CELEBRATING EL-ELYON

And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything – Genesis 14:20

Today, we are celebrating El Elyon – the Most High, the Highly Exalted One of Israel! The word “elyon” is an adjective which derives from the Hebrew root ‘lh, meaning to “go up” or “ascend.” It denotes that which is highest or uppermost. It is used to describe the height of objects; the prominence of persons (Psa.89:27); or the prominence of Israel as a nation (Deut.28:1).

With reference to the Almighty God, the compound name, “El-Elyon” stresses His highest supremacy – “the Extremely-Exalted, Sovereign, High God” – “I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me” (Psa.57:2). Also, “When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.” (Deut.32:8). And again, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psa.91:1).

El-Elyon is aptly translated “God Most High” or “Most High God”! It first occurs four times in Genesis 14:18-22, describing the occasion when Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine to celebrate Abram’s military victory. Abram's nephew and other residents of Sodom had been kidnapped as slaves, a prize of war, by a coalition of Macedonian kings that has conducted raids in the region. Abram gathered his men, staged a night-time raid on the unsuspecting armies, and rescued both the kidnapped Sodomites as well as all the booty which had been plundered from the city. On the road back to his home in Hebron, Abram came to Salem and met her king, Melchizedek. He was also Priest of the Most High (El Elyon)!

Melchizedek – whose name means “king of righteousness” – blessed Abram as “Abram of God Most High…” (v.19). Abram went on to describe the LORD as “…God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth” (v.22). In the same Spirit, I celebrate El-Elyon, the Creator and Possessor of heaven and earth; He who is totally supreme over everything in earth and heaven. This is trumpeted by the Psalmist: “Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD— that you alone are the Most High over all the earth” (Psa.83:18). Even the New Testament (Luke 2:14) echoes the same: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” – pointing ultimately to the Lord JESUS!

“He will be great, and will be called the SON of the HIGHEST; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David…. And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the POWER of the HIGHEST will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:32,35).