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A serious study of YAHWEH AND/OR EL ELYON? Chapter 15, must also include a study of: · YAHWEH, GOD OF ISRAEL Chapter 10, and · YAHWEH, CONFOUNDING Chapter 11, and · YAHWEH, UNCONFOUNDED Chapter 12, and · YAHWEH MADE THE LAW Chapter 13, and · YAHWEH FAMILY Chapter 14, because there is a lot to learn about YAHWEH.
Some subjects in those chapters have been reviewed and/or abbreviated for this chapter. Some have not. Some subjects in this chapter are new and unique. The index should be a big help.
YAHWEH YAHWEH is the distinctive personal name of the God of Israel (not the other nations). The scripture that makes the introduction of the new Name of God YAHWEH to Moses is Exodus 6:2-4.
Exodus 6:2-3, And ELOHIM (God) spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am YAHWEH (the LORD): 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of EL SHADDAI (God Almighty), but by my name YAHWEH (JEHOVAH) was I not known to them. (KJV)
EL ELYON EL ELYON is the name/nature of the God of all the other nations (sometimes including Israel). EL ELYON is the name of the Most High God. The scripture that makes the introduction of the new name EL ELYON is Genesis 14:18.
Genesis 14:18, And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of EL ELYON (the Most High God). (KJV)
INTERNAL INTERACTION We find quite a lot of interaction in the Holy Scriptures between the two name/natures of God. YAHWEH and EL ELYON are still one God.
YAHWEH, HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL YAHWEH is mainly interested in His own people, the nation of Israel. But EL ELYON is interested in nations, boundaries, kingdoms, and kings. Deuteronomy 32:8-9 shows the contradistinction very clearly.
Deuteronomy 32:8-9, When ELYON (the Most High) divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 9 For YAHWEH’S (the LORD'S) portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. (KJV)
Don't read this too fast. Master the contradistinction between the names/natures of YAHWEH and of EL ELYON to which this scripture calls attention.
EL ELYON (not YAHWEH): Divided the inheritance to the nations, He separated the sons of Adam (established the nations), He set the bounds (national boundaries) of the people according to the number of Israelites.
Some of the Bible references use EL ELYON and others drop the first EL and simply say ELYON.
We treat those references equally; because scholars tell us that THE MOST HIGH GOD and THE MOST HIGH are the same thing.
YAHWEH (not EL ELYON): Received the people (of Israel) for His inheritance, He also received Jacob for His inheritance.
EL ELYON, NATIONS, AND BOUNDARIES That is the reason that the book of Daniel uses the name EL ELYON rather than YAHWEH (with a minor exception). In captivity at Babylon, which is the subject of Daniel, it was impossible for a religious Jew to keep the laws of YAHWEH. So people like Daniel exhibited a consciousness of EL ELYON while in captivity.
On return to the land in Jerusalem, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin left their interest in EL ELYON and reverted back to an interest in YAHWEH, and also returned back to His law. (See Nehemiah chapters 7 through 13.)
TWO IN ONE We are not saying that there are two different Gods, YAHWEH and EL ELYON. We are saying that at certain times and for certain reasons, our one God acts more one way than another way. For instance, when David Ebaugh is Daddy, he acts quite a bit differently than when the same man is Rev. Ebaugh.
DAVID AND YAHWEH For example, as the King of Israel, King David had to know God as YAHWEH. As a man of war, David needed YAHWEH, the masculine God of war, victory, hosts, law, etc. King David certainly depended a lot on the name/nature of YAHWEH.
DAVID AND EL ELYON However, King David showed a good understanding of the merciful character of the name/nature of EL ELYON.
King David restored the name/nature EL ELYON to Jewish literature after it had been in disuse for about ten centuries from Abraham and Melchisedec to the time of David. Israel used the name/nature EL SHADDAI from the time of Abraham to Moses (about 500 years). Then they changed to the name/nature YAHWEH at the time of Moses and held to YAHWEH for about another 500 years to the time of David.
This may help us to see why the nation of Israel related to the concept of the name/nature of YAHWEH for the five centuries between Moses and King David, while they were at war. Then they related more and more to the name/nature of EL ELYON as King David sang of EL ELYON (the Most High God) in the Psalms. The natural result of the change of God consciousness from the name/nature of YAHWEH to EL ELYON produced a peaceful reign for David's son, Solomon. Do you suppose that nowadays our own nation could expect a similar result from a similar change of God consciousness from YAHWEH to EL ELYON? I do.
A PEACEFUL NATION Our national singers will soon sing songs of love, light, forgiveness, freedom, and life. That will result in a peaceful nation, a peaceful government, and a peaceful world.
A VIOLENT NATION Secular Rappers who sing (?) of hate, murder, and rape will reap what they sow. Regrettably, some young people seem to choose hateful violent singers as their idols. We can assume that’s what we’ll get when it’s their turn to run our government in a few years. It’s hard to listen to modern radio and then think that things are going to get better. I’m glad that I read the last chapter of Revelation because it says we are going to win.
TO THUNDER OR TO UTTER? There seems to be a difference between thundering and uttering.
2 Samuel 22:14, YAHWEH (the LORD) thundered from heaven, and EL ELYON (the Most High) uttered his voice. (KJV)
Your Bible probably says JEHOVAH, not YAHWEH, but remember JEHOVAH was inserted by the English translators and is a made-up word for YAHWEH. So here in the KJV we have a translation corruption of the transmitted text. Also see Psalm 18:13.
This section from II Samuel 22 is a Psalm of David. It is so very close to the 18th Psalm. Most scholars say that one of the passages is a copy of the other.
YAHWEH thundered! The word thundered means “to be violently agitated, to roar!” That sounds mighty masculine.
EL ELYON uttered His voice. The word uttered is from a primary root Hebrew word having a great latitude of applications, of which utter is one. But, none of the translations indicate a forceful masculine thunder. It has been translated with words like apply, bring forth, come, deliver, get, gave, etc. It is far more gentle, but still commanding.
We are trying to show the difference between the two name/natures of our one God. Sometimes He roars (YAHWEH) and sometimes He gently but firmly commands (EL ELYON).
SPEAKING OF YAHWEH SINGING OF EL ELYON There is a difference between articulate words of speech and singing words in songs. You will see this more clearly when you notice the difference between the two name/natures, YAHWEH and EL ELYON.
King David said: Psalm 7:17, I will praise YAHWEH (the LORD) according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD ELYON (Most High). (KJV)
Another place he said: Psalm 9:2, I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O ELYON (thou Most High). (KJV)
I don't think that David was playing a word game. He meant that his articulate praise went to YAHWEH and his singing praise went to EL ELYON.
King David set a pattern of using articulate words of speech for praising YAHWEH, but he used the singing of songs for praising EL ELYON.
King David used articulate talking speech (like a testimony) when he gave praise to YAHWEH.
Also notice that when he wanted to praise ELYON, David used music and singing for that purpose. Another example of this pattern is in Psalm 92:1.
David repeated the idea when he said: Psalm 92:1, It is a good thing to give thanks unto YAHWEH (the LORD), and to sing praises unto thy name, O ELYON (Most High) (KJV).
DAVID KNEW BOTH We can correctly conclude, I think, that as the King of Israel, King David had to know God as YAHWEH. As a man of war, King David certainly depended on the name/nature of YAHWEH a lot.
However as a man who also said: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51:1) David showed a good understanding of the merciful character of the name/nature EL ELYON.
A THEORY Perhaps the present resurgence of spontaneous singing of praise in many churches is because of a subconscious (or spiritual) leading. This may indicate that the feeling of many people today is to return to an awareness of EL ELYON. As long as this concern is manifest in an ever widening change of ideas, resulting in accepting the fullness of the Godhead, it will be healthy. If it leads some people to reject some part of the Godhead (like YAHWEH), it will be sick.
YES AND NO There is nothing in these verses that tells us not to sing to YAHWEH. But there are patterns established which strongly favor articulate thanks to YAHWEH and also favor singing praise to ELYON.
A CHANGE IS COMING The point I want to make is that verbal thanks to God YAHWEH has been a part of the program of the church for centuries, but I believe that we all have noticed a spontaneous move, all over the world, of singing praise to God ELYON in the spirit.
Whole congregations sing in the Spirit, often without direction from the platform. They sing without selected songs and music. They sing with a spontaneous release of different words and different tones, but always in perfect harmony. I believe that this phenomenon is a return to a Davidic type worship. King David sang praise to EL ELYON and restored His name/nature to Israel.
Singing praise is the result of a supernatural leading. The beauty of it is that no man made it happen. It’s a pleasant spine tingling sensation to observe and participate in. Don’t knock it, if you haven’t tried it.
Lately we have noticed that the churches that are still involved in a lot of articulate testimony are, for a large part, still involved in discerning and enforcing the laws of YAHWEH. Conversely, churches that are given to a lot of spontaneous music and singing don’t seem to have their minds on the law any more. They seem to feature love, light, forgiveness, mercy, and life. They are more oriented toward EL ELYON -- the Most High God. Have you noticed that the churches that are going into a lot of singing praise are tapering off their old testimony meetings!
WHAT TO DO? The God of Israel is YAHWEH. As a consequence, most Jews of today have developed a personal profile and a national profile that reflects their understanding of how their God YAHWEH would want them to handle a problem.
But the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST was identified as EL ELYON, the Most High God (Luke 1:32, 35). Consequently, we should expect some Christians to solve their own problems differently than Jews whose name/nature of God is YAHWEH do. One subject of this book is to demonstrate how YAHWEH and EL ELYON can have widely differing characteristics -- and yet be the same God.
It is unwise to choose the name/nature of God that seems to suit your own personality or personal needs and then to exclusively embrace only that name/nature.
TURNED OFF CHURCHES The overtly masculine actions of YAHWEH have "turned off” some people. They are tired of a punisher; they want a forgiver.
They are tired of law; they want love. They hate death; they want life. Consequently, some people erroneously want to leave YAHWEH and to live exclusively in the mercy of EL ELYON. I think that shows immaturity. That's like saying that you do not want any exclusive masculine influence in your life.
WE STILL NEED YAHWEH JESUS needed a knowledge of the name/nature of YAHWEH when He overturned the tables in the temple, and when He made a whip of cords.
The Christian life often demands a strong backbone that fights for the right. I think that some people have over reacted against a super YAHWEHISTIC type of overt masculine control with punishment, aggressiveness, boldness, loudness, forcefulness, and a demand for your own way. Truthfully, I myself tend to react against an excessive display of that type of spirit. But I fully recognize that I have a need for a balanced display of those characteristics, at times.
You can always swing the pendulum too far!
OLD IDEAS Speaking of a swinging pendulum, according to some recently written books about the recently uncovered Nag Hammaddi scrolls, the Gnostics of the first century claimed that YAHWEH was a demigod. They said that YAHWEH fell from the Godhead and that YAHWEH became the God of Israel. They explained the strong antagonism between Christians and Jews with that idea.
TOO MUCH -- TOO FAR This is the best example I know of swinging the pendulum too far! I think that they were deadly wrong. I agree that the YAHWEHISTIC spirit (consciousness) made the Jews cry, "Stone the woman." But to call YAHWEH a demigod is a deadly error. It could be the reason that the Gnostics disappeared and that the structured church became powerful and produced the voice of Christianity for the world to hear for two thousand years.
I would be in deadly fear to minimize the attributes of YAHWEH in any way. YAHWEH is LORD. YAHWEH is God.
But YAHWEH without EL ELYON is out of balance.
TRUST IN YAHWEH ASK EL ELYON FOR MERCY King David continued to show us about his understanding of the complex name/nature of God when he said, Psalm 21:7, For the king trusteth in YAHWEH (the LORD), and through the mercy of ELYON (the Most High) he shall not be moved. (KJV)
Notice that "mercy" is connected with EL ELYON. Some people have already shown that they misunderstand my teaching on the different Names of God by telling me that they don't want anything more to do with YAHWEH. They want to act like EL ELYON. And they want EL ELYON, not YAHWEH, to act in their own lives. Well, they are right when they want to act more like EL ELYON, but they are deadly wrong when they say that they don't want anything more to do with YAHWEH.
We all need to trust in YAHWEH for deliverance from forces that would oppress and enslave us. Without a masculine caring name/nature of YAHWEH to trust in, we would be fair game for every tyrant. We need a balanced appreciation of the name/natures of God. To reject YAHWEH is just as unbalanced as is the present church society that majors in YAHWEH name/natures. Don't allow yourself to swing the pendulum too far. David was clear to show that he expected mercy from ELYON and that he trusted in YAHWEH for victory in battle.
MERCY Here is a pattern about EL ELYON that might not be immediately obvious without a little study.
Psalm 56:1-2, Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O ELYON (thou Most High). (KJV)
At first thought you would think that this plea would be addressed to YAHWEH for victory against enemies. But it was to EL ELYON. Why? Because King David did not ask for victory in this case. He did ask for mercy. "Be merciful unto me." A request for victory is addressed to YAHWEH the God of victory in battle. A request for mercy is addressed to EL ELYON, the God of merciful deliverance.
Let's try to bring this concept to a practical example.
Suppose that you are unfairly accused by the government about something. This would make the government your enemy. It is not logical to ask YAHWEH to fight your case against your own government. The first problem is that the result would be that the government would have to lose. Our government just cannot lose against its citizens. There is no way for a citizen to win against our government. Some might think that they have won, but after they have counted the cost -- they found they lost.
So, the logical prayer would be toward EL ELYON asking for mercy against an unfair tyrannical government agent. EL ELYON could show mercy by turning their attention somewhere else, by causing them to lose their files, by allowing a tyrannical regulatory government agent to change jobs, get transferred, etc. There are lots of ways to show mercy to you without causing your enemy to lose. When you get into a box like that you need the mercy of EL ELYON, not the victory of YAHWEH.
The same idea about the mercy of ELYON is in Psalm 77:9-10.
MERCY OR JUDGMENT? The question is often asked, "When should we grant mercy and when should we bring judgment?" Perhaps our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST gave us a pattern for the answer.
JESUS CHRIST granted mercy to a woman by saying, “Neither do I condemn thee.” But you can't do that under YAHWEH. You must bring condemnation if you have a YAHWEHISTIC concept of God. All of us have mistakenly been taught that whenever you meet sin, you must judge it. It is implied that if you don't condemn it, it means you do approve of it. JESUS did not teach that and He didn't act that way. He said, “Nether do I condemn you, now, go and sin no more.” He did not approve of sin. He refused to condemn it. Relate to that person who wants help and say, “I don't condemn you, I love you and accept you. Let me give you power. Let me impart something to you. Now, go and sin no more.” If you bring condemnation, then usually the person will not hear your counsel. When you bring love, usually the person can hear your counsel. Unfortunately, the present structured society (many denominations) cannot relate to people where they are. They bring the stones of YAHWEH. They stone people as Moses said instead of bringing the EL ELYON concepts of mercy as David said. When a person meets JESUS CHRIST, then JESUS covers all their past sins by His blood. After that there is nothing left to judge.
EL ELYON says, “The sin is covered by the blood of my Son JESUS CHRIST so that I don't know anything bad about that person.” Judgment cannot come through the EL ELYON concepts. But, just when you trip and fall, the structured society will judge you by saying that you are not a Christian. The truth of the matter is, you are a perfect Christian in your heart (spirit). You are becoming a better Christian in (soul) mind. Someday you are going to be perfect in your body.
The answer to the conflict between judgment and mercy rests in what you are trying to accomplish. If your goal is to help and to build individual people, then bring the mercy of EL ELYON, as JESUS did.
On the other hand, if your goal is to build a church, or strengthen a denomination, or build an army, or govern a group of people, then perhaps you will get more done toward achieving your objective if you bring judgment of YAHWEH to each person or situation.
Pastors seem to be constantly pulled between these two forces. Often a pastor can bring peace to his own life by asking himself the question, "Am I here to build the church structure or to help the individual people?" If his main goal is to increase the attendance then he should go soft on granting mercy. He should be an organizer with law.
If his main goal is to help individual people, then he should go soft on judgment. He should be a creative lover using mercy.
MERCY IS NOT APPROVAL A sinful man and woman I know did pray to EL ELYON asking for forgiveness and mercy. Their following experience proved that they got mercy from EL ELYON. They erroneously mistook mercy for approval. They reasoned that since EL ELYON was obviously merciful to them, then He must have approved of their sinful actions.
They brought great disrepute upon the cause of Christ and upon the "grace" message by turning away from the laws that YAHWEH gave to us. They brought more disrepute by flaunting the freedom that mercy brings. They advertised their sin instead of keeping it quiet. They connected the mercy and business with an erroneous idea of approval. They even suggested to some in the church that perhaps, in the eyes of God, their sin wasn’t so bad anymore.
If you choose to not bring condemnation, you must also be prepared to pay the high price that misunderstanding can bring. Sometimes that can be a very dear price. The couple never showed any indication that they learned the lesson. Those who chose to not bring condemnation upon those sinners had to pay a social price for the sin of the couple.
Many professional preachers refuse to teach the "grace" message because of the resultant misunderstanding and the disrepute and harm it brings. They think the reason there is less scandal in their church is that they teach "law" rather than "love." The tragedy is that they are right. JESUS and Paul were in constant trouble with the religious leaders of their day because JESUS and Paul taught "love" not "law."
Experience shows that sinful immature Christians still plea for "mercy." EL ELYON still grants "mercy" to them. Mistaking "mercy" for "approval," they ignorantly continue in their sin. They do not seem to hear the command, “Go and sin no more.” They dismiss criticism of their wrongful ways by pointing to their obvious sensitivity to the ways of EL ELYON.
In my own experience I have had to deal with immature Christians who actually told a certain Church that I approved of their sin because I refused to bring condemnation. They pointed to the fact that I gave them love, forgiveness, and mercy. They erroneously concluded that meant that I approved of what they were doing.
There is a big difference between "no condemnation" and "approval." I didn’t condemn and I don’t approve.
It’s a tragedy that most YAHWEHISTIC church societies believe that disapproval should produce condemnation. However, there are those who believe that the name/nature of EL ELYON should guide their thought patterns. They find it easy to see that LOVE, LIGHT, FORGIVENESS, MERCY, and LIFE does not indicate approval. Churches that try to follow the name/nature of EL ELYON are sometimes criticized for being too free. The criticism is especially strong from people in YAHWEHISTIC type churches.
The result is that sometimes the Bible teacher or pastor gets a black eye for the sin that was committed by the student.
James summed it up this way: James 3:1-2, My brethren, be not many masters (teachers), knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. (KJV)
YAHWEH -- EL ELYON The Amplified New Testament says it a little better this way: James 3:1-2, Not many of you should become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we teachers will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity than other people. Thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation. 2. For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if any one does not offend in speech - never says the wrong things - he is a fully developed character and a perfect man. (ANT)
NOT THE SAME When you notice someone who persists in sinful acts because they believe that they can move from the law of YAHWEH to the mercy of EL ELYON, then that person would probably benefit from a reminder that "no condemnation" is not the same as "approval."
THE PRODIGAL SON I think that the story of the prodigal son shows the difference in the two attitudes. The father had the attitude of EL ELYON. When the younger son went to his dad and repented, then the father granted him LOVE, LIGHT, FORGIVENESS, MERCY, AND LIFE.
On the other hand, the elder son acted in a YAHWEHISTIC manner. His statement was, "I have been good and kept all your laws, but you never gave those benefits to me” (paraphrased, Luke 15:29).
The father responded, “All that I have is thine.” In other words, they had not yet learned to know his heart.
Neither son knew the heart of the father.
Luke 15:11-32, And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. (KJV)
We should say it again, with tears in our eyes. Neither son knew the heart of the father. COMPLETE IN HIM Remember that the Son of EL ELYON is JESUS CHRIST of whom it is said: Colossians 2:9-10, For in him (CHRIST) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (KJV) 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power (KJV)
We conclude, then, that the Father, EL ELYON, has transferred all of His Godhead to His Son JESUS CHRIST, and that's not the end of the subject.
As we believers/receivers move and live in JESUS CHRIST, then the FULLNESS of the GODHEAD causes us to become complete, also. That means that we will embrace and operate in every attribute of the names/natures of God as it becomes appropriate or necessary for the time. Right now, our religious groups and societies have mainly taught us to exhibit the attributes of the name/nature of YAHWEH. As we mature, we will embrace more of the whole Godhead.
We will not embrace YAHWEH any less -- we will expand to be able to embrace the other name/natures even more.
PROVOKED BY REJECTING How did they provoke ELYON? Remember that ELYON set the bounds (boundaries) of the people (Deut. 32:8).
Psalm 78:17, And they sinned yet more against him by provoking ELYON (the Most High) in the wilderness. (KJV)
Along the same line, Nebuchadnezzar said: Daniel 4:17 ,…ELYON (the Most High) ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. (KJV)
In the wilderness, the people of Israel rejected the boundaries as set by EL ELYON, the Most High God by a vote of 600,000 to 2. They agreed that they could not "take the country." They set their own boundaries. By rejecting EL ELYON'S boundaries they provoked EL ELYON. As a consequence, they spent 40 years in the wilderness while the provokers of EL ELYON died off and their children became strong enough to accomplish the plan of EL ELYON. We see then, that the plans of EL ELYON are discovered by a prophet and not by popular vote.
We have also seen that it is best to take, appropriate, and inhabit all that EL ELYON has provided for us. Another way of saying that is: Hebrews 4:1, Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (KJV)
It seems to be a wise thing -- to have a fear (a reverent awe) of not entering into everything that our God EL ELYON has provided for us.
ASKING EL ELYON TO SATISFY LUST Another way that they sinned against EL ELYON was: Psalm 78:18, --- by asking meat for their lust. (KJV)
It looks like we should remember the pattern JESUS set for us. He performed many miracles in order to meet the needs of others -- but JESUS never turned the stones into bread in order to satisfy His own hunger.
It’s a good idea to pray to the name/nature EL ELYON when you are in the process of selecting a set of tires from the dealer’s rack. That’s because EL ELYON owns all the tires in the world, and He knows which ones are the best, and which ones have hidden defects in them. If I needed money to pay for the tires I would pray to the name/nature EL SHADDAI, the God of provision, and ask for the money.
CAN GOD DO IT? Still another way that they provoked ELYON was by saying: Psalm 78:19, --- Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
Their insolent question implied that they did not believe that God could (or would) supply them with their needs while they traversed the wilderness. Their haughty and contemptuous behavior actually provoked EL ELYON to do what they disrespectfully and untruthfully said that He would do.
Many parents, have at one time or another, been provoked by their own children, to do exactly what the overbearing brat said. When a presumptuous kid says, "You never get me anything!” Or, “You never let me do what I want!” many adults tend to be provoked into fulfilling the child’s prophecy. That’s tempting the child’s parent.
Are there any people in your city who say, "Does God heal, today?" That tempting question nearly provokes God to not heal.
Better never say, "Does God care about my problem?"
EL ELYON REDEEMER We know that JESUS CHRIST, the Son of EL ELYON, is our redeemer. Redemption comes through the EL ELYON line because redemption and mercy are so closely associated.
Psalm 78:35, And they remembered that ELOHIM (God) was their rock, and EL ELYON (the High God) their redeemer. (KJV)
Our perception of ELOHIM is rock like, in that we are never removed from our creator's love. Like a ship anchored to a giant rock in a storm, we are safe.
Like a ship, we often weigh anchor and make our own way through life's seas. We have all become lost at one time or another. That's when we need a redeemer like EL ELYON, to set us right again. EL SHADDAI We will now look at some of the name/natures, actions, and interactions of EL SHADDAI.
· A serious study of EL SHADDAI must also include YAHWEH FAMILY, Chapter 14, and · EL SHADDAI ‑‑ NEW TESTAMENT, Chapter 17. because there is a lot to learn about EL SHADDAI.
Some subjects in those chapters have been reviewed and/or abbreviated for this chapter. Some have not. Some subjects in this chapter are new and unique. The index should be a big help.
EL SHADDAI is God.
EL SHADDAI is from the word "SHAD" meaning breast.
The gender of the Hebrew word SHADDAI is feminine.
EL SHADDAI means “the large breasted one.”
EL SHADDAI is a possessive word.
EL SHADDAI means “her breast is mine for me to use.”
EL SHADDAI is the mother, nourisher, provider.
EL SHADDAI sustains life.
EL SHADDAI is open eyed, i.e., has knowledge of all truth.
EL SHADDAI provides balance, fairness.
EL SHADDAI provides because of need, and withholds when best.
EL SHADDAI responds with love.
EL SHADDAI was the name/nature of God known by Israel from the time of Abraham to Moses, from about 2000 to 1500 B.C., about 500 years.
EL SHADDAI operates in concert with the masculine YAHWEH to create all things, and becomes ELOHIM (the creator God).
EL SHADDAI is translated "God Almighty" in the Old Testament, K.J.V.
EL SHADDAI is occasionally erroneously, theologically, confused with the Greek word G3841 PANTOKRATOR because it was rendered Almighty in the book of Revelation. There are no similar attributes, consequently another word for God should be chosen for PANTOKRATOR. This subject is covered in Chapter 17, EL SHADDAI, NEW TESTAMENT.
SHADDAI also occurs as a Name of God, chiefly in the book of Job. It is rendered "The Almighty." EL SHADDAI is cognate with Hebrew SHAD meaning breast which comes from proto-Semitic TAD -- the semantic development from rounded "breasts" to "hills" and "mountains" would not be impossible.
EL SHADDAI is often explained as a cognate of the Akkadian word SADU meaning “mountain.”
EL SHADDAI etymology, Strong's 7706, 1237, 7703 Etymology is 7706, 7699, meaning “provide with the breast.”
A FEMININE NAME OF GOD We have noticed that some people feel relieved to find that one of the name/natures of God is feminine. Some people express shock coupled with disbelief. We have discovered that there are some people who are fiercely opposed to the idea that God could have a feminine name/nature.
Many women in religious settings have been made to feel that they were deficient because they were female. I believe that is because religions have taught an unbalanced reliance on YAHWEH and have operated in relative ignorance of EL SHADDAI.
NO OFFENSE INTENDED We have also noticed that some people feel very uncomfortable using words like "breast." Some are uncomfortable using words like "male" and "female." To those uncomfortable people, I apologize for offending. But I will use the words because I am a Bible teacher and they are good Bible words that are used universally to describe natures.
EL SHADDAI AND YAHWEH The major contradistinction between the name/nature of God, EL SHADDAI, and the name/nature of the very same God, YAHWEH, is shown in Exodus 6:2-3.
Exodus 6:2-3, And ELOHIM (God) spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am YAHWEH (the LORD): 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of EL SHADDAI (God Almighty), but by my name YAHWEH (JEHOVAH) was I not known to them. (KJV)
GOD APPEARED At this point, let us notice that God said, "I appeared unto..." It is God's prerogative to appear anyway that He wants.
A few chapters earlier: Exodus 3:14, And ELOHIM (God) said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (KJV)
EHYEH, ASHER, EHYEH is the Hebrew Name of God that was given to Moses in this passage. It was translated “I AM THAT I AM.” Some authorities say that it is better translated, "I AM WHATEVER I WANT TO BE.” That translation is more in harmony with the expression,: Exodus 6:3, And I appeared unto...
When our God wants to be a provider, He appears as EL SHADDAI. When our God wants to be a God of victory, He appears as YAHWEH. When our God wants to be a creator, He appears as ELOHIM. When our God wants to be a life giving force, He appears as ELOAH. When our God wants to be the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, He appears as EL ELYON. Our God is whatever He wants to be.
Abraham only knew God as EL SHADDAI. He did not know the name/nature YAHWEH, the masculine God of Israel, because God never appeared to him that way.
LAW OR COMMAND? Abraham always did what EL SHADDAI commanded him to do. For instance: Hebrews 11:8, By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. (KJV)
There is a difference between obeying a command and keeping a law.
As an allegory, let us say that small children are expected to obey the command of their mother. As they grow up, they learn to keep the law of their father.
Here we are likening Abraham to a small child who obeyed the commands of his mother (EL SHADDAI). That's because Abraham started us on our religious journey. He was the first of the patriarchs, but Abraham was like a religious infant. In other words, Abraham didn't know much about what God wanted, but he did know enough to do what he was told to do, when he was told to do it. Abraham did obey the commands that he received from EL SHADDAI.
Continuing the allegory, Abraham did not receive laws to remember or memorize. We do not give laws to small children because they cannot memorize or remember. Mothers of small children are often confused and confounded because they themselves do not know if they have given a command or a law. But, by the time the child is a teenager, there is no confusion when the father lays down the law. By then, the child is expected to know what to do when they are alone because they are carrying the law with them. As infants, the mother repeats the command over, and over again as each situation demands, until she is blue in the face. “Telling you to do something is like talking to a brick wall. Can’t you remember to do anything?” she says in exasperation, as she tells him again.
As teenagers, the father sets down the law once, and the adolescent child is expected to remember and obey forever. That's the way YAHWEH sets down the law forever. There is no conflict between EL SHADDAI and the commands She gives contradistinctive to YAHWEH and the laws He gives. In a well balanced home, there should not be any conflict between the commands given by the mother versus the laws given by the father. Tragically, many homes are not balanced with feminine and masculine forces of authority. Equally tragic is the fact that most mothers and fathers do not understand these principles because they themselves were never exposed to them as they grew up. An understanding of these principles would help solve many of our present social ills.
MOM AND DAD Watch a normal family in a restaurant and you will see mother telling everyone where to sit, what to order, how to behave. When someone has to tell the waitress or the cook what to do, it will usually be mother's voice.
More often than not, father sits quietly contemplating the facts and deciding if he should lay down some new law. If everyone always waited for the laws of the father, the meal would never be finished. As we grow up and learn to keep the laws of the father, we never stop obeying the commands of the mother.
The law of YAHWEH does not tell us to go here today, and avoid there tomorrow. But the commands of EL SHADDAI do. The law is more generalized than a command. A command is more specific than the law. It is EL SHADDAI who gives you an uncomfortable feeling. The feeling may say it is best to not eat in that restaurant today, or you should or should not schedule the airplane trip in the afternoon or morning. Or perhaps EL SHADDAI gives you a comfortable feeling (warm fuzzies) when you are trying to chose a newer car. You may have said, “It just feels right.” If your own head was out of the way, then that feeling was probably from EL SHADDAI.
Continuing the allegory with a different story, Israel (the nation) was treated as an infant and child for 500 years from Abraham to Moses. Israel was expected to obey the commands of EL SHADDAI the large breasted nourisher, provider, mother.
Eventually Israel went through a Bar Mitzvah and became a teenager (not an infant). Then they received the law of YAHWEH, the Father, given through Moses. They were then required to read and to remember the law.
You may recall that at a Bar Mitzvah the young boy leaves the mother's side of the synagogue, covers his head with his new yarmulke, reads the law of God in the synagogue, and then sits on the father's side. So, Israel left mother EL SHADDAI (after 500 years) and received the law from YAHWEH, read it, and then became apprenticed under father YAHWEH (Ex. 6:2-6). This is a neat pattern that makes sense.
The truth is, that no one leaves the commands, love, tender care, and provision of their mother. Mother is mother. Her commands always accompany her personality. An 80 year old mother still tells her 60 year old son what to do. And a 60 year old son respectfully morns and cries when he reflects on her very last command when she died.
NOT MUCH ABOUT EL SHADDAI There is not nearly as much in our Bible about EL SHADDAI as there is about YAHWEH. There are three main reasons.
The first is that YAHWEH is the God of Israel and the stories in the Bible are mostly about Israel. EL SHADDAI did play a part as Israel developed from an infant to a teenager. But most of the stories are about Israel after the time of Moses while they were learning the laws, and while they were becoming apprenticed to the Father (YAHWEH).
The second reason is that it took a lot more time to develop under YAHWEH. Israel was under the commands of EL SHADDAI for only about 500 years, from 2000 B.C. to 1500 B.C. They were under YAHWEH, off and on, for about 1500 years until the time for JESUS CHRIST. That’s three times as long.
The third reason there is more written about YAHWEH than EL SHADDAI is that all the books were written by men, with a masculine approach to each subject. The Holy Ghost chose men, not women. Don’t get mad, things are changing.
2 Peter 1:21, For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (KJV)
In the last days (these days) the Holy Ghost shall use both men and women. Things are changing.
Acts 2:17-18 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on myhandmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy (KJV)
That is an indication that our God will bring a balance of His/Her names/natures.
Men have always leaned more toward the masculine justice of YAHWEH than toward the feminine mercy of EL SHADDAI.
Most of the 500 years that they were under Mother EL SHADDAI were spent in Egypt and there aren't too many stories about that. We have a little of the history of how Joseph led them into Egypt, and some more stories of how Moses led them out. We don't know very much more about that 500 years, so we don't have much about EL SHADDAI. One book of the Bible, Genesis, gives the history from Adam to Joseph (including their years in Egypt, about 500 years), covering Israel’s infancy, and childhood, and up to early teen age development.
Thirty-eight other books of the Bible, Exodus through Malachi, give the history of getting out of Egypt, into the New Testament, and JESUS CHRIST (1500 years). They cover the teen age years of the nation of Israel to adulthood. In those 1500 years there was very little reference to Mother EL SHADDAI.
EL SHADDAI MADE SARAH FERTILE This passage has to do with Sarah's past infertility and the promise of a fertile future. This is the first time the name/nature EL SHADDAI was used in the Bible. The covenant had to do with Abram's duty to circumcise the foreskin of every male. Circumcision and sex seem to be interconnected thoughts.
Genesis 17:1-6, And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am EL SHADDAI (the Almighty God); walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 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. 6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. (KJV)
ISAAC ASKED EL SHADDAI TO MAKE HIS SON JACOB FRUITFUL WITH CHILDREN The second instance of the name/nature EL SHADDAI is in Genesis 28.
Genesis 28:1-4, And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.
3 And EL SHADDAI (God Almighty) bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; 4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. (KJV)
This use of the name/nature EL SHADDAI has to do with the selection of a proper mate.
EL SHADDAI PROMISED FRUITFUL MULTIPLICATION TO JACOB/ISRAEL The thi |
