GREAT ENCOUNTERS

GREAT ENCOUNTERS WITH JEHOVAH ELSHADDAI 09/02/2022

GEN 17 :1-22
AND WHEN ABRAM WAS NINETY YEARS OLD AND NINE, THE LORD APPEARED TO ABRAM, AND SAID UNTO HIM, I AM THE ALMIGHTY GOD; WALK BEFORE ME, AND BE THOU PERFECT.
2 AND I WILL MAKE MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THEE, AND WILL MULTIPLY THEE EXCEEDINGLY.
3 AND ABRAM FELL ON HIS FACE: AND GOD TALKED WITH HIM, SAYING,
4 ¶ AS FOR ME, BEHOLD, MY COVENANT IS WITH THEE, AND THOU SHALT BE A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS.
5 NEITHER SHALL THY NAME ANY MORE BE CALLED ABRAM, BUT THY NAME SHALL BE ABRAHAM; FOR A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE THEE.
6 AND I WILL MAKE THEE EXCEEDING FRUITFUL, AND I WILL MAKE NATIONS OF THEE, AND KINGS SHALL COME OUT OF THEE.
7 ¶ AND I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THEE AND THY SEED AFTER THEE IN THEIR GENERATIONS FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT, TO BE A GOD UNTO THEE, AND TO THY SEED AFTER THEE.
8 AND I WILL GIVE UNTO THEE AND TO THY SEED AFTER THEE, THE LAND WHEREIN THOU ART A STRANGER, ALL THE LAND OF CANAAN, FOR AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD.
9 AND GOD SAID UNTO ABRAHAM, THOU SHALT KEEP MY COVENANT THEREFORE, THOU, AND THY SEED AFTER THEE IN THEIR GENERATIONS.
10 THIS IS MY COVENANT, WHICH YE SHALL KEEP, BETWEEN ME AND YOU AND THY SEED AFTER THEE; EVERY MAN CHILD AMONG YOU SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED.
11 AND YE SHALL CIRCUMCISE THE FLESH OF YOUR FORESKIN; AND IT SHALL BE A TOKEN OF THE COVENANT BETWIXT ME AND YOU.
12 AND HE THAT IS EIGHT DAYS OLD SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED AMONG YOU, EVERY MAN CHILD IN YOUR GENERATIONS, HE THAT IS BORN IN THE HOUSE, OR BOUGHT WITH MONEY OF ANY STRANGER, WHICH IS NOT OF THY SEED.
13 HE THAT IS BORN IN THY HOUSE, AND HE THAT IS BOUGHT WITH THY MONEY, MUST NEEDS BE CIRCUMCISED: AND MY COVENANT SHALL BE IN YOUR FLESH FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT.
14 AND THE UNCIRCUMCISED MAN CHILD WHOSE FLESH OF HIS FORESKIN IS NOT CIRCUMCISED, THAT SOUL SHALL BE CUT OFF FROM HIS PEOPLE; HE HATH BROKEN MY COVENANT.
15 ¶ AND GOD SAID UNTO ABRAHAM, AS FOR SARAI THY WIFE, THOU SHALT NOT CALL HER NAME SARAI, BUT SARAH SHALL HER NAME BE.
16 AND I WILL BLESS HER, AND GIVE THEE A SON ALSO OF HER: YEA, I WILL BLESS HER, AND SHE SHALL BE A MOTHER OF NATIONS; KINGS OF PEOPLE SHALL BE OF HER.
17 THEN ABRAHAM FELL UPON HIS FACE, AND LAUGHED, AND SAID IN HIS HEART, SHALL A CHILD BE BORN UNTO HIM THAT IS AN HUNDRED YEARS OLD? AND SHALL SARAH, THAT IS NINETY YEARS OLD, BEAR?
18 AND ABRAHAM SAID UNTO GOD, O THAT ISHMAEL MIGHT LIVE BEFORE THEE!
19 AND GOD SAID, SARAH THY WIFE SHALL BEAR THEE A SON INDEED; AND THOU SHALT CALL HIS NAME ISAAC: AND I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH HIM FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT, AND WITH HIS SEED AFTER HIM.
20 AND AS FOR ISHMAEL, I HAVE HEARD THEE: BEHOLD, I HAVE BLESSED HIM, AND WILL MAKE HIM FRUITFUL, AND WILL MULTIPLY HIM EXCEEDINGLY; TWELVE PRINCES SHALL HE BEGET, AND I WILL MAKE HIM A GREAT NATION.
21 BUT MY COVENANT WILL I ESTABLISH WITH ISAAC, WHICH SARAH SHALL BEAR UNTO THEE AT THIS SET TIME IN THE NEXT YEAR.
22 AND HE LEFT OFF TALKING WITH HIM, AND GOD WENT UP FROM ABRAHAM.
JEHOVAH EL SHADDAI. HE IS THE ONE WHO COMES FROM HEAVEN TO LOOK FOR US
HE IS THE ONE WHO ESTABLISHED THE RELATIONSHIP WE NOW HAVE WITH HIM
HE IS THE ONE WHO ESTABLISHES THE COVENANT AND WHO LAYS DOWN THE RULES FOR IT.
THIS IS NOT THE STORY OF A MAN COMING TO GOD … THIS IS THE STORY OF GOD COMING TO A MAN.
GOD, EL SHADDAI … DOESN’T ASK ABRAM TO CLIMB UP THE MOUNTAIN TO HIM.
EL SHADDAI … THE MOUNTAIN … COMES DOWN TO HIM AND ESTABLISHES A RELATIONSHIP WITH ABRAM
HE SAYS, “THIS IS WHAT I, EL SHADDAI, GOD ALL-MIGHTY, IS GOING TO DO FOR YOU!”
THIS COVENANT RELATIONSHIP PUTS THE FOCUS ON THE ALL-SUFFICIENT GOD AND WHAT HE WILL DO NOT ON WHAT WE CAN OR WILL DO.
THAT’S THE WAY THAT GOD WORKS. THAT’S THE GOD WE ALL SHOULD TAKE COMFORT IN.
GOD DOESN’T ASK ME TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN BEFORE HE’LL COME TO ME.
EL SHADDAI … THE MOUNTAIN OF HEAVEN … COMES TO ME.
AS OLD AND AS WEAK AND SINFUL AS WE MAY BE HE SEEKS A RELATIONSHIP WITH US.
HE USES HIS POWER TO COME TO US THROUGH HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST
HE USES HIS POWER TO COME TO US THROUGH HIS WORD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
HE USES HIS POWER TO COME TO US THROUGH THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST
HE USES HIS POWER TO COME TO US THROUGH BAPTISM AND THROUGH HOLY COMMUNION.
WHEN GOD REVEALS HIMSELF TO US AS EL SHADDAI OR AS GOD ALL-MIGHTY …
WHEN GOD REVEALS HIMSELF TO US AS GOD WHO IS ALL SELF SUFFICIENT. WE ARE CHANGED.
WE CAN NEVER ENCOUNTER GOD AND REMAIN UNCHANGED.
ABRAM AND SARAI WERE CHANGED THROUGH THEIR ENCOUNTER WITH EL SHADDAI, GOD WHO GAVE THEM NEW NAMES TO CONFIRM THAT CHANGE.
IN GEN 17:5, GOD TELLS ABRAM: “NO LONGER SHALL YOUR NAME BE ABRAM, BUT YOUR NAME SHALL BE ABRAHAM; FOR I HAVE MADE YOU THE FATHER OR ANCESTOR OF A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS.”
GOD SAID TO ABRAM DID YOU HEAR IT? “… FOR I, EL SHADDAI, GOD ALL-MIGHTY, HAVE MADE YOU THE ANCESTOR OF A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS.”
THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF SIGNIFICANCE TO THE NAME “ABRAHAM.”
WHILE IT IS FREQUENTLY TRANSLATED AS “FATHER OF MULTITUDES” IT ALSO MEANS “THE STRENGTH” OR “THE PROTECTION OF MANY .”
ABRAHAM WOULD NOT ONLY BE THE FATHER OF MULTITUDES, BUT HE AND HIS DESCENDANTS WOULD BECOME LEADERS AND KINGS WHOSE STRENGTH AND LEADERSHIP WOULD GUIDE AND PROTECT THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
GOD ALSO SAID TO ABRAM,“AS FOR SARAI, YOUR WIFE,” SAYS GOD: “YOU WILL NOT CALL HER SARAI, BUT SARAH SHALL BE HER NAME.
I WILL BLESS HER, AND MOREOVER I WILL GIVE YOU A SON BY HER. I WILL BLESS HER, AND SHE SHALL GIVE RISE TO NATIONS; KINGS OF PEOPLES SHALL COME FROM HER.”
NOW THE NAME “ABRAM” MEANS “EXALTED FATHER.”
HOW EMBARRASSING THAT NAME MUST HAVE BEEN FOR HIMWHO HAD NO CHILDREN AT ALL
EVERY TIME THAT HE RAN INTO A STRANGER AND THEY ASKED HIM WHAT HIS NAME WAS, HE’D HAVE TO SAY … “ABRAM” … “EXALTED FATHER” …
AND THE SAME JOKING QUESTIONS WOULD COME UP: “SO … ‘EXALTED FATHER’ … HOW MANY CHILDREN DO YOU HAVE?” AND DO THEY ‘EXALT’ YOU?”
FOR 86 YEARS, ABRAM, AS “EXALTED FATHER,” WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION OVER AND OVER BY TELLING PEOPLE HE HAD NO CHILD
YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM WERE THINKING OF HIM…
THEY MUST HAVE BEEN MOCKINGLY SAYING … HA! WHAT AN ‘EXALTED’ FATHER YOU ARE ABRAM!
HOW CAN YOU BE AN ‘EXALTED’ FATHER IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY CHILDREN?
THEY MUST HAVE BEEN SAYING THINGS LIKE WHAT A STUPID NAME FOR A MAN WHO HAS NO CHILDREN
” THINK ABOUT IT. EVERY TIME THAT SOMEONE CALLED OUT HIS NAME OR SPOKE HIS NAME … BE IT FAMILY, FRIENDS, OR STRANGER
ABRAM … THE “EXALTED FATHER” WOULD BE REMINDED OF THE PAINFUL IRONY OF THAT NAME.
SARAI’S NAME MEANT … “SHE WHO STRIVES” … OR SHE WHO IS “CONTENTIOUS”
IMAGINE GOING THROUGH LIFE WITH THE NAME “CONTENTIOUS.”
SURELY THE RUMOR AROUND CANAAN WAS GOING STRONG AGAINST HER AS A RUDE FIGHTER
AND SO WOULD BE THE GOSSIP ABOUT HER BEING “CONTENTIOUS” AND WHY SHE WAS BARREN.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE SOMETIMES LIVE UP TO OUR NAMES.
WE KNOW FROM HER EXPERIENCE WITH HAGAR AND ISHMAEL THAT SARAI COULD INDEED BE VERY “CONTENTIOUS.”
WHEN SHE GOT IMPATIENT WITH GOD, SHE STROVE WITH HER HUSBAND TO GET AN HEIR BY ORDERING HER EGYPTIAN SERVANT GIRL, HAGAR, TO SLEEP WITH HER HUSBAND.
WHEN HAGAR OBEYS AND BEARS ABRAM A SON, SARAI BECOMES JEALOUS AND VINDICTIVE AND ASKS ABRAM TO CHASE HAGAR AND HER SON, ISHMAEL, OUT OF THE CAMP AND INTO THE WILDERNESS
SHE WAS NOT EVEN CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER THEY COULD SURVIVE IN THE DESERT OR NOT.
THAT WHOLE EPISODE WAS QUITE “CONTENTIOUS,”
BUT JEHOVAH EL SHADDAI, OUR GREAT GOD CHANGED SARAI’S NAME TO “SARAH” … WHICH MEANS “PRINCESS.”
THE HEBREW ROOT OF HER NAME IS ALSO THE HEBREW ROOT FOR THE WORD OR NAME “ISRAEL” …
THAT WAS JUST APPROPRIATE, GIVEN GOD’S PROMISE THAT “SHE SHALL GIVE RISE TO NATIONS” AND KINGS SHALL COME FROM HER (GENESIS 17:16).
BOTH NAMES, ABRAHAM AND SARAH, ARE EVIDENCE OF WHAT GOD WAS DOING IN THEIR LIVES. “ABRAM …
“EXALTED FATHER,” SAYS GOD, “FOR YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN TRYING TO EXALT YOURSELF … AND NOW I AM GOING TO DO MY WORK IN YOU AND YOU WILL BE EXALTED AS THE FATHER OF A GREAT NATION BECAUSE OF ME
SARAI … ALL YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE TRIED TO STRUGGLE THROUGH LIFE ON YOUR OWN STRENGTH AND POWER
BUT ALL YOU HAVE DONE IS CREATE STRIFE AND THAT HAS MADE YOU BITTER.
BUT, WITH MY STRENGTH AND ENCOURAGEMENT, YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A PRINCESS … THE MOTHER OF A NATION THAT WILL PRODUCE GREAT KINGS.
YOU WILL LIVE UP TO YOUR NAMES … ABRAHAM AND SARAH … BECAUSE I LIVED UP TO MY NAME … EL SHADDAI … ALL-MIGHTY AND ALL-SUFFICIENT GOD.
YOU ARE NOW READY TO BEAR FRUIT AND RECEIVE THE PROMISES THAT I MADE TO YOU.”
LIKE ABRAHAM AND SARAH, WE CHANGE WHEN WE LEARN ABOUT WHO GOD IS.
PERHAPS OUR “NAMES” ARE NOT CHANGED BUT WE DO GET A NEW NAME
WE ARE CALLED… “CHRISTIANS” …
WE ARE CALLED CHRISTIAN AS A SIGN THAT OUR LIVES HAVE CHANGED
AND OUR LIVES WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE AS WE GROW IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AND HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR
OUR LIVES WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE AS WE GROW IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT AND DIVINE GRACE AND FAVOUR
OUR LIVES WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE AS WE GROW IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HIS WORD
AS WE LEARN ABOUT WHO GOD IS WE FIND OUR STRENGTH IN WHAT HE CAN DO AND NOT IN WHAT WE CAN DO.
AS WE LEARN ABOUT WHO GOD IS, WE FIND THAT THE VERY WEAKNESS THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE OUR UNDOING IS ACTUALLY WHAT GOD WILL USE TO BUILD HIS KINGDOM.
AS WE GROW IN GRACE AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE EL SHADDAI GOD JESUS COMES TO US AND HE CALLS US BY NAME AND HE SAYS, “I AM READY TO COMPLETE IN YOU THE WORK THAT I BEGAN.
FOR EXAMPLE ,ON THE NIGHT THAT HE WAS SHARING HIS LAST MEAL WITH HIS DISCIPLES, JESUS TOOK A LOAF OF BREAD HE GAVE THANKS TO HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN … HE BROKE THE BREAD … AND PASSED IT TO HIS DISCIPLES, SAYING: “TAKE, EAT … THIS IS MY BODY WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU; DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.”
JESUS ALSO TOOK A CUP OF WINE AND GAVE THANKS TO HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN … AND PASSED IT TO HIS DISCIPLES, SAYING: “TAKE AND DRINK FROM THIS ALL OF YOU.
THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW COVENANT, POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS AS OFTEN AS YOU DRINK IT IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.”
JESUS CALLS US TO REMEMBER EL SHADDAI … THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD THAT BECAME A MAN.
EVERY TIME THAT WE GATHER AND BREAK BREAD AND EAT TOGETHER …
EVERY TIME THAT WE GATHER TO FEAST UPON HIS WORD
EVERY TIME THAT WE GATHER TO WORSHIP, TO NOURISH AND RESTORE OUR BODIES AND OUR SOULS
WE ARE TO REMEMBER JESUS, EL SHADDAI … THE ALL-MIGHTY, ALL-POWERFUL, ALL-SUFFICIENT ONE WHO CAN DO ANYTHING AND MEET ANY NEED …
THE JEHOVAH EL SHADDAI WHO NOURISHES AND STRENGTHENS US WITH HIS WORD
THE JEHOVAH EL SHADDAI WHO NOURISHES AND STRENGTHENS US WITH HIS PRESENCE …
THE JEHOVAH EL SHADDAI WHO NOURISHES AND STRENGTHENS US WITH HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
LISTEN. JESUS IS CALLING YOU NOW … BY NAME. IT TOOK 14 YEARS FOR ABRAHAM AND SARAH TO REALIZE THE HOPELESSNESS OF LIVING ON THEIR OWN POWER … HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE YOU?
This is a wonderful name for us to remember because it reminds us of the fact that God is all-sufficient to care for us and powerful enough to be able to do it.
God can minister to every area of your life whether physical, spiritual, emotional, or intellectual and He can do it completely.
He is completely capable and powerful.
LET US PRAY
God could have been powerful but not in every area of our life.
Or, He could have been able to meet our needs in every area of our life but only to a degree
JOB 22:3, 17-30
Genesis 17:1;
28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; 49:25; Exodus 6:3;
Numbers 24:4; 24:16;

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