The Names Of God Series: El Elyon

El Elyon

The name of God, Elohim, is often shortened and combined with other words to portray a particular aspect of God’s character. We’ll see the richness and depth of God’s being by looking at a handful of those names this week.

Genesis 14:19-20

“Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Since the beginning of time, there has been the idea that God is up high. We look to the heavens when we pray, we lift up our hands to Him in worship and we refer to Him as exalted, which means high and lifted up. El Elyon is a name for God that is used many times in the Bible. It means “God Most High.”

Before the temple was built in Jerusalem, the Israelites worshipped in the “high places” around their homes. This was how people thought of God. The higher up you went, the closer you were to God.

I lived in the mountains of Colorado for a long time. It is an unforgettable experience to stand on a mountain top on a clear night and look at the stars. It overwhelms your senses when you suddenly become aware of how many stars there are that you never knew existed.

There is something about the higher places that induce a feeling of awe. We wonder at the stars in the sky, the planes and birds as they fly, the clouds as they float above. These all make us aware of our own limitations and of the grandness of God and His creation.

This is not by accident. God designed His creation to tell us about Himself.

Psalms 19:1

“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.”

What are they telling us about God? That He is Most High God. God is above all other beings. He is exalted. Reflect that in your prayers today and tell Him that He is Most High God.