The Most High
This week’s name is El Elyon, the God Most High. It has so much significance. We discussed how King Nebuchadnezzar came to acknowledge him as El Elyon, the Most High, one true god raised above all the false ones. But what else can we learn?
Elyon provides shelter. The name makes me think of standing on the highest mountain, sheltered in his arms. I can observe the chaos below, but I’m completely protected from it. That’s how I feel in today’s crazy world.
One who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will lodge in the shadow of the Almighty. – Psalm 91:1
Speaking of mountains, mountain can symbolize God’s administration. Consider Nebuchadnezzar’s vision and Daniel’s interpretation in Daniel 2.
. . .the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the entire earth. . . .And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. – Daniel 2:35ff, 44
Kingdoms come, and kingdoms go. But the kingdom of El Elyon will endure forever!
One more encouragement and a call to action:
32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” 33Now He was saying this to indicate what kind of death He was going to die. – John 12:32-33
Every detail of God’s salvation story is finely honed, crafted to perfection. His death on the cross was predicted here and foreshadowed when Moses lifted up the bronze serpent. Think of how many ways Jesus could have been killed. If the Pharisees had gotten their way, he would have been stoned. He could have been run through by the spear of a Roman soldier or poisoned by an assassin. How many times did a crowd try to kill him, and he calmly left?
No. El Elyon chose to be publicly humiliated, to die in the most horrific way, in order to be lifted up for the purpose of drawing all people to himself. May I live my life in such a was as to point people to him.
