What Does It Really Mean?

Yesterday we began examining the name El Shaddai, a name that is sometimes defined as "God Almighty" and sometimes as "All-Sufficient."  So, what does it really mean?  Does it refer to God as omnipotent - all powerful, or does it refer to His sufficiency?  Let's reason this through.  It seems to me that it's not an "either/or" situation as much as it is "both".  It makes sense to me that if God is omnipotent, if He has all power and all might, that He is therefore "sufficient" for every situation.  What do you think?

Of course, if Hebrew scholars through the centuries have debated this issue, I'm not sure we will solve it in this blog post.  Nor am I sure it really matters!  As I have told you before, I am not a Hebrew scholar.  In fact, I know very little Hebrew.  But I can read what the scholars have written, and occasionally it even makes sense!  So let me share a little of what I have discovered in my research, you can draw your own conclusions, dig deeper if you choose to (and if you do, I hope you'll leave a comment and share your findings), and then we'll move on.  And if you're finding all this too technical, feel free to skip a couple of paragraphs!

John Davis in Grace Journal (Volume 4) writes that there are several basic views concerning the name “El Shaddai". The first is that Shaddai comes from the root šādad (shadad) “to be strong” or “powerful.” This view seems to be the more popular. The emphasis, especially in respect to the patriarchs, is that of God’s power and strength. Oehler favors this view in his Theology of the Old Testament.  Another view maintains that Shaddai comes from a compound word which in Hebrew means “sufficiency.” For a statement of this view, see the writings of John Calvin.

Tyndale Bible Dictionary has an excellent summary of the origin and meaning of Shaddai:  In these passages the combined ideas of God as the all-powerful, all-sufficient, transcendent, sovereign ruler and disposer are present. This meaning is generally accepted, but there are differences as to the exact meaning of the term Shaddai. Some have begun with shad as the first concept to be considered; its meaning is “breast,” and it is considered a “precious metaphor” of the God who nourishes, supplies, and satisfies.  More acceptable is the suggestion that Shaddai is a composite term of sha (“the one who”) and dai (“is sufficient”). The later Greek versions have adopted this meaning. The most preferred explanation is that Shaddai is derived from the verb shadad (“to overpower, to deal violently, or to devastate”). A clear connection between shadad and Shaddai is said to be found in Isaiah 13:6 and Joel 1:15. God as El Shaddai is presented as the all-powerful One, totally self-sufficient, absolute ruler, and the One who can and does make final disposition. The Septuagint  (Greek translation of the Old Testament) has adapted this meaning; it translates ’El Shaddai as Pantokrator, the “All-Ruler” or “Sovereign One.” 
 
So, there you have it.  I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.  In the meantime, let's go back to the Genesis passage we looked at yesterday.  In Genesis 17, God says to Abram, "I am God Almighty."  Think back over the passage you read yesterday, read it again if you want to refresh your memory, and then consider the following questions:

• When did God reveal Himself to Abram as El Shaddai?
• What was Abram struggling to believe?
• How old was he?
• Why did Abram have to wait almost 25 years for God to fulfill His promise?
• It has been said that God often does not show us His omnipotence until He shows us our impotence.  Do you agree or disagree?  Explain your answer.

Here's a thought to ponder.  Abram was not given license to live life as he planned.  Instead he was told to leave his home country and go to a land that God would show him.  So, he went out, not knowing where he was going.  He was told to walk before God and be blameless.  In other words, he was to reflect the character of the One who called him.  What about you and me?  There's a challenge for us today!  Do our thoughts, our words, our attitudes, our actions reflect the One who has called us?

One final application thought to ponder. What promises might you be struggling to believe?  Recall to your mind this truth......that God is El Shaddai.  Then run to the strong tower of that name!