In His Word God gives Himself different names and titles to help us know more about Him. When God refers to Himself as God Almighty or Almighty God—El Shaddai in Hebrew—He is emphasizing that He is all-powerful and able to supply every need of every believer. El Shaddai calls special attention to the truth that our God is bountiful to His people, that He blesses His people, that He supports and defends His people, and that He is the supplier of everything His people need.
To learn more about our Almighty God, we will look at some Biblical occurrences of El Shaddai, beginning with Genesis 17:1. This first occurrence sets the pattern for and vividly illustrates the magnitude of what the title “God Almighty” represents. Next, we will look at other Old Testament occurrences of El Shaddai and see these same truths further established. Finally, we will see that as born-again sons of God living today in the Grace Administration, we have the abundant blessings of God Almighty in our lives. Because our God is Almighty and provides completely for us in every way, truly no obstacle is insurmountable for us!
The first occurrence of the title “Almighty God” sheds tremendous light on the greatness of the promise that God as El Shaddai made to just one man: Abram, whom He renamed Abraham. The context here shows that God’s promise and blessings also extended to Abraham’s descendants, but let’s first see Abraham’s personal blessing.
Genesis 17:1-6:
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God [El Shaddai]; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
These promises—“multiply thee exceedingly,” “thou shalt be a father of many nations,” “for a father of many nations have I made thee,” “make thee exceeding fruitful,” “make nations of thee,” and “kings shall come out of thee”—indicate that the Almighty God had all the resources to bring them to pass. He would do what He said He would do. El Shaddai would provide everything Abraham needed as Abraham did his part, which was to “walk before me, and be thou perfect,” or literally, “walk before me and be complete.” With the Almighty God providing everything Abraham needed, certainly nothing would stand in the way of Abraham seeing the promises of God come to pass in his life.
The greatness of God Almighty’s promise to bless Abraham continues in the next two verses and shows that God Almighty would also bless Abraham’s seed, his descendants.
Genesis 17:7 and 8:
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Again, “I will establish my covenant,” “in their generations for an everlasting covenant,” “I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land,” and “all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession” illustrate that the Almighty God had the resources available to fulfill all His promises to His people.
Before these tremendous things that were promised by El Shaddai came to pass in Abraham’s life, he faced what may have seemed, according to the five senses, like an insurmountable obstacle. God’s design in fulfilling what He promised to Abraham included his wife, Sarah, bearing a son, who was to be named Isaac (Genesis 17:19). But God’s Word declares that Sarah was barren—she had no children (Genesis 11:30). Later, and still before Isaac was born, it says that “Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women” (Genesis 18:11). So for two reasons—having been barren and now past childbearing—it could have seemed beyond possibility that Sarah would have a son as God said she would.
We know from the Scriptures that God did His part, Sarah had a son according to God’s plan, and that son was named Isaac (Genesis 21:1-3). Those things written in the Old Testament—before the day of Pentecost—are for our learning. There is a very important truth to learn from this account of Abraham and Sarah: When we are faced with something that seems literally impossible—physically unable to happen or appearing to have absolutely no way of coming to pass—we can with complete and total confidence know that with God, no obstacle is insurmountable….
This is an excerpt from the January/February 2011 issue of The Way Magazine.
Copyright© 2011 by The Way International. All rights reserved.
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