Just when you think you’ve hit rock bottom, with no future in sight, God enters the scene and fills you with new hope.
This is what He did for Abram—whom we know today as Abraham, the Father of faith.
On the strength of a promise, seventy-five-year-old Abram and his wife, Sarai, left their home for a spiritual adventure—without a road map, not knowing where God was leading them.
Abram journeyed to Egypt and returned a wealthy man—and a tither. Then the Lord, through a dynamic revelation, told Abram his seed would be numerous as the stars. (Genesis 15:5)
This meant he would have children. But how could this be, since he was old and his wife, Sarai, was well past her childbearing years?
Anxious and tired of waiting, the barren couple thought they would help God’s promise along by having Abram father a son by Hagar, the Egyptian handmaiden of Sarai. They named the boy Ishmael.
However, this wasn’t what God had in mind, and the family chaos which followed proved this to be true.
Then, when Abram was ninety-nine years old:
“The LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Genesis 17:1)
Abram had known God as Creator (Elohim) and as Jehovah. In fact, in this verse, when “the LORD appeared,” the Hebrew word used is Jehovah. But when God declares, “I am the Almighty God,” Abram is introduced to a name with which he is unfamiliar.
This was El Shaddai-El means “God,” and Shaddai is “my Supplier,” “my Nourishment.” In this life-changing encounter:
“Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:3-4)
God revealed Himself as El Shaddai, the One who is all sufficient.
There is always perfect order in God’s kingdom. We first meet Him as Creator (Elohim), then as our Lord God of covenant (Jehovah) and now as our Provider (El Shaddai)—our all-sufficient Nourisher and Satisfier who supplies more than enough.