of her glory, peace like a river and comfort us as inhabitants of Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

God is the spiritual mother of the New Testament Church. She provides and nurtures the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit who is our comforter until we grow and mature spiritually. He is the provider and sustainer of the Church. All things are for Him, for Him and must come through Him to the body of Christ. He is the vine that gets all we need from the Father and passes it to us the branches so that we can use it to grow or matures. He is able to make good the promises of the Father onto us in due time, and to support and provide for us in the mean-time.

OBEY HE THAT SPEAKS

God always verbalizes what He will do. Severally God spoke to Abraham re-enacting the blessings of the covenant as Almighty God [Genesis 17:1-2, 7, 10-11]. There are blessings if we obey the terms of the covenant which in the time of Abraham was to walk before God and be blameless or to be perfect. The sign of the covenant was to circumcise all the mature male child and God tremendously blessed Abraham and his generations

“And the sound of the Cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaks” Ezekiel 10:5 

When God speaks, it comes not in word only, but in the Holy Ghost, and in demonstration of power. It comes for direction, instruction in righteousness, reproof, correction, and profitable for doctrine. It is to be planted in the good heart of the people of God until it brings forth much harvest and productivity. We must trust in God, believe everything He spoke and allow His words to be our lifeline.

“Therefore the Holy Spirit says: "If you hear God’s voice today, don’t let your hearts become stubborn as you did during the rebellion in the time of testing in the desert” Hebrews 3:7-8 HNC-NT

Seven times [in Revelation Chapter 2 & 3] the word of the Lord said “let him that has ears hear what the Lord is saying to the Church”. Simply put the hearer and the doer of the word of God shall be blessed and fruitful indeed [James 1:22-25]. The two important conditions here is to obey and serve God.

“If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. Job 36:11-12 

The era of Moses is gone. God is giving the Church that will live in the Promised Land upon Mount Zion a new instruction that genders to prosperity and good success. Hear my word and do accordingly and as the All Sufficient One, there will be a release of great harvest to the Church.

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” Joshua 1:8


Get set for a bountiful harvest. Our El-Shaddai God is well able! 

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