Getting to Know God Through His Revealed Names - Part 2

El Elyon (El El-yone)

In Part 1 of this series, we discussed how names in the Bible were often more than just identification, but revealed some aspect of a person’s character, who they were or what was expected of them. We have seen this in name changes (Abram to Abraham, Simon to Peter), as well as names given at birth (Isaac).

God has been showing us who He is in how He reveals His names to us throughout the Bible. In the previous study, we talked about how God revealed Himself as El Shaddai (All-Sufficient One, Lord God Almighty).

In Part 2 we take a look at His revealed name, El Elyon. This name translates as The Most High God. We see the name 28 times throughout the Old Testament, and 19 of those occurrences are in Psalms.

Let’s take a look a closer look at the understanding of the name El Elyon. El is a name that means God and is often used in conjunction with other words that speak to some aspect of God’s character. Elyon is a word that translates to “Most High” and is used often throughout the Old Testament. When El and Elyon are combined, El Elyon can be translated as “the most exalted God”, God, Most High, or, “Most High God”.

We first see God reveal Himself as El Elyon in Genesis 14:18-20, where Abraham had just rescued his nephew Lot and defeated Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” -Genesis 14:18-20

In Psalm 57, King David also refers to God as El Elyon – God Most High. I will cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me.

We see that with El Elyon, God has revealed Himself as Most High, leaving no doubt that He alone is above all.

Let’s Pray:

God, you are truly El Elyon, God Most High! We thank You for revealing yourself to us throughout your Word, helping us to know you and understand truly, who You are. We pray that as we journey through this series and through our lives, that You will continue to make yourself known to us so that we will know you more personally, more deeply every day. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.