We continue our series of word study. This week we will be looking into a Hebrew word that denotes a specific name of God.
Names are important. They serve to identify ourselves. Aspirationally, they carry the hope that we will embody the meaning of our names. For our church, one particular name which we hold dear is “Shaddai”.
El-Shaddai, the Name of God
The proper noun, El-Shaddai, אֵ֤ל שַׁדַּי , occurs 9 times in the bible, mostly in the book of Genesis. It is translated as “God Almighty” in the English bible. It is the name that was known, and used by, the patriachs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) because at that point of time God’s covenant name, Yahweh, had not yet been revealed.
“And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” (Exodus 6:3).
In these contexts, El-Shaddai was used in association with the patriachal blessings.
Shaddai, the Title of God
The remaining 39 times that the word Shaddai ( שַׁדַּי ) occurs it is used in the sense of a title rather than being a name of God. It is translated simply as, “Almighty”. What’s interesting is that the title Shaddai occurs 31 times in the book of Job itself, which is approximately 65%.
There are 3 main descriptions of the title Shaddai that we see being used in the book of Job.
1) God being described as the perfect Shaddai.
“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?” - Job 11:7
“Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.” - Job 37:23
2) God being described as the Shaddai judge.
“This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty” - Job 27:13
“Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.” - Job 34:12
3) God being described as the merciful Shaddai.
“If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;” - Job 8:5
“If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.” - Job 22:23
Shaddai, the Church of God
As the church who bears the name and title of God, we carry the great responsibility to live out the glory of God.
- Do we, as a church, truly believe that He is perfect and, thus, the greatest treasure that we possess? (Matt 13:44)
- Do we, as a church, make a stand against wickedness and stand for what is righteous because God is an incorruptible judge.
- Do we, as a church, recognise that God is merciful and we, therefore, need to run to Him for forgiveness for our sins. And that we, as recipients of this great mercy, have been commissioned by Jesus Himself to tell the world of His great mercy.
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