El means strong. So El Elyon indicates the strongest strong one, the infinite, the possessor of the heaven and Earth and all that is in them. Connotes a “victor” mentality (like Dagon who falls before the Ark of the Covenant).
Pentateuch uses of El Elyon (only 3 times, all in context of pagan nations - Heathens)
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->Genesis 14:19-20* And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
4 kings make war, defeat Sodom & Gomorrah
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->Numbers 24:16 - oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:
King Barak of Moab commands Balaam to curse Barak’s enemy (Israel Moab
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3. <!--[endif]-->Deut 32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.
From the Song of Moses –the Most High divided the earth & set the boundaries for all nations. (According to the number of the sons of God may suggest that certain angels (“sons of God”; see Job 1:6) are responsible for specific nations, whereas the Lord himself cares for Israel
Note the progression in these 3 Pentateuch examples:
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->the Most High is revealed to an individual (to Abraham, at a time when Abraham was just getting to know the Lord),
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->then revealed as the ruler over Israel/Moab,
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3. <!--[endif]-->and then as the ruler of all nations.
New Testament references to the Most High God, all in context of demons
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->Acts 16:16–17 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
Context: first missionary journey to Europe (after God had stopped them from going into Asia in v. 7). The slave girl who is possessed by demons & tells fortunes to make her masters money. The first use in NT is the demons who knew who Jesus was.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->Mark 5:7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”
In a gentile area, and here again, the unclean spirit identifies Jesus as the Son of the Most High God.
Note of encouragement: El Elyon has greater power than anything in the physical world. See Ephesians 6 – He is the one who an cross over the boundaries that an break the powers of evil/darkness. BUT we run into El Elyon.
He is the Possessor of Heaven and Earth – the Strongest Strong One. Who is greater than the gods of all other nations. He is greater than all demons and forces of darkness. We need to be renewed in our mind – He an SET FREE. He can see through the dark places in our lives. We can’t let our spirit be dismayed because that is letting the enemy look greater than God.
Therefore, do not let your spirit become dismayed because El Elyon is greater than the source of dismay. However, the implication is this: be prepared by knowing El Elyon, the ruler of heaven and heart, ruler of nations, ruler of demons.
Old Testament outside of the Pentateuch
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->Isa 14:12–14 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
Satan wants to be like El Elyon, ruling nations. He declares “I will” 5 times, see especially v. 14 “I will make myself like the Most High” but God says Satan will be brought down to Shoel/hell (v. 15). Note that hell was originally created to contain the fallen angel, Satan, and his minions, not for people. El Elyon will defeat the spirit realm and the human realm that has rebelled against him.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->From the book of Daniel:
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a. <!--[endif]-->Dan 2:37,47 vs. 37You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, vs 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
Context: Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s first dream, about the image/statue that was topped with gold (representing the 1st empire Nebuchadnezzar was ruling, filled with fortune & great “success”) and deteriorated in layers going downward, until the bottom is described as a mixture of mere iron and clay (signifying sheer strength).
“You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory” (v. 37) In other words, Nebuchadnezzar was merely a king under The King, a mighty earthly ruler, but one to whom *God* had given this kingdom. God was responsible for his reign.
“The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” (v. 47) Nebuchadnezzar sees that Daniels’ God is The King of kings, and God had to reveal even that to him.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->b. <!--[endif]-->Daniel 4:24–26 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.” 28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon , 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon , which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.”
Context: Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream of the Great Tree, and Daniel is giving the interpretation. “It is a decree of the Most High... that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field... [until] you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.”
In other words, God’s purposes for Nebuchadnezzar are for him to know that the Most High rules the kingdoms of men, and He gives those kingdoms to whomever He will. Who’s in charge of the nations? El Elyon
<!--[if !supportLists]-->c. <!--[endif]-->Daniel 4:34–37 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” 36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
The kingdom of Babylon was an immense, walled kingdom with walls that were
<!--[if !supportLists]-->{ <!--[endif]-->312 feet tall and
<!--[if !supportLists]-->{ <!--[endif]-->4 chariots wide
<!--[if !supportLists]-->{ <!--[endif]-->with 250 towers that were 400 feet tall,
<!--[if !supportLists]-->{ <!--[endif]-->and complete with the Euphrates river as a water source. Impregnable (unconquerable – strong enough to withhold any attack or force)
How do you bring the king of such a kingdom low? He must become like an animal of the field. (see dan 5) And in this way, God accomplished his purposes for Nebuchadnezzar—where he now proclaims praise & honor to the Most High.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->d. <!--[endif]-->Daniel 5:18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,
Context: Belshazzar (Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson) clearly did not learn much from his grandfather’s experience (v. 1–4) The invisible hand writes on the wall at the feast, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. (Numbered, numbered, weighed, and divided)
To summarize, El Elyon will defeat:
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->The nations (All of them)
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->The spirits (demons etc)
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->The kings of the earth
Everything in Heaven and on Earth is under the Most High God…
also ...next week we will be going over this chart that I gave for homework a couple weeks ago.
El Elyon
Sovereign Ruler of the Universe, King of all kings
How is He sovereign? | What is He sovereign over? | What difference does it make? | |
Daniel 4:34–35 | |||
Job 1–2 | |||
Isaiah 14:24-27 | |||
Isaiah 46:9–11 | |||
Daniel 2:20–23 | |||
Isaiah 5:5–7 | |||
Deut. 32:39 | |||
1 Samuel 1:5–6 | |||
1 Samuel 2:6–10 | |||
John 19:10–11 |
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->How should this change my outlook in life?
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->How would I explain God’s sovereignty to another person (based on what I’ve learned HERE]?
3. If you believe in God’s sovereignty, how would it change your thinking about your particular circumstance?
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