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El, The Strong One
A Picture is worth
The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Exodus 15:2
He is my God. El
Strong as an Ox
The pictogram for El is below, according to hebrews4christians.com, “El appears as strong controller or sovereign.”
Looks like the head of an ox to me, how about you? Strong as an ox. My God is mighty, strong, sovereign.
Mighty
I chose to start here with El instead of any other name of God, because so many other names first note El…my mighty, strong, God.
This name, El, is used in 235 verses throughout the Bible. Strength, mighty, mighty one, a hero, God, POWER…Strong God!
Iit seems we can’t say it enough about Him.
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.
Genesis 17:1
Abram
Abram, to become Abraham, literally has the meaning, “Exalted Father.” When his name is changed to Abraham, it adds in the element of “multitude,” or, “father of multitudes.” Here in Genesis we learn about an elderly man of God, Abram. Almost 100 years old and God has something to say to him.
I have to believe it is something he’s heard before now. The Lord appears to him, announces Himself, and once again gives Abram instruction for his life. The Lord uses the same name here, El, as He does in Exodus 15:2: The Strong One.
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.
Genesis 17:1
Abram has a lifetime of faithfulness in following God to look back on when he hears this message: I am Almighty STRONG GOD; walk before me and be thou perfect.
Be complete by walking before the Lord.
This morning my son was unloading the dishwasher. I’ve kidded him that he missed growing up with Sesame Street and the song game, “One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn’t belong,” when it comes to placing items where they go. (Trust me, my kitchen is very logically ordered, but I digress.)
I just so happened to be right there reordering the refrigerator contents because I had to take out one misplaced shelf before it shattered on the floor as he unloaded the dishes.
I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked over as he properly placed the serving spoon with its counterparts. And he said, “I put it where it doesn’t go, but when I realized where you were, I decided to do it the right way.”
When we are walking before someone or something we definitely know they are there, don’t we?
First, El
Many of God’s names begin with El. Whatever follows El in all the other names of God first begin: My Strong, Mighty, Sovereign, God and continue from there.
How long have you known God? How long have you walked with Him? Safe to say, not close to 99 years, right? If Abram needed to hear from God in this way, so late in his life, I’d say it’s a sure thing we do, too.
God, El, You are mighty.
Mighty to Save
The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Exodus 15:2
Mighty to save, God, El, You are strong, powerful and my hero-mighty to salvation.
Hero.
Hero… I live in a home where the guys sure enjoy their super heroes, and I don’t mind telling you that I appreciate a love story complete with the hero rescuing his hopeful Love. Yet, I have to stop and think about our own ideas of a hero.
We only know this word in narrow limits and sometimes adulterated way our flesh and minds can comprehend, but none of that limits God. Not at all. Any hero we know or imagine on this earth is minute in every way when compared to the hero we have in El.
El, God, HE is our Hero in a sense we can not even comprehend.
Oh, Lord, remind me often of who You are. Teach me to walk before You. Lord my God, make me complete in You.
El, The strong One.
