In Genesis 17:1, we see the first occurrence of God revealing Himself as Almighty God or El Shaddai. This is also one of the many covenant names through which God reveals Himself.

EL – means the Strong One and Shaddai –means the Breasted One. This pictures God as the strength giver, the satisfier, the All Sufficient One and the God who is more than enough!  Abram could not become a father in the natural, so El Shaddai, the God who is more than enough, came on the scene and became his sufficiency.

Elohim or Eternal Creator

Elohim describes the creative nature and the creative power of God.

Gen.1:1 is the first reference of God revealing to us a part of His own character and nature that sets forth a purpose; to create! Under this name Elohim we see God at work creating the heavens and earth. The word God in this verse, is Elohim which should not surprise us as the beginning chapters of Genesis are all about the creation. In fact the name Elohim is used 32 times in Genesis alone.

In Genesis 2:4 we see a bit of a twist to Elohim…as we see a reference to the Lord God or Jehovah Elohim or Eternal Creator.  

Elohim is also a derivative of El meaning strong or mighty as we saw in El Shaddai.  Here is why the name Elohim is so important to us. In the beginning there was darkness and confusion. Chaos ruled until Elohim came on the scene. In the midst of that which was lost, chaotic and in darkness He begins to speak and through the creative power of His words He created light in the darkness, order in the chaos and He made us like himself! All that He did in the beginning He does for us still today. He creates order out of chaos in our lives also. He sheds light on our darkness and creates out of nothing, if need be, to provide what we need.

His existence as revealed by this name, is NOT only self-existence but He exists to meet the needs of His people and redeem them! He is speaking here about a covenant of redemption. It describes one who stands in a covenant relationship that is ratified by an oath.  It expresses the very solemn covenant between God / Elohim and His people.  Allow Him to be creator in your life!

Exodus 3:13-15… “What is his name?”  God asked Moses to go to Egypt and deliver his people from their captivity. Moses inquiring of God wants to know how to respond when they ask him about who sent him. It’s important for us to know that he is not just asking His name, he is asking about the meaning of His name. In the Hebrew, to know a name means more than being acquainted with someone, it means to know by experience. The reality is that Moses wanted to experience God for himself.

God’s reply, “I AM THAT I AM…this is My name forever.”

In the Hebrew language it was YAHWEH or Jehovah. This name brought fear to the people because it was so sacred. In fact the original pronunciation was lost because people were afraid to speak this name.  When God refers to Himself as I AM He is expressing the essence of who He is. He is speaking about His character, nature and the attributes that belong to God, and God alone. Jehovah expresses His omnipotence (all powerful), His omnipresence (all present) and His omniscience (all knowing). These are just a few of the attributes that make Jehovah…the Great I AM!

If you remember I AM THAT I AM has been interpreted in the Hebrew as “EHYEH ASHER AYEH” meaning…I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE or “I will be for you who you need Me to be for you, when you need Me to be it.” This is important because it not only covers the present but our futures! God is the same yesterday, today and forever! This name is important to us because of what it expresses in terms of meeting our needs. I will be for you…a healer, a provider, your peace, your victory or your righteousness…whatever you need Me to be when you need it. This is who God is! This is our God, always powerful and always present to help us! Be like Moses and experience God in a new way! Forever!