Almighty

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Duration: 3min
 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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The learned are not agreed as to the derivation of the word shaddai and its signification: some giving it as “all bountiful,” others “all sufficient,” “all mighty” This is not at all surprising, for any name of God must be above mere human learning or definition, yet it was the ground of faith to those who had the revelation. The name first occurs in Genesis 17:1: God said to Abraham “I am the Almighty God.” This links it with the Patriarchs: it is the name by which God was known to them; and except to them, and in Job where it occurs very often, it is seldom found in the Old Testament The title “the Almighty” without the name of God being added, occurs first in Jacob’s address to his twelve sons before he died: the blessings upon Joseph were to be by “‘the Almighty,’.... blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts and of the womb” (Genesis 49:2525Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: (Genesis 49:25)). Balaam uses the name in Numbers 24:4: Naomi also in her lamentations (Ruth 1:20-2120And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? (Ruth 1:20‑21)). (See also Psa. 68:1414When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon. (Psalm 68:14); Psa. 91:11He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1); Isa. 13:66Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. (Isaiah 13:6); Ezek. 1:2424And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings. (Ezekiel 1:24); Ezek. 10:55And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh. (Ezekiel 10:5); Joel 1:1515Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. (Joel 1:15)).
In the New Testament the name Lord Almighty occurs in 2 Corinthians 6:1818And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18) in a quotation from Jeremiah, and a few times in the Revelation, but only once as “the Almighty” in Revelation 1:8: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” On the whole it is clear that the name was one of special relationship with the Patriarchs as that of Jehovah was with Israel. This is plainly declared: “I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them” (Ex. 6:33And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:3)). That of Father is now the revealed name of God by which Christians know Him, being brought by the work of Christ and through the operation of the Spirit into the relationship of children, and of sons. (See John 20:1717Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17); John 3:11There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: (John 3:1); Gal. 4:4-54But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4‑5)).
The name Almighty will appear again when God works out his purposes in power and judgment. It was revealed in connection with promises made in time, as Father is in connection with eternal counsels. The four living creatures cry day and night “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Rev. 4:88And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 4:8)). (See also Revelation 21:2222And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (Revelation 21:22)).