Almighty God

Almighty God

Abram was ninety-nine years old, and his wife, Sarai, still had not had the child God had promised. He found himself struggling to believe that God could still carry out his promise to make him the father of many nations. That is when the Lord appeared to him and revealed himself to Abram in a new way, using a new name: “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty’” (Genesis 17:1).

In identifying himself as El-Shaddai—God Almighty, God was assuring Abram that he has all the power he needs to do anything he wants to do, that his purposes cannot be thwarted by anything—including aging bodies. El-Shaddai can also be rendered “all-sufficient God,” expressing the sufficiency of God to fulfill his promises. El-Shaddai is the God who is able to save, able to carry out his will, able to bestow his blessings on his people, able to cause a woman beyond the age of conception to conceive.

The prophet Isaiah said that the Messiah would be called “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6). Though he would possess human nature, he would exercise absolute power. So it makes sense that the people of Jesus’ day did not immediately recognize Jesus as Messiah. He did not appear to be Almighty God. He was a human who got tired and hungry. They saw glimpses of the Almighty’s power when he exercised authority over demons and sickness and even nature. But any hopes that he was indeed the Mighty God promised by Isaiah must have vanished when he was beaten, nailed to a cross, and sealed in a tomb.

Surely the almighty, all-sufficient God would not be this weak. The people did not realize that “although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God” (2 Corinthians 13:4) and that “God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

Jesus was El-Shaddai—God Almighty—but he willingly submitted himself to the greatest power the world possesses: the power of sin and death. However, this power could not hold him. It only served God’s purposes. For “Christ is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).

Jesus, I can do everything through you who gives me strength. In fact, your power works best in my weakness. So I will not boast about my strength—I will boast about my weaknesses. Then your power can work through me. For when I am weak, then I am strong through you.