The Presence of El-Shaddai

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE PRESENCE OF EL-SHADDAI

Gen 35:6-15

6 Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7 There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel, because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother. 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel. So it was named Allon Bacuth.   9 After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel. 11 And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you." 13 Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him. 14 Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.  

NIV

Although we see Jacob was visited by someone referred to as a man, he wrestled with God, for that is what the name Israel means. Yet God visits him again and confirms that he will no longer be Jacob; his name will be Israel. This time, God makes sure Israel knows it is El-Shaddai, God Almighty, the creator of all that is created, who has changed his name. Once again, we see these two words, fruitful and multiple, used together, which may imply that God intended Israel's fruitfulness to mean an increase in numbers. However, he already had eleven of the twelve tribes, leaving Benjamin the only one left for Rebekah to give birth to. If being fruitful meant gaining something material, Israel already had more possessions than he could ever need. The Hebrew word translated as fruitful means bearing fruit, showing fruitfulness. This must refer to a person's character, not simply increasing in number, which the other word means directly. This is the work of the Holy Spirit within those who accept Jesus. He changes our character and our name. Once we were called lost, but now we are called found. Once we were called sinners, but now we are called saints. Once we were orphans, living without God, but now we are called children of God, for we have been adopted into his family. Of course, Israel became the father of those twelve tribes, from whom the Messiah, the Lion of Judah, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, was to come. He gave Israel the land he had given to Abraham and Isaac. This is historic, and that land is theirs forever, or at least to the end of this age. We have been promised another land within the kingdom of God. A new city is coming down from heaven, our inheritance, where we will spend eternity in the presence of El-Shaddai.