God brought my attention this week to one of the names of God—El Shaddai. In 1982, Amy Grant made the song “El Shaddai” famous. As she sang, “Age to age you’re still the same, by the power of the name,” she magnified God Almighty—the wonderful “El Shaddai.” I believe that God is calling us today to focus on Him as El Shaddai. What does the Old Testament word shaddai mean, and is there a message in this name for the Church? Let's explore the meaning of this name from the Bible and how we can apply it to our relationship with God today:
Among Christians, the most common interpretation of shaddai today is “mighty,” and El Shaddai would translate to “God Almighty” which interpreted is “The Overpowerer,” meaning God will do what He purposes to do, overpowering all opposition. Some interpret shaddai as “sufficient,” as God is the “All-sufficient One.” Truly God Almighty is the God who is enough! He is more than sufficient to meet any need. He is power and provision. In great compassion, He sustains, nourishes and protects us. He takes our weakness and gives us strength. (Phil 4: 13) He takes our inadequate resources and in His sufficiency uses them for His great and powerful purposes. Psalm 103: 19-22 says: “The LORD has set up His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all. Bless the LORD, you angels of His; mighty in strength, performing His word, upon hearing the utterance of His word. Bless the LORD, all you His armies, His servants who do His will. Bless the LORD, all His works everywhere in His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!”
The most obvious expression of God’s might is as the Creator. He is the Maker of all things in the universe—including humans. That isn’t open to dispute in Scripture. “All things were made by Him, and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3). All things were created through the Lord’s power and for Him. Hebrew 3:4 says it this way: “the builder of all things is God.”
God’s might is far beyond ours because He is eternal—the God from before time and into the timeless future. Psalm 90:2 says: “Before the mountains were born, or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God!” He is the everlasting King of heaven; and as the Sovereign God, He is answerable to no one! God does “great and awesome” wonders—miracles! There is nothing too hard for Him. He has unlimited power. We cannot even imagine all El Shaddai can do!
We discover El Shaddai throughout the years of the Patriarchs. Although the surrounding nations had many gods, the Hebrews had one, the Almighty. We see this name for God in Genesis 17:1 when he spoke to Abraham and said “I am El Shaddai. Continually walk before Me and you will be blameless. My heart’s desire is to make My covenant between Me and you, and then I will multiply you exceedingly much.” God told Moses of His encounters with Abraham and Jacob as God Almighty in Exodus 6: 2-3: “I AM Adonai. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, as El Shaddai.” God Almighty mightily led His people from Egypt and appeared to them as a cloud by day and a fire at night.
The Psalmist wrote about those who contend with and plot against the Father and His anointed Son—trying to claim greater wisdom and power than the Lord of heaven. One such affirmation is found in Ps. 21: 9-14 and reveals that God will destroy all those who hate Him by His right hand, His wrath will swallow them up, fire will consume them and their evil intentions and plots will not succeed.
In modern culture, the proclamation of God’s power has gone silent in many churches. A God of love is more palpable, more easily received, than the God who is sovereign and powerful—the Mighty God who can turn the hearts of kings and direct nations to do His will. When God’s prophets spoke His words with power, sometimes people and nations listened and turned to the Lord; but others resisted God. So it is today when God’s people speak up about His power and might. If pastors preach the whole counsel of God, they will remind God’s people to see Him as He is: the reigning “Lord, God Almighty.” The redeemed church is to thank and praise the meek and mighty Savior. The watching church will see the Mighty God come again with “power and great glory.” It is time for us as the body of Christ—the True Church to get our eyes off the seen that is going on all around us and fix our eyes on the unseen—God Almighty who heals, and restores, who performs miracles, who is our Deliverer, who gives hope and is LOVE. Justice does not rest in the hands of man but in God Almighty who will bring it to pass in His time and in His way. Let us rise up in praise and adoration for the One who has the name above all names and will be honored throughout eternity for the mercy He extended to those who call on His name. Let us exalt Him for His “glory, majesty, power and authority”—the praise El Shaddai is due “forevermore.” “To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. AMEN.” (Jude 1:25)