God's Infinite Power

El Shaddai, the Hebrew name that means “God--the Powerful One, God--the Almighty.” It’s a commonly used name in the Bible for God, but descriptions of that name are illustrated all throughout the Bible: the Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 14:19), Builder of everything (Hebrews 3:4, Ecclesiastes 11:5, Genesis 21:33), the King of Heaven (Daniel 4:37), the only God (Jude 1:25). Paul says it this way in Ephesians 3:20, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

A God who can speak things into existence, and with just a word can do the impossible, is a God that we should find comfort in when we have troubles arise in our life. He wants to save us; He wants everyone to repent and turn to Him for that help (2 Peter 3:9). It’s our pride that keeps us from simply turning to Him, and that was the story of the Israelites from Egypt on--their pride. Yet at the height of the Israelite nation, David finally brought back the Ark to reside in the temple, and that box represented God’s mighty power. It had been with them during the years of conquest in Canaan, it had been there at the presence of God on the mountain or in the camp, and it was a powerful symbol of what God could do.

David says at the return of the Ark ceremony in 1 Chronicles 16:28-35, “O nations of the world, recognize the Lord, recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory He deserves! Bring your offering and come into His presence. Worship the Lord in all His holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before Him. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations, 'The Lord reigns!' Let the sea and everything in it shout His praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever. Cry out, 'Save us, O God of our salvation! Gather and rescue us from among the nations, so we can thank Your holy name and rejoice and praise You.'”

Those words were true. God is powerful, and we can rejoice because of that. So, when the angels made the announcement that Jesus was arriving to the earth (Luke 2:10-11), those same words of David’s could have been said about Jesus. Jesus modeled for us what faithful love really is. Therefore, we like the angels, should praise Him for coming in the name of El Shaddai, the almighty God, to save us from sin.

Isaiah 9:6-7 were God’s word to share with a people that had been walking in darkness. Jesus, the promised one, would bring light to the world (John 1:1-5) so they could see God’s power in an entirely new way: “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David for all eternity.”