Genesis-56-God Almighty

God's word is from Genesis chapter 17, verses 1 to 8.

 

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.’ Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: ‘As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.’” Amen.

 

13 Years of Silence: Abram's Life

Genesis 17:1, which we read together today, naturally connects with the end of chapter 16. Chapter 16, verse 16 concludes: "Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called his name Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram." Abram's age is given as 86. And do you remember Genesis 17:1, which we just read? Abram's age is mentioned there too: "When Abram was ninety-nine years old..." How many years passed in an instant? A long period of 13 years passed between a single line in the Bible. I briefly wonder what it would be like if life were condensed like this.

 

My interest is this: How did Abram live during those 13 years? The Bible is silent about that period. This tells us that the Bible selectively shows important moments from God's perspective, instead of recording everything. However, that doesn't mean we can't infer anything about Abram's 13 years. Through God's first words to Abram at the beginning of chapter 17, we can infer what kind of life he lived after Ishmael's birth.

 

"Walk Before Me and Be Blameless": The Essence of Faith

In verse 1, God says to Abram: “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.” Two commands appear here. The first is "walk before Me," and the second is "be blameless."

 

First, the meaning of "walk before Me" becomes even clearer when compared to expressions used for other biblical figures. Genesis describes Enoch as "Enoch walked with God," and as a result, he did not see death but was taken up to heaven. Noah is also recorded as having "walked with God." However, there is a crucial difference between Enoch, Noah, and Abram. For Enoch and Noah, it states a past fact, "he walked with God," while for Abram, it is a command, "walk with Me." What does this difference mean? It means that Abram had not yet fully walked with God. Isn't it because he had shortcomings that God commanded it? If he had been doing well, God would have praised him, saying, "Abram, you are already one who walks with Me." But the command "walk with Me" shows that there were areas in his life that needed correction.

 

So what exactly does "walking with God" mean? Of course, it means having an intimate relationship with God, but Hebrews explains it with a clearer word. Hebrews 11, the chapter on faith, says about Enoch: "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him away." And it testifies about his life before he was taken: "for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God." So, what was expressed as 'walking with God' in Genesis is explained as 'pleasing God' in Hebrews. And Hebrews 11:6 begins: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him..." Combining these verses leads to a clear conclusion: Walking with God is pleasing God, and pleasing God is possible only by faith. Ultimately, the core of walking with God is 'living by faith.' But the fact that Abram received the command "walk before Me" shows that there was something lacking in this journey of faith.

 

The second command, "be blameless," is also in the imperative form. Compared to Abram, what about Noah? Genesis declares, "Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations." The word 'perfect' used here is the same word used for Abram. This word is often translated as 'Blameless' rather than 'Perfect' in English Bibles. This is because in the Old Testament, this word was primarily used for sacrifices. Like 'a lamb without blemish' or 'an ox without blemish.' When a sacrifice is without blemish, it does not mean moral perfection, but rather that it was 'set apart' as holy for God to receive.

 

Therefore, 'perfect' or 'blameless' refers less to a state of human moral integrity and much more strongly to being completely set apart for God, becoming His possession. From this perspective, the fact that Abram received the command to 'be blameless' suggests that he was not living as one fully set apart for God. Simply put, Abram's faith was not yet 'complete.' We call Abram a 'man of faith,' even 'the father of faith.' But if we look closely at his life, and as we can see from God's command today, his faith was a continuous 'work in progress,' constantly growing and wrestling. There were always shortcomings, and today's text shows us what those shortcomings were and how God fills them.

 

El Shaddai: God Who Makes the Impossible Possible

How will God solve this problem? The first clue to the answer lies in His name. God introduces Himself as "I am Almighty God." Unfortunately, when we hear the phrase 'Almighty God,' we vaguely think of Him as 'one who can do anything.' While not wrong, this expression is used in the Bible in a much more specific context. In Exodus 6:3, God says to Moses: "I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name YHWH I was not known to them." This does not mean they did not know the name 'YHWH.' They called on the name of YHWH every time they built an altar. The meaning of this verse is that in the era of the patriarchs, among God's many attributes, His 'almightiness' was particularly emphasized.

 

So when and how did that 'almightiness' manifest itself? It was in the context of promising offspring. Abram and Sarai could not have children, and the same was true for Isaac and Rebekah. God's 'almightiness' was precisely manifested in His ability to give life and grant children of promise in these impossible situations.

 

Of course, Abram did not have no children at all. Besides Ishmael, he had six more sons through his concubine Keturah, totaling eight sons. But the Bible focuses not merely on blood descendants but on the 'child of promise.' This child of promise is important because it connects to the first gospel in Genesis 3, where the 'seed of the woman' would crush the serpent's head, ultimately referring to Jesus Christ. The Bible is not a collection of various books, but rather a meticulously woven book leading towards one grand story.

 

This is the point Abram is missing right now. He is not a person without faith. He believed God, and he was justified by that faith. He also believed that God would give him descendants. But there was a critical misunderstanding in his faith. For the past 13 years, he had believed that Ishmael was the promised child. When we later see him praying to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!" we can understand where his heart had been for 13 years.

 

Ishmael was a son obtained by human means, in consultation with his wife Sarai. Abram may have thought that God's will was accomplished through his own plan. However, God clearly says, "No." This is because the essence of faith is to rely solely on God, but Abram was relying on Ishmael, a son obtained by his own methods, rather than on God's promise itself. His faith remained in the visible results, not in God's almightiness. Now, to correct this faith, God breaks 13 years of silence and comes to him.

 

The Essence of Prayer: Intimacy with God

Abram's situation is exactly like ours when we forget the essence of faith and cling only to the forms of religious life. Let's take prayer as an example. We believe in the power of prayer, and we know that God listens to our prayers. So we pray diligently.

 

But a truly interesting phenomenon is that many people who are confident in prayer's answers quickly forget what they prayed for. They might remember very important prayer requests, but most just pass through their minds. Those who asked for prayer forget, and those who were asked to pray also forget. Why is that? While they believe God will answer, when they receive the answer, they tend to take it for granted rather than deeply internalizing that it was God's abundant grace.

 

When they were in poor health, they prayed earnestly to be healed, but once their health recovers, they return to their daily lives as if nothing happened. When finances are difficult, they only wish for their bank account to be full, but once the problem is solved, that's the end of it. The true meaning of prayer, that is, the essence that prayer should pursue, becomes irrelevant.

 

What is the essence of prayer? It is not about obtaining answers as a result. The true purpose of prayer is to come into the most intimate place with God, and in that process, to realize who God is and who we are before Him. The joy and delight of drawing near to God are the most precious fruits that should remain within us after prayer. But we often leave nothing behind except 'what we received,' and sometimes we even forget why we prayed so earnestly.

 

Abram was also missing the essence of faith in this way. The essence of faith is not based on my abilities or conditions. Rather, the core of faith is admitting that I can do nothing and completely entrusting myself to God and relying on Him. Therefore, growing in faith does not mean that my inner ability called 'faith' grows, but that I have learned to rely more deeply on God. For the past 13 years, Abram had strayed from this essence, living by relying on Ishmael, the product of his human efforts.

 

What he missed was the truth that 'God works at the very moment when I can do nothing.' God, who makes the impossible possible—this is why He revealed His name as "El Shaddai," which means "Almighty God."

 

The Meaning of El Shaddai: One Who Gives Life to the Dead and Calls Things That Are Not

There is a hymn called 'El Shaddai,' written and composed by Michael Card and sung by Amy Grant, which has been much loved. Its lyrics beautifully encapsulate Israel's history of salvation within the name 'El Shaddai.' God is the 'Almighty One,' that is, 'one who calls things that are not as though they were, and gives life to the dead.' This is not just my interpretation; Romans 4:17 testifies to it precisely.

 

"as it is written, 'I have made you a father of many nations'—in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;"

 

This is the meaning of 'El Shaddai.' God promised Abram, "You shall be a father of many nations," but Abram's reality was a 'dead state,' without hope of having a child of promise. It is precisely there that God's power to call forth life is the essence of His 'almightiness.'

 

This is the essence of faith that not only Abram but all of us today must grasp. We too easily rely on what we have. We think what we have is everything, and when it disappears, we tremble with anxiety and are completely shaken. In the face of a great crisis like the pandemic, or a dwindling bank account, we easily crumble. That's why the name of God, 'El Shaddai,' is as desperately needed by us today as it was by Abram 4,000 years ago. At the very moment when our lives feel dark and insignificant, the name we must remember is 'El Shaddai.'

 

Otherwise, we will risk our lives for trivial things and be content with things that will soon pass away. Like Abram, who was content with his Ishmael, we might settle for small, visible achievements in front of us and forget the eternal and wonderful blessings God has prepared for us.

 

I want to share a quote from C.S. Lewis in his famous lecture, 'The Weight of Glory.'

 

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

 

We are too easily satisfied with occasional dining out, interesting TV programs, stable jobs, and newly purchased smartphones. However, we forget how to be truly satisfied with God alone.

 

Name Change: New Identity, Everlasting Inheritance

Therefore, God began a work of changing Abram's entire life, beyond merely giving him the child of promise, because he had missed the essence of faith. God first revealed His name, and then changed Abram's name.

 

Abram (Ab + ram) means 'exalted father,' which is a very good meaning. However, his new name, Abraham, is actually closer to a new name created by God by combining words that did not exist in Hebrew. 'Ab' still means 'father,' but 'raham,' which follows, seems to be derived from the word 'hamon,' meaning 'multitude' or 'crowd.' So, its literal meaning is 'father of a multitude,' that is, 'a father with many descendants.'

 

'Exalted father' versus 'father of many nations'—which sounds more impressive? Clearly 'exalted father.' His wife Sarai's name also means 'my princess.' Her husband is 'exalted' and his wife is 'princess,' how well do they match! But God also changed Sarai's name to Sarah. In fact, 'Sarai' and 'Sarah' both mean 'princess,' so the meaning itself has not changed much.

 

However, the Bible does not limit the meaning of a word to its dictionary definition. God calls Sarah the 'mother of nations' and declares Abraham the 'father of many nations.' Beyond the literal meaning of the name, God redefined it to encompass the covenant and purpose He would fulfill through that name.

 

This name change carries immense significance. Later, Jacob also received a new name, 'Israel,' but the Bible continues to use both Jacob and Israel interchangeably thereafter. Abraham, however, is different. The Bible never again refers to him as 'Abram' after he received his new name. This signifies a complete break with his past identity and a declaration that his entire remaining life would be determined by the covenant contained in his new name, 'Abraham.'

 

Within that name is the promise, "I will make you exceedingly fruitful." Here, the word 'exceedingly' (me'od, H3966, מְאֹד) is repeated twice for emphasis, meaning 'exceedingly, exceedingly' fruitful. Of course, he had a total of eight sons, and their descendants formed nations, so it is true that he became the father of many nations. But would God's promise of 'exceedingly, exceedingly' stop at just that? His descendants did not become the ancestors of powerful nations like Egypt or Persia. So, what then does this tremendous promise of fruitfulness truly mean?

 

The promise of 'exceeding fruitfulness' that Abraham would receive is deeply connected to Romans 4, which we just examined. Let's look closely at verse 16 this time.

 

"Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all."

 

This verse explains God's amazing plan. Becoming an heir of Abraham is possible only through 'grace' and 'faith.' This is because God did not limit His promise to Abraham's physical descendants, that is, Israel under the Law. God desired that the promise extend to 'all who follow Abraham's faith.'

 

And Paul declares, "Abraham is the father of us all." To whom has this promise extended? To all who have the same faith as Abraham—that is, to you and me.

 

Honestly, saying 'we are descendants of Admiral Yi Sun-sin' might resonate more deeply than saying 'we are descendants of Abraham.' However, what the Bible declares is truly astonishing. The covenant God made with Abraham, all the inheritance He intended to give him, we too now fully enjoy as Abraham's spiritual descendants. This is a glory incomparable even to inheriting the entire universe.

 

All this was accomplished not through Isaac, Abraham's physical descendant, but ultimately through the promised descendant. The culmination of that promise is Jesus Christ. When we believe in Jesus, we become children of God in Christ and heirs who receive that eternal promise prepared before the foundation of the world.

 

Yet, we often despair, saying, 'I'm from a humble background,' or 'my life is nothing but hardship,' simply because we are a little sick, struggling, or lacking in this world. But if we consider the eternal inheritance we have received, can the sufferings of this world even compare?

 

Sometimes we lose everything, even our closest friends leave our side, and we fall into deep loneliness where we can confide in no one. At that very moment, who is Jesus Christ to us? What is God promising us? That promise is not about things that will eventually disappear in this world. It is a promise that we will enjoy eternal joy with the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ.

 

The Beginning of Faith: Complete Reliance

The power of El Shaddai, who "gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were," shines brightest here. The "exceeding fruitfulness" promised to Abraham actually began with "death" and "nothingness." This is the core of faith that Abraham missed. He forgot that he had to start from 'nothing,' and tried to start from 'what he had' (Ishmael).

 

This is also why we find living out our faith difficult. We keep trying to start with something we possess. However, no matter how much we refine and beautify what we have and present it, saying, "God, I offer my best," the best we, as sinners, can offer falls short of God's standard. Even the purest mother's love harbors a selfish side towards her own children; how much less can we rely on anything else we possess?

 

Therefore, true faith does not begin with "Lord, I will humble myself," but with the confession, "Lord, I am one in whom no humility can be found." For some, this can be a painful blow to their pride. The word 'sinner' can be offensive. However, for those who know they are nothing, the fact that they can come to God just as they are, with nothing else to offer, becomes an amazingly wonderful gospel.

 

In the world, qualifications are needed for anything you do. A good university, a good job, money, connections—you need something 'to show' so you won't be ignored. But God is the only one who loves and accepts us when we have nothing to offer, no, when we have nothing but 'sin' to give.

 

A Puritan elder of faith was once asked, "I want to draw near to God, but what should I offer Him? I want to give Him everything I have." He replied, "My dear brother, the only thing we have to bring before God is our sin."

 

God does not wait for us to be ready. He doesn't say, "Come when you've been a good church-goer," or "Come when you can sing a hymn." He tells us to come just as we are, with nothing but our sin to offer. And He embraces us and makes us His children. So, how can we not go to Him?

 

The one who transforms this death into life, this sin into righteousness, is the promised descendant, Jesus Christ. Therefore, faith is not an attempt to do something ourselves, crying out, "Lord, save me!" but a complete reliance, saying, "Lord, I can only rely on You. I can do nothing with what I have." Because this is the beginning of faith, the Bible calls Jesus the 'author and perfecter of our faith.'

 

Holy People of God: Our New Name

And so, our name has been changed. We are no longer beings forgotten in history or owners of nameless graves. We have a name that cannot be erased even if the universe forgets us: 'Holy People of God.' Our Last Name has become the same. We are all sons and daughters of God, belonging to His family. Even more astonishingly, God has placed the title 'Holy,' or 'Saint,' before each of our names.

 

If we were to call each other 'Holy Deacon Kim,' or 'Holy Saint Park,' would we truly quarrel and slander as easily as we do now? Would gossip like "Holy Deacon So-and-so, you know what he did?" be possible? Probably not. We are those who have received that very name.

 

Beloved saints, we are now 'Holy So-and-so,' marked with the traces of Jesus, and have become the fragrance of Jesus. Therefore, if you have realized what your name is, do not despair, saying, "I am a shameful person unworthy of this holy name." Do not be disappointed or frustrated. Instead, proclaim like this every time:

 

"Yes, Lord. I am incapable of bearing this holy name. That is why I need Almighty God, El Shaddai, my Lord Jesus Christ!"

And rise again, empowered by Christ.

 

Let us pray.

 

Dear Lord, we confess again that we live solely by You. We confess that we rejoice in You alone. We confess that we take another step today, relying on You.

Therefore, Lord, my El Shaddai, my Almighty God.

Please come to this place where I am stuck, where I can do nothing, where I confess I have nothing but greed in my hands and sin in my heart.

And raise us up again, enabling us to overcome death and walk into eternal life, and to see Your power that creates what is from what is not.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.