Ann H LeFevre
  • Home
  • Ready for the Road Ahead
  • Images & Ink
  • Recommended Resources
  • About
  • Store
  • Behind the PIcture

El Elyon (God Most High)

8/19/2016

0 Comments

 
            The order had come to me from Nebuchadnezzar himself.  It read, “Bring some of the sons of Israel to me.  They should be youths with no defect and showing a high amount of intelligence so that they can be trained and educated in the language of the Chaldeans”.  I followed his order and selected four candidates.  We changed their names and after a brief dispute over food all of them seemed to be adjusting to life in Nebuchadnezzar’s court.  But the king’s golden image and his command to worship it brought their progress to a screeching halt- at least for three of them.  When the second order came it read, “Throw them into the furnace for they would not bow to my image!”  I could not believe my eyes when I looked into the furnace and saw four men walking around!  The men who had put them in there had died from the heat.  How was it that another had joined them and they seemed unharmed?  Yet the proof was there when they were commanded to come out and there was not a burn mark on them or their garments.  It was then that I knew no god in Babylon matched this God.  He was the Supreme God above all others and from that day on I wondered if I could understand Him as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did (Daniel 2 & 3- with some artistic license!).
            Gods in the ancient world held power over nature, jurisdictions and people.  Some, like Baal, were capricious and spiteful.  Others were benevolent (for a price).  But across the pages of the Old Testament whenever anyone who worshipped those deities encountered “El Elyon” (God Most High), their perception of those gods changed.  This title is used 31 times in the Old Testament with the most well-known appearing in Genesis 14:18-24.  In this passage we are introduced to Melchizedek, an enigmatic priest-king who bestows generous gifts on Abraham after he successfully frees Lot and his family from captivity.  Melchizedek brings an offering to God Most High with words of praise concerning His nature and character and Abraham equates El Elyon with Yahweh in Gen. 14:22 as the Creator of heaven and earth. 
            Spiros Zodhiates in his Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old Testament notes that, “In Num. 24:16 this name stands in parallel to the name God (Elohim) and Shaddai (Almighty); it depicts the God who gave Balaam his knowledge and visions.  The term also stands in parallel with other names of God such as “The Lord” (Dt. 32:8; 2 Sam. 22:14; Ps. 18:13; and God (Ps. 46:4; 50:14).  In Ps. 47:2, El Elyon is also called a king.  As such He rules over the whole earth, subdues people and nations, has the power to determine an inheritance for Israel, ascends a holy throne and reigns from it in an exalted state (vv. 3-9).  It is not surprising then that the Lord uses this name to impact kings such as Nebuchadnezzar.  It denotes a position of power and authority they were very much familiar with- and also believed proved their own association with divinity.  Nebuchadnezzar is so convinced of his divine nature that El Elyon determines to take him down a peg or two (Dan. 4) and in the end, Nebuchadnezzar learns that El Elyon will discipline you for as long as it takes and in whatever way it takes until you understand that it is He who is in control and that you answer to Him. (Dan. 4:34-37).
            Madison Avenue is glutted with advertisements urging us to buy insurance for every aspect of our lives.   We can get health insurance, car insurance, home insurance, and pet insurance.  We can extend warranties on any appliance in our home, purchase protection plans for the wiring in our home and put our money to work in a number of savings plans.  None of these things are bad in and of themselves, but oftentimes we put so much confidence and trust in them they usurp the only True Insurance we have.  One may amass a healthy nest egg only to be faced with a catastrophic illness and it becomes a complete loss.  The Bible warns us that it is not wise to put one’s trust in chariots (Is. 31:1), idols (Ps. 18:6), or riches (Ps. 52:7).  A glance at history is a stark reminder that power comes and goes so it is not wise to trust in the “king” either.
            When we begin to worry about the future it is a good indicator that there may be something we’ve put in the place of El Elyon.  Maybe we have attributed too much “power” to our retirement plan and with the tumultuous political climate in the world we now worry if we’ll have enough.  Maybe we’ve given to much credence to one person.  We look for validation from them and worry we will lose their favor if we don’t do what they ask or say.    Jesus admonished us to store up our treasure in heaven (Mt. 6:19-21).  According to Him it is the only fail-safe savings plan.  The Lord Most High oversees the things that are stored there and nothing can be taken from His grasp (Jn. 10:27-29).  If we trust in Him, we have nothing to fear. 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.                                                                                                   
Week of  8/21/2016
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Faith & Seeing

    Ready for the Road Ahead began as a bulletin insert in 2010 and has since grown into a weekly on-line Bible lesson.  I love to teach and have taught in both church and school settings.  I hope these articles will both encourage and equip you as you follow Christ.

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn

Proudly powered by Weebly