El Shaddai

Oh now this is absolutely fascinating!

El Shaddai – translates to God Almighty. Even so, the implicit definitions of this name are debated. For instance, Wikipedia describes it as having a feminine component which speaks of life-giving through nourishment. However, Strong’s exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Old Time Gospel Hour Edition) states, “burly, powerful, destroy, utterly lay waste.”

We see the blessing and nourishing side of El Shaddai when Yahweh reveals Himself to Abraham (Genesis 17:1, 2; Genesis 28:3, Genesis 35:11). We see it also when Jacob speaks of Him to Joseph (Genesis 48:3, 4; Genesis 49:24, 25). And, in Isaiah we see praise to Him as He blesses Jerusalem:

… I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of Gentiles and shalt such the breasts of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. (Isaiah 60:15, 16)

And in Isaiah 66:13 we see:

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: them shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

And yet, we see the powerful El Shaddai in Ruth when she describes that He has dealt bitterly with her and laid her life to waste. (Ruth 1:20,21)

We see His power also in El Shaddai in Revelation 16:7,14):

And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

And in Revelation 19:15:

And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Revelation 21:22, 23:

And I saw no temple therin: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light therof.

(Above scriptural reference provided by http://www.parentcompany.com/awareness_of_god.)

There is one more reference in which God is named El Shaddai. It takes place in Numbers 22-24. And it rocked my world!

Please recall the pages titled “The Numbers in Numbers” (January) and “From the East” (February). PLEASE, PLEASE if you have not already read these, take a few minutes to do that now. It is critical to understanding what is coming next. (Really, go ahead. I’ll wait here. No rush... Oh thank you! OK, now keep that in mind as we go to Numbers 22)

In numbers 22 we find the Israelites camped in Moab on the plain east of the Jordan at Jericho:

(I LOVE technologyJ)

While camped in Moab, King Balak, is overwhelmed with fear the Israelites will attack and destroy them or use up all their resources and lay waste the land. Balak sends his messenger to offer a bribe to Balaam if he will curse the children of Israel so they will leave Moab.

In order to abbreviate a long account, Balaam tells the men he will only do or say as the Lord commands. The Lord tells him not to curse them and so Balaam sends them away. Balak sends the messengers back and asks Balaam to come to Moab and so he goes.

Upon arriving in Moab, Balaam informs Balak directly he will only do as the Lord commands. So Balak takes him to a place where he can offer sacrifices and then curse the people. Instead, Balaam blesses them. (The blessing is beautiful. May I suggest reading it, although at another time as it is not primary to this discussion.)

The distraught Balak takes him to another place, hoping if he sees as small part of them he will understand the plight of Moab, and curse them from there. Again Balaam informs Balak he will only do as the Lord tells him. So again they offer sacrifice and again Balaam blesses Israel rather than cursing them. (Again, beautiful and worth reading)

Balak, now frantic, takes him to yet another place, saying “…perhaps it will please God...” He brought him to the top of Mount Peor. You HAVE to see this!

Do you see?! He was standing on top of the mountain (at the red dot) that looks out over the valley plain where the Israelites were camped. He was standing east and facing west. Consequently, he was looking out over the Israelites standing leterally at the FOOT OF THE CROSS!

Looking out from His vantage, Balaam would also have seen the pillar of smoke, or the manifest presence of God.

²And Balaam lifted up his eyes and he saw Israel abiding in their tents according to their tribes. And the Spirit of God came upon him     ³And he took up his [figurative] discourse and said: Balaam son of Beor, the man whose eye is opened [at last, to see clearly the purposes and will of God], ⁴He [Balaam] who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty (EL SHADDAI), falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered, he says:    ⁵How attractive and considerable are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel!    ⁶As valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the riverside, as [rare spice] of lignaloes which the Lord has planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.    ⁷[Israel] shall pour water out of his own buckets [have his own sources of rich blessing and plenty], and his offspring shall dwell by many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.     ⁸God brought [Israel] forth out of Egypt; [Israel] has strength like the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his enemies, crushing their bones and piercing them through with his arrows.     ⁹He couched, he lay down as a lion; and as a lioness, who shall rouse him? Blessed [of God] is he who blesses you [who prays for and contributes to your welfare] and cursed [of God] is he who curses you [who in word, thought, or deed would bring harm upon you].

Balaam, standing at the foot of the cross, is filled with the Holy Spirit. He falls down and has a vision in which his “eye is opened and he sees the purposes and will of God!” In verse 4 he hears the words of God and sees the vision of El Shaddai. He immediately praises God and proclaims blessing over Israel, which sounds strikingly like the nourishing El Shaddai of Isaiah in verse 7 and in 8 is the burly, powerful El Shaddai of Revelation!

Is He not simply AMAZING?!

Praise you Lord God, Yahweh El Shaddai! How unfathomable are the depths of Your Word! How rich, how lovely! Thank You that when we ask to see You, when we ask for fresh revelation of Your beauty, You are faithful to delight! Thank You that You deign to reveal Yourself and Your glory to the likes of us! In Your Word we find our delight! Hallelujah!...selah.