El Shaddai: What's in a Name?

"Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families,…listing every man by name." (Numbers 1:2)

In Numbers 1, Moshe (Moses) is commanded to take a census of all adult…males. They are numbered according to family, by their father's houses,…according to name.

In Hebrew, names carried significant meaning; for example, Elitzur(Numbers…1:5) means My God (Eli)is a rock (Tzur).

Of the twenty-four proper names here given, nine contain the Divine name,…El (God), three the name Tzur (Rock), which is frequently used for God, as…in Tzur Yisrael (Rock of Israel) or Rock of Ages.

…Reading the Torah in the men’s section of Wilson‘s Arch at the Western…(Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem

The name Shaddai also appears three times in the names listed.

Shaddai is a very interesting word study. The compound El Shaddai is…usually translated ÔÇÿGod Almighty' in English Bibles, but this does not begin to…do justice to the meaning of this name of God.

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said,…‘I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1)

Shaddai is derived from a Hebrew root shadad, which means to overpower.…Interestingly enough, this root also can mean a demonic power. Therefore,…El Shaddai also means that God overpowers or prevails against all demonic…powers.

"Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the…Almighty [Shaddai]." (Isaiah 13:6)

…An open scroll of Torah

Shaddai is also derived from the Hebrew root shad, which means breast. This…reveals the maternal, merciful nature of God.

If we read the Word carefully, we will see this aspect of God's nature as

Shaddai – the woman's breast – the source of nourishment and comfort to…her children.

"…because of the Almighty [Shaddai], who blesses you with blessings of the…skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast…[shadim] and womb." (Genesis 49:25)

We know from the Book of Genesis, that we were created in God’s image as…male and female. As strange as it may seem to us then, God is not only a…Father, He is also a mother.

In Exodus, when Moses asked God for His true name, He answered, "Ehye…Asher Ehye," which though commonly translated as ÔÇÿI am who I am', is…more accurately translated as "I will be what I will be" (Exodus 3:14).

There are so many facets to the name, character, and nature of Elohim…(God). He's capable of being to us whatever we need at any given moment:…Rock, Comforter, Provider, God who is there, ….

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”…(Proverbs 18:10)

“What are the different names of God and what do they mean?”……Each of the many names of God describes a different aspect of His many-faceted character. Here are some of the better known names of God in the Bible:……EL, ELOAH: God “mighty, strong, prominent” (Genesis 7:1; Isaiah 9:6) – Etymologically, El appears to mean power, as in "I have the power to harm you" (Genesis 31:29). El is associated with other qualities, such as integrity (Numbers 23:19), jealousy (Deuteronomy 5:9), and compassion (Nehemiah 9:31), but the root idea of might remains.……ELOHIM: God "Creator, Mighty and Strong"[Magtig en sterk] (Genesis 17:7; Jeremiah 31:33) – The plural form of Eloah, which is accommodating of the doctrine of the Trinity. From the Bible's first sentence, the superlative nature of God's power is evident as God (Elohim) speaks the world into existence (Genesis 1:1).……EL SHADDAI: "God Almighty," [Magtige God]"The Mighty One of Jacob" (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 132:2,5) – Speaks to God's ultimate power over all.……ADONAI: "Lord" [Here ,God]Genesis 15:2But Abram replied, "O Sovereign Lord,…………

Judges 6:15"But Lord," Gideon replied, "how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!"

Used in place of YHWH, which was thought by the Jews to be too sacred to be uttered by sinful men. In the Old Testament, YHWH is more often used in God's dealings with His people, while Adonai is used more when He deals with the Gentiles.……YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH: "LORD" [Here ons God](Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14) – Strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles "LORD" (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai "Lord." The revelation of the name is first given to Moses "I Am who I Am" (Exodus 3:14). This name specifies an immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance (Psalm 107:13), forgiveness (Psalm 25:11) and guidance (Psalm 31:3).……YAHWEH-JIREH: “The Lord will Provide” [Die Here voorsien] (Genesis 22:14) – The name memorialized by Abraham when God provided the ram to be sacrificed in place of Isaac.……YAHWEH-RAPHA: “The Lord Who Heals” [Die Here wat gesond maak] (Exodus 15:26) – "I am Jehovah who heals you" both in body and soul. In body, by preserving from diseases, and by curing them when afflicted with them and in soul, by pardoning their iniquities.……YAHWEH-NISSI: “The Lord Our Banner” [God gee oorwinning] Jehovah the Victor(Exodus 17:15), where banner is understood to be a rallying place. This name commemorates the desert victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17.……YAHWEH-M’KADDESH: “The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy” [God wat heilig maak](Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:28) – God makes it clear that He alone, not the law, could cleanse His people and make them holy.……YAHWEH-SHALOM: “The Lord Our Peace” [Die Here wat rus gee] (Judges 6:24) – The name given by Gideon to the altar he built after the Angel of the Lord assured him he would not die as he thought he would after seeing Him.……YAHWEH-ELOHIM: “LORD God” [Here God] (Genesis 2:4; Psalm 59:5; Deuteronomy 3:24) – Combination of God's unique name YHWH and the generic "Lord," signifying that He is the Lord of Lords.……YAHWEH-TSIDKENU: “The Lord Our Righteousness" [God wat geregtigheid laat geskied](Jeremiah 33:16) – As with YHWH-M'Kaddesh, it is God alone who provides righteousness to man, ultimately in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who became sin for us "that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).……YAHWEH-ROHI: “The Lord Our Shepherd” [Die Here my Herder](Psalm 23:1) – After David pondered his relationship as a shepherd to his sheep, he realized that was exactly the relationship God had with him, and so he declares "Yahweh-Rohi is my Shepherd. I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1).……YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: “The Lord is There" [Die Here is daar]Jehovah the indweller|”. (Ezekiel 48:35) – The name ascribed to Jerusalem and the Temple there, indicating that the once departed glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 8-11) had returned (Ezekiel 44:1-4).……YAHWEH-SABAOTH: “The Lord of Hosts” [Here van die Leerskare](Isaiah 1:24; Psalm 46:7) – "Hosts" means hordes, both of angels and of men. He is Lord of the host of heaven, and of the inhabitants of the earth, of Jews and Gentiles, of rich and poor, master and slave. The name is expressive of the majesty, power, and authority of God and shows that he is able to accomplish what he determines to do.……EL ELYON: "Most High” [Allerhoogste](Deuteronomy 26:19) – Derived from the Hebrew root for "go up" or "ascend," so the implication is of that which is the very highest. El Elyon denotes exaltation and speaks of absolute right to lordship.……EL ROI: “God of Seeing” [Al siende](Genesis 16:13) – The name ascribed to God by Hagar, alone and desperate in the wilderness after being driven out by Sarah (Genesis 16:1-14), when she met the Angel of the Lord and realized she had seen God Himself in a theophany. She realized that El Roi saw her in her distress and testified that He is a God who lives and sees all.……EL-OLAM: “Everlasting God” [Van ewigheid tot ewigheid](Psalm 90:1-3) – God's nature is without beginning or end, free from all constraints of time and contains within Himself the very cause of time itself. "From everlasting to everlasting, You are God."……EL-GIBHOR: "Mighty God" [Magtige God](Isaiah 9:6) – The name describing the Messiah, Christ Jesus, in this prophetic portion of Isaiah. As a powerful and mighty warrior, the Messiah, the Mighty God, will accomplish the destruction of God's enemies and rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15).……Compound Names of Jehovah

“In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23:6)

There are seven compound names of Jehovah in Scripture which together provide profound insight into the person and work of our Lord. The first of these identifies Jehovah, the God of the Covenant, with the Creator “the LORD God |’Jehovahelohim’| |who| made the earth and the heavens” (Genesis 2:4).

On finding a ram to sacrifice in place of his son, Isaac, “Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh |the Lord will provide|” (Genesis 22:14).

Contingent upon their keeping the law, God promised the people of Israel that “I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee |literally, ‘Jehovah-rapha’|” (Exodus 15:26).

Fresh from a miraculous victory in the first battle of the people of Israel, “Moses built an altar, and called the name of it JehovahnissiJehovah the Victor|” (Exodus 17:15).

Once the Lord had commissioned Gideon to lead the people of Israel out of bondage, “Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it JehovahshalomJehovah sends peace|” (Judges 6:24).

In a passage concerning the future regathering and conversion of Israel quoted in our text, we see that Israel refers to the “Lord our righteousness‘Jehovah-tsidkenu’|.”

Finally, in the last verse of his book, Ezekiel describes the absorbing charm of the heavenly city and the One who will preside over it, claiming, “The name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there |‘Jehovah-shama,’ Jehovah the indweller|” (Ezekiel 48:35).

And best of all, He is all seven to us.