Thursday, March 23, 2006

El Olam ~ "Everlasting or Eternal God"

El Olam ~ "Everlasting or Eternal God"

This name for God suggests the permanence of Deity - He is God of Past, Present, or Future. Malachi 3:6 fully confirms this name where we read that "I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O Sons of Jacob." I could end the devotional here and we could just ponder the statement: "I do not change". See, we as humans we are constantly changing our thoughts and actions. Abraham first declared God as Eternal.

Genesis 21:33, "Then, Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God."

This name was used to sum up what Abraham had learned about God in Genesis 21. Genesis 21 tells the story of Sarah's request to have Hagar and Ishmael sent away. Abraham is shocked to have God confirm this request and ask him to send away his son. Why did God make such a request?

1. It is the preparation for the Sacrifice request of Isaac in chapter 22. If Abraham still had Ishmael when asked to sacrifice Isaac, it would not have required so much faith - he would have still had another son.

2. It is a revelation about God that some things cannot be fully understood at the time the request is made by God. We later learn the understanding in Galatians 4. At that time it is explained to us that it is not natural birth that makes us God's people, it is a miraculous birth. "We are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." (Galatians 4:31) Abraham knew none of this - he just had to trust in the eternal God. Abraham came to know that as long as he did right for today, he could trust in El Olam for tomorrow.

The most recognized passage that we know regarding El Olam is Isaiah 40:28-31. Take time to read that passage again now. If you know God as El Olam, you can wait on Him or trust Him with tomorrow. This means that through prayer you can turn the future over to Him and then you can live (soar) above life.

Are you living as if God is Everlasting and In Charge? What do you need to turn over to him about your future? You can experience God's peace (Phil. 4:7) by turning over your life to El Olam.

LDJ

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