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Volume. XXXVI, No. 35 El Elyon – The Most High God El Elyon is a compound name of God and is the first of the compound, or combined, names for God found in the Bible. Elyon means 'Most High', and when combined with El, which means God, El Elyon means 'The Most High God' or 'The Lord Most High'. This name of God expresses the supremacy of God over all levels of authority, like kings or even so-called gods. It also describes the majesty of God and His highest pre-eminence. We who tasted the Lord and knew His word know for sure that there is none higher or superior to Him. In the Old Testament, El Elyon occurs 28 times. It occurs 19 times in Psalms. All these references point to the fact that our God is El Elyon the Lord Most High and that there is no god, idol, or created being higher than him and God El Elyon must only be honoured and worshipped.
The name of God El Elyon is first used in Gen 14:18. We find the name used four times in Genesis 14. (v.18, v.19, v.20, v.22). What's the context? Five Kings, including Sodom and Gomorrah, were defeated in battle by four kings who eventually took all of Sodom and Gomorrah's goods and food. They also took Lot and his possessions. In Genesis 14:1-16, Abram went into a battle to rescue his nephew, Lot. Abraham only had over three hundred men and was outnumbered, but God gave Abram the victory. On the way back from victory, Abram encounters Melchizedek, the king of Salem and priest of El Elyon, The Most High God. "And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all." (Gen 14:18-20). Abram worships and pledges his allegiance to the Most High God.
We learn from this revelation of God's name. El Elyon protects and delivers us from our troubles as in vs 20. 'And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.' God allowed Abram to defeat the armies of four kings with only three hundred eighteen men. It was not the might of the men but the God Most High that granted the men the victory. God delivers us from our enemies in spite of our limitations. Our God, El Elyon, can defeat all our enemies. As we look back to the yesteryears, we all could testify the deliverances by the God Most High.
Genesis 14 mentions of El Elyon also reminds us that God created, owns, and rules the universe. 'And he blessed him, and said, Blessed, be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:.' (Gen 14:19). Everything in heaven and earth—belongs to him. Psalm 97:9a 'For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth:’. Sin has corrupted all creation; we have catastrophes like earthquakes and hurricanes, but our El-Elyon is the creator and sustainer, and He is still in control. We who know our God as El Elyon can gain strength and take refuge in Him during our time of trouble. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. There is a river; the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.’ Psalm 46:1—5 is a beautiful reminder that the whole earth can tremble, but God Elyon is our hope, help and refuge.
The name El Elyon reminds us that He alone deserves our worship. Genesis 14:20, 'And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.' Abram gave the tithe to Melchizedek a tenth of the spoils as an act of worship. God has given us life to praise El Elyon. Are you praising El-Elyon? As you worship God, never forget his supremacy and his exaltation. Psalm 7:17 'I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.’ Psalm 92:1 "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High". Like the psalmist, let us praise one who is above all – the Most High God. Let me share two examples of people who refused to give worship and allegiance to God yet have to acknowledge God is El Elyon, The Most High God.
The first example is Satan, who is merely a created being but became a rebellious angel when he wanted to be the Most High God. Isaiah 14:13-14 ‘For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.’
We know the outcome of his boastful and pride pursuit. He was thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit. It is no accident that the cause of Satan's fall was his desire to be "The God Most High." Interestingly, four times in the NT, we hear demons referring to Jesus as "The God Most High" (Mark 5:7, Luke 8:28, Luke 6:35, Acts 16:17). That makes sense because they served Satan as their God, but they also know that Jesus alone is "The Most High God." We should never forget that even Satan is under "The God Most High."
The second example is Nebuchadnezzar, a mighty king yet experienced this truth that our God is El Elyon, the Most High God. As king of Babylon, he thought of himself as all-powerful. God in His mercy allowed Nebuchadnezzar to become insane for seven years. We read this is in Daniel 4:16—17. After seven years of acting and living like an animal, Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself before God. It said: Daniel 4:34--35 ‘...I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured Him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.’ Let us give our worship and allegiance to El Elyon in humility. We can humble ourselves. 1 Peter 5:6 ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.’
Though we live in a world that worships money, status, success, power, and a host of other comfort and pleasure, we, the people belonging to God, worship and glorify El Elyon, The Most High God. El Elyon, The Highest God, alone deserves our wholehearted worship and allegiance. Psalm 57:2 says, ‘I will cry unto God most High, unto God that performeth all things for me.’ David is facing some difficult situations. He is fleeing Saul and hiding in a cave. Through it all David discovered our God is El Elyon. The God Most High who sent His only begotten son to die for your sins on the cross knows how to take care of your need too. Look up to God Most High when you are stuck in life. Trust the God most high for He who created everything will deliver you from your enemy and meet all your needs. Let us remember that God's ways are higher than our ways, and God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts. God has gone before us and knows the outcome of everything. Trust the God Elyon who is the highest and the greatest all your life.
Rev Mathews Abraham
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