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God Almighty (El Shaddai) · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to Reformed Thinking, the deep dive where we take
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significant concepts, break them down into understandable pieces,
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and bring you the core insights you need to truly grasp a topic.
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Glad to be here. Today, we're diving into a name
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that has shaped faith for millennia, A divine title that
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carries, well, just a massive weight of meaning.
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That's right, our main topic for this deep dive is understanding
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the divine name El Shaddai. This isn't just an ancient
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label, it's a name found all through Scripture, carrying a
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rich and varied understanding that goes far beyond a simple
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title. Our aim today is really to
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unpack how this ancient name shapes what we know about God
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Himself, how he interacts with the world and with us, and
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ultimately how it guides our walk of faith in practical,
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day-to-day ways. OK, And to do that, we're
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pulling from a carefully selected set of sources.
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These materials look at El Shaddai from various angles.
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It's linguistic roots, it's unfolding biblical story, it's
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connection to central doctrines, how the church has understood it
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through his and it's practical applications for believers
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today. Our goal is really just to give
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you those crucial bits of knowledge clearly and, you know,
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without unnecessary jargon. And what's really interesting
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here, I think, is that El Shaddai is not merely an old
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title. It presents a basic truth that
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fundamentally changes how we view spiritual assurance, how we
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approach prayer, how we engage in worship or pursuit of growing
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in holiness, and even our boldness in sharing our faith.
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Wow. At its heart, this name shows
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God's great goodness and His complete adequacy for every
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need. OK, so adequacy, assurance,
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prayer. Lots to unpack there.
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We've introduced El Shaddai as this ancient name carrying
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immense meaning, but what does it mean?
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Like, fundamentally. Let's begin our deep dive by
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breaking down El Shaddai itself, maybe exploring its fascinating
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linguistic roots first. OK, yeah, let's look closely at
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the components of this name. The first part, L, is pretty
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straightforward. You know, it's a common word
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across Semitic languages like Hebrew, simply meaning God.
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We see it used often throughout the Old Testament, sometimes on
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its own, sometimes combined with other words to describe God's
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character. Think El Elian God most High or
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El Olam God Everlasting. Got it.
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Basic God. Yeah, it's a basic, fundamental
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way of referring to the divine being now shot I.
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Well, that's where things get more intriguing for scholars.
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There are several suggested origins for this part of the
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name, and each proposed root adds a different shade to our
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understanding, sort of building a richer picture.
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So what are these proposed roots?
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Well, one idea traces shadai to the Acadian word shadu which
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means mountain. So this would give us a sense of
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God of the mountain. Like, literally.
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Yeah, and when you think of a mountain, you picture something
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massive, unmoving, reaching to the sky.
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Yeah. But stability height.
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Exactly. And this connects with ancient
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Near Eastern temple sites, which were often built on high places
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to symbolize the dwelling of mighty deities.
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And it certainly resonates with biblical events like God's
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appearances, theophanies on towering peaks like Sinai.
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Like Sinai? Yeah, where God gave the law, Or
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Mount Carmel with Elijah and the prophets of Baal or Mount Zion,
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God's chosen dwelling place in Jerusalem.
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Right, right. So this interpretation suggests
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God's elevated might, his rock solid stability, his towering
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and unchangeable presence, a God who is supreme, lifted above
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everything, and utterly firm. OK, that's one view.
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God of the mountain. What else is?
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There another widely accepted view Links should die to the
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Hebrew rubble root shaddad, which can mean to overpower or
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devastate. Oh wow, that sounds.
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It does. If this is the origin, then
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Shaddai means almighty or overpower, and this view
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certainly matches how the Septuagint.
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That's the ancient Greek translation of the Old
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Testament. Right of the LXX.
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Yeah, that many early Christians relied on it consistently,
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wonders Shaddai as ho Theo's ho Pontocratridge.
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Pantocratcher all ruler. Exactly.
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Think panto meaning all, and cratcher meaning ruler or might.
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It's not just strong, it's almighty, the absolute
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sovereign, the one who holds all things in his grasp.
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And you see that same emphasis in the Latin Vulgate with Deus,
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omnipotence, omnipotent God. So almighty God, that sounds
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familiar. Very familiar.
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This highlights God's irresistible authority, His
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absolute ability to accomplish His will without any opposition
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or hindrance. It's about His sovereignty to
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act decisively. Mountain Almighty, are there
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others? There is 1/3 idea, maybe a bit
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more poetic, championed by some Jewish interpreters.
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This suggests should die comes from the Hebrew word should
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meaning breasts. Breast as in like a mother?
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Yeah, it can bring to mind the imagery of a breasted God.
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Now when you really sit with this idea for God, so immense,
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so mighty, to also be described with such tender imagery, it
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really makes you pause. It really does.
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That's quite a contrast. It is this idea points to God's
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complete provision and His sustaining care, like a mother's
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nurture for her child. It speaks to His complete
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adequacy for every need, His overflowing supply for His
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people a constant source of life and sustenance.
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Wow, mountain almighty and nurturing provision.
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It's interesting then you see how our English Bible sometimes
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use God Almighty and other times all sufficient God.
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What does that tell us about the original terms richness?
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How do translators even navigate those nuances?
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That's a great observation, and it really shows that translators
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understand there's a layered sense to the name.
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There's a depth there. This is precisely why reformed
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theology adopts what we call a thick understanding of should I?
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It's not about choosing just one route as the right one, you
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know. Right, not picking sides.
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No, it's about seeing how strength, height, and nurture
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all come together within the name, creating a richer picture
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of God. The actual use of Shaddai in
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Scripture demonstrates both God's irresistible might.
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Like in Genesis 17.1, he appears to Abraham as El Shaddai and
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commands him walk before me and be blameless.
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Right, the call to obedience. Or in Job 5.97, which speaks of
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job receiving correction from the Almighty.
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That's the mighty aspect, but it also clearly shows his
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inexhaustible supply. Think Genesis 28.3 where Jacob
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is blessed by Al Shaddai with fruitfulness, or Genesis 35.1
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Aim with the promise of becoming a nation.
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That's the provision. Even the Septuagint, in
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different contexts, uses both pantocrotur for omnipotence and
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hecanos for sufficiency, meaning sufficient or adequate.
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It shows that early readers also recognize this name's broad
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meanings. They saw both sides.
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So if we just call Him Almighty, we might miss that nurturing,
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providing aspect, but if we only call Him the All sufficient One,
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we might, I don't know, soften the judicial edge.
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Can you maybe give an example of how someone might misunderstand
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God's character if they only focused on, say, His might
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without appreciating the nurture, or vice versa?
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What's really at stake if we get this wrong?
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That's a crucial point. And yeah, the stakes are quite
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high. I mean, if we only see God as
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almighty in the sense of a distant, overwhelming ruler, we
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might struggle to approach him in prayer, right?
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Yeah, maybe feel intimidated. Exactly.
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Fearing his immense might more than trusting his benevolent
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care. We might feel our needs are too
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small for his attention, or maybe that his judgments are
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arbitrary rather than perfectly righteous.
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We could struggle to see his goodness and suffering.
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OK. And the other way just focusing
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on sufficiency. Well, if we only focus on Him as
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the all sufficient one in a soft, comforting sense, we might
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miss His absolute holiness and His absolute rule.
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We might fail to grasp the seriousness of sin or the
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gravity of His coming judgment. For instance, in prophetic texts
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like Isaiah 13.6 or Joel 1.15 you have this phrase the day of
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Should I? The day of the Almighty.
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Right. And it refers to a time of
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sudden devastation and judgment that isn't just about gentle
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provision. It's about the Almighty God
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acting as a judge. Missing that aspect could lead
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to a shallow view of sin and repentance.
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You know, a sort of cheap grace idea.
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Makes sense. So how do we avoid that kind of
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incomplete view? How do we keep it balanced?
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Our interpretive guide really is what we call the analogy of
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Scripture. It's a principle found in, for
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example, the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1,
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section 9. It basically says that Scripture
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interprets itself. We don't allow external ideas or
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linguistic theories, however interesting they might be, to
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overrule what the Bible plainly says about itself and about God.
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So the Bible is its own best dictionary in a way.
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In a way, yes. Think of it like this.
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If you're trying to understand a complex character in a long
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novel, you don't just pick one scene and decide that defines
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them. Right.
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No, you look at the whole story. Exactly.
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You look at their actions, their words, how others react to them
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throughout the entire book. That's how we approach El
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Shaddai. When we encounter the name
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Shaddai, we look at how it's used within its immediate
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setting. The sentence, the paragraph, the
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book That's reading it syntagmatically.
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OK in context. Right.
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And then we also compare it against all other uses in the
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entire Bible, reading it paradigmatically across the
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whole Canon. Got it.
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Comparing across different uses, yeah.
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This careful method lets us see how Shaddai simultaneously
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brings up ideas of conquering and provision, affirming its
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complete scope, its full range of meaning, as revealed by God
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himself. That helps immensely.
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It confirms that El Shaddai isn't just a static definition,
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but a living idea that is revealed through God's entire
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Word building on itself. So this comprehensive
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understanding prepares us for the further insights that
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follow. Precisely, it sets the stage for
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seeing how this name functions throughout Scripture.
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OK, that's a truly multi layered gem.
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Just the name itself. But as we know, God reveals
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Himself progressively throughout history.
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So how does this incredible name, El Shaddai, then play out
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in the unfolding drama of God's redemptive story throughout the
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Bible? Let's maybe trace this melody,
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starting with the earliest encounters with the Patriarchs.
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Absolutely. The story of El Shaddai begins
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powerfully in the patriarchal era, particularly with its first
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direct revelation to Abraham in Genesis 17.1.
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Right Abraham, 99 years old. 99 years old, Sorai was 90.
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They're well past childbearing age, and the promise of
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countless offspring seemed, well, impossible from a human
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standpoint. Completely impossible.
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But it's precisely at this point that God appears and says I am
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El Shaddai, walk before me and be blameless.
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And he immediately follows that by reiterating the covenant
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promise of making Abram exceedingly fruitful and the
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father of many nations. So the name is directly linked
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to the seemingly impossible promise.
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Directly, this first encounter establishes El Shaddai as the
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God whose sovereign might makes impossible promises possible.
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He's the one who guarantees fruitfulness and inheritance and
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safeguarding for his people even against all odds.
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And we see this guarantee echoed in other passages with Jacob.
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In Genesis 28.3, Isaac blesses Jacob, saying, May God Almighty
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El Shaddai bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you.
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Later in Genesis 35.11, God Himself appears to Jacob and
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declares, I am God Almighty. El Shaddai, be fruitful and
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multiply. A nation shall come from you.
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These promises are backed by the absolute ability of El Shaddai
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to bring them to pass despite any biological or circumstantial
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limitations. He's the promise keeper because
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he's El Shaddai. That's a great way to put it.
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Even Jacob's anxious prayer in Genesis 43.1 mine when he sends
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his sons back to Egypt with Benjamin, it displays a deep,
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practical faith in God's immense provision during severe danger.
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What does he pray? He says May God Almighty Al
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Shaddai grant you mercy before the man.
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He's looking to God's all sufficient ability to care for
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his family in a really precarious situation.
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This entire patriarchal period truly connects to that
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guaranteed fruitfulness, inheritance and protection that
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prepare the way for God's future covenant actions on a grander
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scale. It shows that what he promises,
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he has the full ability to do. That's a clear beginning.
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Then, from individual families and these very personal
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encounters, we move to the Exodus, where God begins to act
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on a national scale. How does El Shaddai play a role
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in this dramatic shift from family promise to national
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deliverance? It's a crucial transition point.
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In Exodus 6.3, God reveals himself to Moses with his
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covenant name YHWH. The Lord as we usually see it.
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Right. But then he clarifies something
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interesting. He says that the patriarchs knew
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him chiefly as El Shaddai. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac
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and to Jacob as God Almighty El Shaddai, but by my name, the
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Lord YHWHI did not make myself known to them.
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So they knew the name YHWH but didn't know him by that name in
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the same way. Exactly.
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It doesn't mean they were totally ignorant of the name
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YHWH, but rather that the fullness of God's covenant
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loyalty tied to His unique personal name YHWH would now be
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revealed through His national actions in a way it hadn't been
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before. The same immense might
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previously experienced by individuals would now be
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demonstrated on a national stage.
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OK, so how do we see that might displayed?
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Well, think of the devastating plagues unleashed upon Egypt one
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after another, culminating in the death of the first born.
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These weren't just natural disasters.
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They were direct displays of El Shaddai's unrivaled might over
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all the false gods of Egypt and over Pharaoh supposed authority.
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A showdown. Absolutely.
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Followed by the miraculous Red Sea crossing where the waters
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literally parted to make a way for His people and then
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collapsed upon their enemies. These acts truly transformed
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Israel's family promise into a public geopolitical event,
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demonstrating God's absolute authority over all nations and
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creation itself. And then the law at Sinai.
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Furthermore, yes, the law giving at Sinai rests on God's
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unquestionable Word and might. The 10 Commandments begin by
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presuming His unrivaled authority as the one who brought
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them out of Egypt. And as Israel journeyed through
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the wilderness for 40 years, El Shaddai is nurturing provision
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was evident, too, wasn't it? Right.
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The manna, the water from the rock.
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The Daily supply of manna like bread from heaven and water from
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the rock, it shows that God's powerful deliverance is
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consistently joined with His daily care and sustenance.
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They literally owned nothing out there, yet lacked nothing
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because El Shaddai supplied their every need, might and
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provision together again. It's evident that El Shaddai is
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consistent care continued through the wilderness as we
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move into the monarchy and prophetic eras.
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El Shaddai appears less frequently, maybe, but when it
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does, it seems to be in particularly significant
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moments. What do those later appearances
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tell us? That's right, one place where El
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Shaddai appears with striking frequency 31 times actually is
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the Book of Job. Ah job.
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Yes. Here, Job grapples with
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righteous suffering, experiencing intense personal
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loss and physical affliction, all seemingly under the shadow
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of the Almighty. A tough book.
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It is, and throughout his struggle, Job learns that El
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Shaddai does great things beyond searching out, and wonders
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without number Job 5.9. He comes to understand God's
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mysterious but complete control over all circumstances, both
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good and difficult, and that this control is wise and just,
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even when it's incomprehensible to human minds.
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So trusting His sovereignty even when we can't see the reasons.
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Precisely. It's a powerful lesson in that
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we also hear Naomi's lament in Ruth 1.20 when she returns to
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Bethlehem after losing her husband and sons.
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Call me Mara. Do not call me Naomi, call me
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Mara, for the Almighty should I has dealt very bitterly with me.
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This confirms A deeply held conviction that both good and
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difficult events come from his overseeing hand.
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It shows that believers, even in their deepest sorrow, could
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attribute their circumstances directly to the sovereign action
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of El Shaddai, not just to chance or fate.
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Even the bitter things. Even the bitter things.
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And then you have the prophetic use of young Shaddai, the day of
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the Almighty in passages like Isaiah 13.6 and Joel 1.15.
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You mentioned that earlier judgment.
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Exactly. Announcing a time of divine
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judgment, these are solemn pronouncements that remind us
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that God's might can bring both outcomes of blessing and
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consequences for disobedience. Affirming his righteous
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governance of the world, it's a reminder that the same powerful
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God who provides for his people is also the just God who holds
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all humanity accountable. That's a powerful and consistent
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trajectory through the Old Testament.
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We see El Shaddai as this sovereign, mighty yet intimately
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providing God in so many pivotal moments.
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But what happens when we turn the page to the New Testament?
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Does this ancient name El Shaddai still resonate, or does
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its reality manifest in new, perhaps surprising ways through
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Christ and the Apostles teachings?
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That's a great question, and while the explicit title El
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Shaddai is rare in the New Testament itself, you don't see
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the Hebrew words popping up much.
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It's reality. Its meaning certainly permeates
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the Gospels through Christ's works in the apostles theology.
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How so? Where do we see it?
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Well think about the virgin birth in Luke 1.35.
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The Angel Gabriel tells Mary the Holy Spirit will come upon you
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and the ability of the Most High will over shadow you.
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That overshadowing, that bringing of life in a virgin
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womb, is a distinct display of El Shaddai's substance, his
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creative might. OK, Yeah, I can see that.
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Or consider Jesus multiplying bread in Mark 6 to feed
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thousands with just a few loaves and fish.
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The Feeding of the 5000. Right.
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We're calming the winds in the sea in Mark four with a single
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word. These aren't just miracles, they
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are demonstrations of the same divine ability, the same God who
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provides manna in the wilderness and controls the Red Sea, now
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present and active in Christ. So Jesus embodies El Shaddai's
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characteristics. Absolutely.
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Hebrews 1.3 describes Jesus as upholding all things by the word
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of His ability, directly connecting Him to the omnipotent
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sustaining characteristic of God.
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He is the active agent of El Shaddai's cosmic maintenance,
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holding everything together. And Paul in 2nd Corinthians
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6.1618, he actually uses the Greek word pantacrutcher, the
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Septuagint translation of Sade, and connects it with familial
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closeness within the New Covenant.
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God promises I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons
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and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.
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So the Almighty is our Father. That's quite something.
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It shows that the Almighty is not some distant entity, but a
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loving father within the family of faith.
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And then the cross itself, paradoxically, is a luminous
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display of El Shaddai. How can the cross weakness and
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suffering display might? Think about it, Human strength
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often seeks to dominate right to overcome by brute force.
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But God's almighty ability, the very should I characteristic, is
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demonstrated supremely in Christ's willing weakness on the
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cross. Willing weakness.
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It's there, and his ultimate surrender and sacrifice that the
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overwhelming ability to conquer sin and death is unleashed,
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providing a complete, unearned salvation that no human strength
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could ever achieve. As Paul says in 2nd Corinthians
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12.9, reflecting on his own weakness, God told him, My grace
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is sufficient for you, for my ability is made complete in
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weakness. Ability made complete in
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weakness. That's counterintuitive.
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It is. It's a powerful insight.
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God's ability is most perfect, most clearly seen when we are at
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our weakest, proving His total adequacy and strength, not ours.
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And looking ahead to the end. And then, looking to the
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consummation in the Book of Revelation, El Shaddai is
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explicitly enthroned over the final events.
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You hear heavenly multitudes declaring his reign in
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Revelation 19.6, proclaiming Hallelujah for the Lord our God
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the Almighty Panticrater reigns. The final victory.
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Yes, and in Revelation 21.22 the New Jerusalem is described as
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having no temple, for its temple is the Lord, God, the Almighty
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and the Lamb. This signifies that the same
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Shaddai who created galaxies also guards every chosen person
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until the very end, keeping them secure.
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As First Peter 1.5 confirms, believers are kept by the
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ability of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed
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in the last time. Kept by his ability, that's a
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clear and consistent storyline. Then, from Abraham's barren tent
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all the way to the New Jerusalem, it sounds like El
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Shaddai truly is the consistent, reliable thread, the God who not
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only initiates but powerfully completes his work, always
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coupling his might with his provision.
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That's a great reassurance for us.
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It really is. And that brings us naturally
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into how reformed systematic theology thinks about El
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Shaddai. It acts as a crucial meeting
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point, you could say a central junction where God's classical
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qualities, his attributes like omnipotence, are directly linked
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to the unfolding covenant of grace.
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OK, so not just an abstract idea.
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No, not at all. His omnipotence, His absolute
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ability isn't some abstract concept like an academic idea
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detached from reality. No, it's the personal energy of
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the I am effortlessly doing His will and perfect harmony with
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all His other perfect qualities, His wisdom, His Holiness, His
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justice. It means that what God desires,
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He has the perfect ability to achieve.
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So how does God's ability as El Shaddai connect with his
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governance of the entire world, what we typically call
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Providence? Well, El Shaddai's omnipotence
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directly leads to the doctrine of Providence, as our own
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Westminster Confession of Faith, a foundational document for many
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Reformed churches, explains in chapter 5.
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It says God upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all
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creatures, actions and things, from the greatest even to the
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least. All things from greatest to
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least. All things.
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This isn't just theological jargon.
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It means that literally nothing in your life, nothing in the
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universe, is outside of his complete, powerful control.
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Every molecule, every event, every circumstance, however
21:43
seemingly random it might feel to us, is part of his ordered
21:47
will. Providence is simply the visible
21:50
outworking of El Shaddai's ability in every single moment
21:53
of history, ensuring that his plans are perfectly executed.
21:56
So no accidents in God's Kingdom.
21:58
Only his perfect purpose being carried out.
22:00
That's the idea. And how does this connect to
22:02
God's promises to his people, those covenant agreements he
22:05
makes? When God makes a covenant, He is
22:07
pledging his omnipotent resources to make his promises
22:10
certain and inviolable. He doesn't just hope they'll
22:13
come true, He guarantees them with his own unlimited ability.
22:17
His ability backs his word. Precisely This is why Sacramento
22:20
signs think circumcision and baptism in the Old and New
22:23
Testaments, or Passover and the Lord's Supper are not just
22:27
symbols or mere rituals. In this view, they are seen as
22:30
miniature theatres of divine might, where El Shaddai's work
22:34
of heart, renewal and nourishing his people is not just
22:38
symbolized but truly attested to.
22:41
They visibly confirm God's powerful work in the lives of
22:44
His people, making His promises concrete and sure.
22:47
So baptism, for example. Right in baptism.
22:49
The water itself doesn't save, obviously, but it signifies the
22:52
cleansing and life giving ability of God who alone can
22:55
truly change the heart. It points to His mighty work.
22:59
Let's maybe unpack how El Shaddai undergirds each aspect
23:02
of salvation. Those beautiful truths often
23:04
summarized and reformed theology with the acronym to ULIP.
23:08
How does SHADI certainty eliminate those points?
23:11
OK, yeah, when we view salvation through the lens of Shaddai
23:13
certainty, each point really reveals God's immense ability
23:17
and his active role. It puts the focus squarely on
23:19
him. All right, let's start with key
23:21
total depravity. OK, total depravity doesn't mean
23:24
we're as bad as we could possibly be, but that every part
23:27
of us, our minds, wills, emotions is affected by sin.
23:31
It renders us utterly unable to save ourselves or even truly
23:35
desire God in our natural state. So this calls attention to
23:39
humanity's utterly dire need for His almighty action.
23:42
Because we can't do it ourselves.
23:43
We can't. We are spiritually dead and
23:45
cannot make ourselves alive. We need a power outside of
23:48
ourselves. That's where Shadai comes in.
23:50
OK, unconditional election. Unconditional election comes
23:55
directly from His almighty sovereignty.
23:57
It's His free and wise choice to choose individuals for
24:00
salvation, not based on anything foreseen in them, but solely on
24:03
His good pleasure. It's His ability, His right as
24:06
sovereign, to select whom He wills.
24:09
Limited atonement or particular? Redemption, right?
24:11
Limited atonement rests on Christ's almighty obedience and
24:14
resurrection ability. Christ's atoning work on the
24:16
cross was definitively effective, paying the full
24:19
penalty for the sins of those chosen, guaranteeing their
24:21
salvation. Guaranteeing it.
24:23
Yes, it's not a general offer that might save some people if
24:26
they choose it, but an absolute active rescue that does save,
24:29
ensuring that his saving work is definitively effective for those
24:33
he came to redeem. His ability ensures the success
24:36
of the atonement for his people. Irresistible Grace.
24:39
Irresistible Grace is the Spirit's shadow voice summoning
24:43
the spiritually dead to life. When God calls His elect, He
24:47
does so with an ability that penetrates even the hardest
24:50
heart, raising the spiritually dead to spiritual life, making
24:53
them willing to believe so. It's not just an invitation.
24:57
It's more than an invitation that can ultimately be refused.
24:59
It's a sovereign, effective drawing that cannot ultimately
25:02
be resisted because of God's almighty grace.
25:05
OK, And finally, perseverance of the Saints.
25:07
Perseverance of the Saints is assured precisely because
25:10
believers are kept by the ability of God through faith
25:13
unto salvation. As first Peter 1.5 says, our
25:16
continued faith are holding on is not ultimately due to our own
25:19
strength or willpower, Thank goodness, right?
25:22
It's due to God's faithful keeping ability.
25:24
He begins the good work and He has the ability to complete it,
25:27
ensuring we are held securely in His hand until the very end.
25:31
So El Shaddai guarantees that God will complete the good work
25:35
he started in believers. He is the Alpha and the Omega of
25:39
salvation, ensuring its security from beginning to end.
25:43
That's a powerful connection. Yes, exactly.
25:45
And interestingly, there's a deep understanding of God's
25:48
absolute ability. Also helps us understand or at
25:50
least frame theological positions like cessationism as
25:54
understood in some of our sources.
25:55
Cessationism, the idea that certain miraculous gifts ceased
25:59
after the Apostolic age. How does should I connect there?
26:02
Well, cessationism in this particular context isn't seen as
26:05
a denial that God still works powerfully or that he is less
26:08
than Almighty today. Not at all.
26:10
Rather, it's viewed as an affirmation of El Shaddai's
26:13
sovereign authority and how he chooses to work.
26:15
It points to God shifting the primary focus of redemptive
26:19
authority from the Apostolic sign gifts like miraculous
26:22
healings, tongues, prophecy which largely serve to
26:26
authenticate the foundational period of the Church and the
26:28
Apostles message to the completed Scripture.
26:32
So his ability is still at work, but manifested differently.
26:36
Exactly. His ability is now primarily
26:38
made apparent through the sufficiency of his written word
26:41
and the ordinary means of grace. Things like preaching, the
26:44
sacraments, prayer, these are the channels he has ordained for
26:47
his Church now. So this perspective sees God's
26:50
ability still working today, just through different, perhaps
26:53
less spectacular, but no less real means and expressions.
26:56
It's a continuity of his mighty character, but a different way
26:59
of displaying it in this age. That's a good way to summarize
27:02
the view presented in these sources.
27:04
Yes, his ability remains unchanged, but the mode of its
27:07
demonstration shifts according to his sovereign plan.
27:10
It's fascinating to trace El Shaddai's influence, or the
27:13
concept of God Almighty, back through church history.
27:17
How did the early Church Fathers grapple with this divine name or
27:20
its equivalent? Well, while they didn't always
27:22
use the specific Hebrew term Shaddai explicitly, they were
27:26
mostly working with Greek and Latin.
27:28
The substance of El Shaddai, especially through its Greek
27:30
translation Pentacroter and Latin Amanitans, was absolutely
27:35
a cornerstone for them. So Panda, crasher and
27:37
omnipotence were key terms. Definitely.
27:40
For instance, take Irenaeus, a really significant 2nd century
27:44
church leader. He was battling Gnosticism.
27:46
Right, the Gnostics had strange ideas about creation.
27:49
They did. They proposed that the material
27:51
world was created by a lesser, maybe even evil deity separate
27:55
from the ultimate good God. Irenaeus counter this forcefully
27:58
by fixing both creation and redemption in the one omnipotent
28:02
God. He emphasized that the same all
28:04
powerful hand fashioned Adam and also recreates the faithful
28:08
through Christ. This was crucial for
28:10
establishing the unity and goodness of God against those
28:13
dualistic ideas. OK, so defending the one
28:15
almighty Creator and Redeemer. Exactly.
28:18
And then you have Tertolian writing a bit later, late
28:21
second, early 3rd century. He lived in the Roman Empire,
28:23
surrounded by polytheism. Lots of gods.
28:26
Lots of gods. He used Pantocrator to argue
28:29
directly against Roman polytheism.
28:31
He stated clearly that the Almighty permits no rival.
28:34
His point was simple. If God is truly all powerful,
28:39
there cannot logically be other gods with independent authority.
28:42
He alone is sovereign. Makes sense.
28:44
One almighty rules out others. And then Augustine, of course,
28:47
that hugely influential figure in the 4th and 5th centuries, he
28:51
really developed the idea philosophically that omnipotence
28:54
and fidelity, God's faithfulness, meet uniquely in
28:57
God. He saw do us omnipotence, God
28:59
Almighty, as signifying the order of supreme wisdom.
29:02
Meaning his ability isn't just raw force.
29:05
Right. It means God's complete ability
29:07
is always exercised with perfect wisdom and goodness.
29:09
It's never capricious or arbitrary.
29:11
This concept would later influence Reformed thought quite
29:14
a bit, this connection between might and wisdom.
29:16
And how did the concept of the Almighty carry forward into the
29:19
medieval centuries between Augustine and the Reformation?
29:22
Well, during the medieval period, El Shaddai's influence
29:25
again mostly is omnipotence. It was often woven into the very
29:28
fabric of Christian worship and theological systems.
29:32
Take the Gregorian Sacramentary, a liturgical book from the six
29:35
to 8th centuries used widely in Western worship.
29:38
OK, it routinely used the address Omnipotence Sempiterna
29:43
Deus Almighty Eternal God, embedding El Shaddai's tone and
29:47
meaning directly into the prayers and common language of
29:50
the church. This helped sustain the idea of
29:53
God's absolute ability in the minds of worshippers week after
29:56
week. So it was part of the liturgical
29:58
air they breathed. Very much so.
30:00
And then you have Thomas Aquinas, A towering figure in
30:02
scholastic theology in the 13th century.
30:05
He systematically argued in his massive work, the Summa
30:08
Theologica, that God's ability is limited only by
30:10
contradiction, not by finitude. Limited only by contradiction.
30:14
What does that mean practically? It means God can do anything
30:17
that is illogically possible, anything consistent with his own
30:20
nature. He cannot, for example, make a
30:22
square circle, not because he lacks ability, but because it's
30:26
a self contradictory concept. Nonsense.
30:29
It has to be coherent. Right.
30:30
It has to be something that can be done.
30:32
This was a sophisticated way of affirming God's utterly
30:35
comprehensive and limitless ability within the bounds of His
30:39
own perfect rational nature. The Reformation era seems like a
30:43
time when El Shaddai or God Almighty came to the forefront
30:47
in a very noticeable way, didn't it?
30:48
It truly did. This period marked a significant
30:51
return to the biblical text, and with that, a fresh look at God's
30:55
attributes, especially his sovereignty and might.
30:57
Martin Luther in 16 10th century Germany kept the Vulgate
31:01
omnipotence but added a powerful pastoral touch.
31:04
He called the Almighty this Gevaltic Nadiga Hertz, which
31:07
means the mightily gracious heart.
31:09
Wow. Mightily gracious.
31:11
For Luther, God's immense ability was never separate from
31:14
his mercy. His might was always directed by
31:16
his grace towards his people. He saw God's almightiness as a
31:20
profound comfort, not a terror for the believer trusting in
31:23
Christ. That's a very pastoral take.
31:25
Very Ulrich Swingley, a reformer over in Zurich, Switzerland,
31:29
invoked Deus omnipotence to affirm the church's direct
31:33
access to God through the preached Word.
31:35
He argued there was no need for any other mediator, like the
31:38
papacy or priests in the way the medieval church structured it,
31:41
to access God's saving ability. God's ability to save was
31:44
directly available through his Word proclaimed.
31:47
Cutting out the middleman, essentially.
31:49
In a sense, yes, but it was probably John Calvin, also in
31:52
the 16th century, who gave a very thorough look at El
31:55
Shaddai, particularly in his commentary on Genesis.
31:58
He made a really insightful observation.
32:00
He noted that when God calls himself El Shaddai, He
32:03
accommodates his ability to our feebleness.
32:05
Accommodates his ability to our feebleness.
32:08
What did he mean by that? It's a crucial idea.
32:10
It means that God, in his immense might, adapts his
32:13
revelation and his actions to our limited human capacity.
32:17
He links his invincible ability directly to his covenant mercy
32:20
in a way we can grasp. It's not just a distant display
32:23
of might, but a personal, directed outpouring of it for
32:26
his people, meeting them where they are.
32:28
Beautiful might meeting mercy. Exactly.
32:31
Calvin integrated this understanding throughout his
32:33
Institutes of the Christian Religion, grounding core
32:36
doctrines like Providence, election, and prayer firmly in
32:40
the Almighty's character. And as a direct result, you see
32:43
Reformed worship widely adopting the salutation.
32:46
Grace to you and peace from God our Father the Almighty in their
32:49
services. Right.
32:50
You hear that often. It reinforces this vital
32:53
connection in every gathering light and grace together.
32:57
And how did these understandings of El Shaddai become solidified,
33:00
maybe more systematically, in the post reformation period and
33:03
among groups like the English Puritans?
33:06
Well, the post Reformation era saw theologians building on the
33:09
Reformers insights, giving them confessional weight in the great
33:12
theological systems that emerged.
33:14
Francis Turaton, a key 17th century Orthodox theologian from
33:18
Geneva, coined an axiom that became influential.
33:21
Potencia de este fundamentum omnisfaderis.
33:24
OK, Latin again. It means the ability of God is
33:26
the foundation of every covenant.
33:28
Foundation, Yes. This highlights how God's divine
33:32
sovereignty and might guarantee every single element of His
33:35
covenant with His people making His promises?
33:38
Absolutely sure. Herman Witzius, a 17th, 18th
33:41
century Dutch theologian, similarly stated that baptisms
33:45
validity lies not in the water itself, but in the almighty
33:48
operation of the Spirit of Shahdai, working through it,
33:51
signifying the Spirit's mighty ability to cleanse and renew.
33:54
So God's ability is the bedrock. It's the bedrock.
33:58
And the English Puritans, those deeply committed pastors and
34:00
theologians like Thomas Goodwin and John Owen, they truly mind
34:03
El Shaddai for rich practical applications for the Christian
34:07
life. How so?
34:08
Thomas Goodwin, for instance, offered significant comfort to
34:11
believers plagued by doubt. He assured them that Christ's
34:14
compassion wasn't some weak sentiment, but flowed with the
34:16
very almighty energy of El Shaddai.
34:18
It had strength behind it. Compassion with muscle.
34:21
You could say that John Owen, in his classic work The
34:24
Mortification of Sin, powerfully argued that only the spirits
34:29
should die ability. His overwhelming might could
34:32
truly defeat the stubborn corruption of sin that still
34:35
resides within believers, not mere human willpower alone.
34:39
We need his ability even for sanctification.
34:42
Absolutely, and perhaps one of the most memorable expressions
34:46
comes from Richard Sibbs, another Puritan.
34:48
He poetically combined the ideas of strength and nurture, stating
34:52
there is more mercy in Christ than sin in us, for He is the
34:55
almighty breast of consolation. The almighty breast of
34:58
consolation. Back to that nurturing image.
35:00
Exactly. It spoke of God's complete
35:02
provision and comfort for even the deepest spiritual sickness
35:05
and weakness. It sounds like El Shaddai
35:07
continue to be a central theme in later movements like the
35:10
Transatlantic Awakenings and of the prominent Victorian pulpits
35:13
continuing this practical focus. Absolutely.
35:15
The momentum carried through. Jonathan Edwards, the great 18th
35:19
century American revivalist theologian, described God as
35:23
infinite inability and all sufficient in happiness.
35:26
He combined the ideas of God's limitless might with His perfect
35:30
contentment within himself, making God the only true and
35:33
complete source of joy for His people.
35:35
Infinite ability, all sufficient happiness, Yeah.
35:38
Charles Spurgeon, the renowned 19th century British preacher,
35:42
was even dubbed the Prince of Shaddai preachers because he
35:45
referred so often to God's all sufficiency and might.
35:49
His exposition of Psalm 91, for example, masterfully portrays El
35:52
Shaddai as both a fortress of protection and a feast of
35:55
provision for believers, safety and supply.
35:58
Fortress and feast, I like that. And Martyn Lloyd Jones, a
36:01
prominent 20th century Welsh preacher, really revived this
36:05
dual emphasis of sustaining might and priestly grace and his
36:08
powerful preaching, particularly when expounding passages like
36:11
Hebrews 1.3, showing how Christ as God's Son actively upholds
36:15
all things by his ability. OK.
36:17
And bringing the story right up to the How do contemporary
36:20
reformed voices speak about El Shaddai?
36:22
Is this still a prominent theme? The legacy remains vibrant
36:25
today. Yes, theologians and pastors
36:28
continue to draw from this rich concept.
36:30
Ji Packer, a well known contemporary evangelical
36:34
theologian, explicitly connected living a holy life
36:37
sanctification to trust in God's omnipotent love.
36:41
He read about the immense comfort and motivation that
36:43
comes from knowing that God's ability is always working for
36:45
our ultimate good. Trusting his loving ability.
36:48
RC Sprole, another key modern Reformed theologian, famously
36:52
coined the phrase There is no maverick molecule.
36:55
I've heard that one. It's a wonderfully concise way
36:57
of capturing Shaddai theology and God's complete, meticulous
37:01
control over all creation. Every single thing is under His
37:04
sovereign rule. Nothing is random.
37:06
No maverick molecules, got it. John Piper consistently asserts
37:09
that the Almighty's complete, deep provision, God's all
37:12
sufficiency, is the true source of lasting human joy.
37:15
Because God alone can satisfy our deepest longings, our joy is
37:19
found in Him being enough. Paul Washer often grounds his
37:23
evangelistic appeals in the conviction that the same ability
37:27
that raised Christ from the dead is the ability that must
37:29
regenerate sinners. It's a divine, not human, work
37:33
that brings someone to faith. The ability that raises the
37:35
dead. Yes, and John MacArthur argues
37:37
that true reliance on the Almighty requires confidence in
37:40
the sufficiency of Scripture rather than seeking
37:43
sensationalism or extra biblical experiences.
37:46
He states that the Holy Spirit now magnifies His ability
37:49
primarily through the written Word, upholding its complete
37:52
adequacy for guiding our faith in life today.
37:54
So a focus on the word as the locus of his ability now.
37:58
In terms of his authoritative revelation for the Church, yes.
38:01
What an incredible chain of witnesses across history, from
38:04
Irenaeus to MacArthur. This really shows how El
38:07
Shaddai, God Almighty, has truly been a central foundation and
38:11
source of comfort across time, consistently guiding and
38:14
confirming the good news of God's sovereign grace and His
38:18
complete provision. It really has, and this leads us
38:20
nicely into the practical implications.
38:23
How does this understanding of El Shaddai actually shape how we
38:26
live as believers? Yeah, let's get practical.
38:28
How does knowing God as El Shaddai affect our assurance,
38:32
for instance? Well, for the believer, Reformed
38:35
piety places our confidence, our assurance, not in our own
38:38
unstable faith, which can waver, right?
38:41
Oh yeah, daily, but in the changeless, omnipotent covenant
38:45
Lord. The Heidelberg Catechism in its
38:47
very first question and answer beautifully illustrates this
38:50
shed eye theology applied pastorally.
38:52
It states that Christ so preserves me that without the
38:55
will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head.
38:58
Not a hair can fall. That means absolutely complete
39:01
security under His careful attention and sovereign control.
39:05
It's a deep assurance that every single aspect of our lives, from
39:09
the biggest events to the smallest details, is under the
39:12
overseeing ability of our Heavenly Father.
39:15
He's got it all covered. It makes sense, then, that maybe
39:18
anxieties, guilt, persistent grief.
39:21
Sometimes these can stem from an implicit denial of El Shaddai's
39:24
adequacy, like we're acting as if God isn't big enough for our
39:28
problem, or isn't kind enough to care, or isn't wise enough to
39:32
handle it right. That's a very insightful.
39:34
Connection. The Gospel directly addresses
39:36
this, doesn't it? By showing His willingness at
39:38
the cross where He willingly gave His Son and His ability
39:41
through the empty tomb where He demonstrated His conquering
39:43
might over death itself. It's about shifting our trust
39:46
from our own self effort and our obvious limitations to His
39:49
completely full and sufficient being.
39:51
So for someone may be struggling with guilt, remembering El
39:54
Shaddai means trusting in God's immense ability to forgive
39:57
completely, to cleanse thoroughly, and to make us truly
40:00
righteous in Christ. Rather than relying on our own
40:03
flimsy attempts to earn his favor or make amends.
40:06
That's right, resting in his finished work and his ongoing
40:09
ability. And when it comes to prayer,
40:12
invoking Almighty God in prayer, as you see in traditional
40:15
liturgies and in the practice of many believers, is actually a
40:18
teaching act. It teaches the Church teaches us
40:21
to ask in proportion to divine capacity.
40:25
Ask in proportion to divine capacity, meaning ask big.
40:28
Ask big. Think big.
40:30
We're encouraged to plead my texts, praying with scriptural
40:33
truths about God's ability right there in our prayers, to think
40:36
grand thoughts of God, and to expand our spiritual vision so
40:40
that our petitions actually outstrip our resources.
40:42
We ask for things only He can do.
40:45
So moving beyond just Lord help me with my day.
40:47
Yeah, I mean, that's fine too, but this converts potentially
40:50
vague requests into prayers that actively acknowledge God's
40:54
ability to do far more abundantly than all that we ask
40:57
or think, as Ephesians 3.2 puts it.
40:59
Can you give an example? Sure, instead of just saying
41:01
Lord help my struggling family, we might pray.
41:04
God Almighty, you are the God who called light out of darkness
41:07
and made the universe out of nothing.
41:09
Surely you are able to bring order to this chaos in my
41:12
family. Please intervene with your
41:13
mighty hand. OK, grounding the request in his
41:16
known character and ability. Exactly.
41:19
Or El Shaddai, you are the God who made Abram fruitful when he
41:24
was beyond hope. Please make my own life fruitful
41:27
for your Kingdom, even when I feel spiritually barren or
41:29
useless. It moves prayer from being
41:32
primarily focused on our limitations to being focused on
41:36
and relying on God's infinite ability and boundless resources.
41:41
It definitely broadens our horizons in conversation with
41:43
God. That's a huge shift in
41:45
perspective for prayer. It helps us to pray, not based
41:48
on our smallness, but anchored in His vastness.
41:51
It really does, and in our worship forms something like the
41:54
regulative principle, the idea that our worship should be
41:57
guided by Scripture rather than stifling expression.
42:01
It actually He guides it to highlight the Almighty.
42:03
The goal isn't restrictive for restriction's sake.
42:06
It's to make sure our worship practices are shaped directly by
42:09
what God tells us in His Word, rather than relying on human
42:12
ideas or innovations just because they feel good or seem
42:15
popular. So keeping the focus on him.
42:18
Keeping the focus on him, making sure he's the center, not our
42:21
fleeting preferences or clever ideas.
42:23
Think about classic hymns like Isaac Watts's Oh God Our Health
42:27
and Ages Past or Charles Wesley's Over 1000 Tongues to
42:32
Sing. Great hymns.
42:33
They center squarely on divine omnipotence, assuring
42:36
worshippers that God's mighty hand has been faithful through
42:39
generations and is also gentle enough to pardon and provide
42:42
right now. They direct our gaze to God's
42:45
all sufficient character. And it goes beyond just the
42:47
words of hymns, too, doesn't it? I mean, even things like
42:50
traditional church architectural choices with their grand upward
42:53
pointing designs, robust congregational singing that
42:56
speaks of a united, strong voice acknowledging him, even the
43:01
unhurried, deliberate administration of sacraments
43:04
like baptism in the Lord's Supper, they all sort of
43:07
silently affirm the church's reliance on divine ability over
43:11
just creating an atmosphere or chasing novelty.
43:14
That's a great point. They are physical expressions of
43:16
our reliance on God's enduring might and presence.
43:19
OK. What about sanctification, our
43:21
growth and holiness? How does El Shaddai factor in
43:24
there? Well, growth and holiness in
43:25
reformed thought is understood not merely as a grit your teeth
43:29
battle between our flesh and our willpower alone.
43:31
It's seen as participation in Shaddai Energy.
43:34
The Shaddai energy. Yeah, Philippians 2 point 1213
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says work out your own salvation, for it is God who
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works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
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So we work because he works in US.
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Precisely our efforts are not discounted, but they are
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understood as empowered by God's own ability working within us.
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Pastors will often affirm something like the Almighty who
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split the Red Sea can split the cords of your besetting sin.
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It connects His historical might to our present struggles.
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That's encouraging. It is this shifts the focus from
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purely human effort, which often fails, to things like prayer
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rhythms, mutual accountability, sometimes fasting.
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Seeing these not as engines of transformation in themselves,
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but as means through which God's ability works, We engage in
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these practices trusting that His power will work through
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them. That's a vital distinction.
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It highlights what some call the quiet omnipotence of ordinary
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means, like the regular preaching of the word, receiving
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the sacraments, consistent prayer.
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These aren't flashy, maybe, but they are understood to be
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immensely powerful because God has promised to work through
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them by His Spirit. Exactly.
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Those are the ordained channels for his Shaddai energy in the
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life of the Church and the Believer today.
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And what about mission? Sharing the gospel?
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Maybe in difficult places? How does knowing God as El
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Shaddai give courage? Well, in missionary endeavors,
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understanding El Shaddai's work, particularly his sovereign work
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in election, like we see in Christ's assurance to Paul when
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he was afraid in Corinth. What did he say?
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He told Paul, do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be
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silent, for I am with you, for I have many in the city who are my
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people. Acts 18.9 to 10.
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Knowing God has already chosen people gives immense missionary
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courage. Because the result isn't
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entirely dependent on the messenger.
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Right. The ultimate outcome is
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guaranteed because God has his people there and His word will
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accomplish its purpose. This makes the laborer fearless,
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or at least should steal them in the face of daunting challenges,
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financial difficulties, cultural opposition, personal weaknesses.
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Though they are very real, they are understood to ultimately
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crumble before the Almighty's decree.
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They are not insurmountable barriers when El Shaddai is at
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work bringing his people home. That's truly encouraging for
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anyone involved in sharing their faith or serving in challenging
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places. It shows the very weakness of
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the messenger becomes the stage on which should I displays his
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sufficiency. It echoes that paradox again
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from 2nd Corinthians 12.9. My grace is sufficient for you,
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for my ability is made complete in weakness.
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The same almighty breath that called galaxies into being is
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the same Spirit who also calls sinners effectively through the
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preaching of the gospel, demonstrating his enduring and
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irresistible ability. Beautifully put.
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And finally, even the way we end our worship services can reflect
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this. Every Lord's Day can conclude
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with a benediction that sends Saints forth under the canopy of
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omnipotence. It's a verbal and spiritual
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covering from God's all sufficient might.
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An adaptation of Revelation 1.8 is a fitting close grace.
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Be with you from Him who is, who was and who is to come the
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Almighty. Sending us out under His care.
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This powerfully reinforces that the church and each believer
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lives under the shadow of the Almighty, as Psalm 91 says,
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radiating a quiet confidence in a world that is often noisy and
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prone to anxiety. It's a reminder that we are
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never alone and never beyond His capable care.
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Amen to that. Wow.
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We've covered a vast amount of ground in this deep dive,
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Heavenly from the linguistic roots of Shaddai to its
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historical echoes, and it's very practical applications in the
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life of a believer. El Shaddai is clearly not just
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an ancient name from forgotten times.
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Not at all. It's scriptures own shorthand,
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you could say, for the living God who wields invincible might
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in covenant love and whose complete provision silences
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every other claim on our hearts. And what's really striking, I
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think, from this deep dive is how God's ability is never
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abstract or detached from us. It is always suited precisely to
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the needs of his people at every point in redemptive history and
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in every aspect of our lives today.
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He is not a God who is merely capable in some theoretical
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sense. He's the God who always acts,
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always delivers, always provides for His people according to His
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promises. Always fitted to our need.
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OK, so as we wrap up, we'd like to leave you, our listener, with
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a thought to ponder. What does it mean for you
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personally to live under the shadow of the Almighty today,
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right now? In your circumstances?
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What would it look like to truly exchange that deep seated
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self-reliance, the belief that you must accomplish things on
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your own strength, for His complete and ever flowing
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provision in your daily walk? And maybe consider how this
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understanding of God is El Shaddai might reshape your daily
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life, your prayers, making them bolder perhaps, and your courage
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and sharing the Good news with others.
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The God who promised grace and fruitfulness to Abram has not
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lost any of his ancient vigor. He is the same yesterday, today,
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and forever. And he will indeed ensure that
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the kingdoms of this world will belong to our Lord and his
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Christ. And he, El Shaddai, will reign
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forever and ever.