El Shaddai When God (Gen. 17:1) would assure Abraham, who, with Sarah his wife, was past age, by nature, to have a child, that he should beget a son of promise, He said, "I AM EL SHADDAI," that is "GOD ALMIGHTY," hence "GOD ALL ABLE," hence, again, GOD ALL SUFFICIENT, i. e. to accomplish what He had promised. It was this Name that made Abraham "strong in faith," and "fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able (SHADDAI) also to perform " (Ro. 4:21). EL SHADDAI is the ROCK on which as believers we stand as to the reality of the Scrip- ture record concerning the past; its promises concerning the present; and its hope concerning the future. EL SHADDAI is ALL SUFFICIENT, FOR ALL HIS PROMISES. "HIKANOS" In several Greek versions, once current among the Jews and early Christians "SHADDAI," is translated "HIKANOS," a frequent word in the New Testament. John said (Mt. 3:11) "Whose shoes I am not worthy (hikanos) to bear." The Centurion said (Lk. 7:7), "neither thought I myself worthy (hikanos);" and Paul (I Co. 15:9), "which am not meet (hikanos) to "be called an apostle," and (II Co. 3 :5) "our sufficiency (hi- kanos) is of God." Now we read (Col. 1:12) of GOD the FATHER that HE "hath made us meet ("hikanosanti") to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light," that is, then, to be "worthy," to be "sufficient." And this is what it means when it says (Col. 2:10) "And ye are complete in Him;" for to Him "All power is given," and He is Himself, thus, EL SHADDAI; and "in Him (Col. 1:19) all the fullness (which is EL SHAD- DAI) dwells," and "we in Him," however unworthy in ourselves, are "meet," "worthy," "sufficient," "hikanos ;" and however imperfect, defective, and incomplete, are "complete." He has been to Us All Sufficient in the closing year, He will be All Sufficient for us in the coming year; and, if we meet Him before its close, He is EL SHADDAI to us, in us, and for us, to present us hikanos, all-worthy IN HIS SIGHT; worthy to dwell under the same roof with Him (Lk. 7:7) in the Father's house; meet to in- herit the same kingdom with Him (Col. 1:12); and worthy to bear His sandals (Mt. 3:11) in grateful service through endless days of holy bliss. In this confidence let us walk, that He who hath begun the good work in us will finish it in the day of Jesus Christ; and present us holy, un- rebukable, and unreprovable in His sight; being fully persuaded that what He hath promised He is able to perform, and that what we have committed to Him He is able to keep, and to present us faultless in the presence of His glory. " "To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Lord God Almighty, the EL SHADDAI, of Abraham, the Lord Jesus of the Apostles of the New Covenant make us strong in faith, and strong in Thee, worthy, meet and sufficient, for Thy service, and Thy fellowship; and the presence of Thy glory hereafter. Friend, do you believe that He can do it? But stay—do you believe that He will do it? Aye? Ah, but do you believe that He HAS done it?
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