EL SHADDAI

The name El Shaddai is translated God Almighty, more than enough, all sufficient One.  El stands for power or might.  Shaddai comes from a word that means Breasted.   This refers to God completely nourishing, satisfying, and supplying His people with all their needs as a mother does with her nursing child.  When you think of a nursing baby, the mother has the capability to give life, love, nourishment, protection, and comfort.  This  illustration of mother and child depicts an intimate connection between them, and total dependency of the baby on the mother. Like the mother, El Shaddai is the One Who gives His creation His nature of: life, love, nourishment, protection, and comfort.  He is God Almighty, more than enough, to fulfill our needs.  

El Shaddai, is mentioned seven times in the bible. (Genesis 17:1, 28:3, 35:9-11, 43:14, 48:3-1, Exodus 6:2-3, and Ezekiel 1:24).  Each one of these narrations depicts God as mighty, all powerful, and fully able to bless and multiply His people.

The name, El Shaddai, is first revealed in Genesis 17:1-2.  God had promised Abraham and his wife a child, but because they were well beyond childbearing age ( 99 and 90 years old), this seemed impossible to them.  Because God is not bound by natural circumstances,  He was more than enough to meet their needs, and blessed them with a child.

Each of God’s names is a reflection of a different facet of His character.  It is a revelation of Who He is.  God has revealed His names to us because He desires His creation to know Him in a personal, intimate way.  Jeremiah 9:24, “but let the one who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me [and acknowledges Me and honors Me as God and recognizes without any doubt], that I am the Lord who practices lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on the earth, for in these things I delight,” says the Lord.

Father, I pray that we would quit hiding, quit running from you, stop looking for other ways to meet our needs and look to You.  Open our hearts to Who You are and give us a revelation of Your love for us.