El Elyon
The Names of God • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 20:06
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· 152 viewsGod is El Elyon. He is God Most High
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Here is our theme verse for the series. Read it with me.
17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe.
So far, in our Names of God series, we have looked at three names of God.
Elohim - God is the Mighty Creator God
Elohim - God is the Mighty Creator God
El Roi - God is the God who sees me
El Roi - God is the God who sees me
El Shaddai - God is the Almighty God
El Shaddai - God is the Almighty God
This morning, we are going to look at a name for God found in the book of Daniel. Open your Bibles to .
Nebuchadnezzar was king at this point in history and his kingdom was in control of all of the fertile crescent.
<show picture of Babylonian Empire>
His empire stretched from Israel in the east, through modern day Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait. Nebuchadnezzar was powerful. No one could stand before his military might. Whatever he said happened. He was a very powerful person. At one point, in the previous chapter of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar set up a 90 foot high golden statue of himself to be worshipped as a god. If anyone did not worship him as god, they would be killed.
If you remember, it was the three Hebrew boys Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah or as they are know by their Babylonian names, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who would defy the king’s commands and be thrown into the blazing furnace of fire. Then, Nebuchadnezzar looked and instead of seeing these three men screaming in agony as they burned alive, he saw four men, untied and walking around in the furnace. He thought that the fourth looked like a son of the gods. He released the 3 guys and made this declaration,
Daniel 4:28-
Daniel 3:
28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I issue a decree that anyone of any people, nation, or language who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump. For there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.”
Now, you might think
He even glorifies God in the beginning of chapter 4.
1 King Nebuchadnezzar, To those of every people, nation, and language, who live on the whole earth: May your prosperity increase. 2 I am pleased to tell you about the miracles and wonders the Most High God has done for me. 3 How great are his miracles, and how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
You might be tempted to think, “Well, Nebuchadnezzar has had his coming to Jesus moment.” You know that moment when our lives are turned around. However, it is amazing how quickly our hearts can deceive us and how quickly we can return to our old ways. 12 months later, just 1 year after having this encounter with God, Nebuchadnezzar is walking around and surveying the impressiveness and majesty of his kingdom.
Daniel 4:28-
28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, 30 the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great that I have built to be a royal residence by my vast power and for my majestic glory?”
Nebuchadnezzar was very proud. He attributed all that he had to his own power and abilities. Now before we start thinking that this problem of pride is unique to Nebuchadnezzar, to authority figures, or leaders, we need to remind ourselves how easy it is to stumble into pride. Some have thought that at the root of every sin is pride because it is a failure to obey God. It is thinking you know better or are better. Some have said that pride may be the original sin. In pride, Lucifer attempted to overthrow God. He became proud of his beauty and splendor. He failed to give glory to God and wanted to keep the glory for himself.
12 months later, just 1 year after having this encounter with God, Nebuchadnezzar is walking around and surveying the impressiveness and majesty of his kingdom.
At the heart of sin is pride.
At the heart of sin is pride.
It is no mistake that mankind celebrates sexual sin and immorality in a month called pride month. One of the quickest ways to fall to pride is to think that you aren’t susceptible to falling to sin. You think that you are immune to certain temptations; therefore, you are better than the ones who messed up. Pride thinks that you are better than someone else. Pride thinks “I will do it my way”, instead of submitting to God’s will. Pride thinks “I am in control”, when really, only God is in control.
One of the quickest ways to fall to pride is to think that you aren’t susceptible to falling to sin. You think that you are immune to certain temptations; therefore, you are better than the ones who messed up. Pride thinks that you are better than someone else. Pride thinks “I will do it my way”, instead of submitting to God’s will. Pride thinks “I am in control”, when really, only God is in control.
Here are some
Early indicators of pride:
Early indicators of pride:
- Frequently putting all of the attention on yourself
- Frequently putting all of the attention on yourself
- Struggling to empathize with the sorrows of others
- Struggling to empathize with the sorrows of others
- Feeling self-pity when you’re not praised
- Feeling self-pity when you’re not praised
- Constantly considering what others think of you
- Constantly considering what others think of you
- Avoiding people who are better than you at something
- Avoiding people who are better than you at something
- Easily finding flaws in others
- Easily finding flaws in others
(https://bethanygu.edu/blog/guidance/pride-will-kill-10-practical-ways-kill-first/)
We need to remember this important truth.
God humbles the proud. ()
God humbles the proud. ()
31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you. 32 You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals, and you will feed on grass like cattle for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.” 33 At that moment the message against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people. He ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
God is El Elyon. He is God Most High.
God is El Elyon. He is God Most High.
He will not allow anyone to take the glory that belongs to him. We may not be the ruler of a powerful nation, but pride can affect us as well. We can so easily take our eyes off of God and put them on ourselves. We can so easily think that we are in control. We can so easily think we can make it on our own. We can so easily think that we are better than others.
Remember, God humbles the proud.
5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. We all need God’s grace. Therefore, we need to be humble. Do you remember the history of Babylon? It is found in . Perhaps you know it by another name, the Tower of Babel. God had commanded the people to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. Man thought he knew better and began to congregate in a city. Look at what they said,
4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered throughout the earth.”
Genesis 11:4
“Let us make a name for ourselves.” Let’s build our kingdom. Let’s build our legacy. We don’t want our name to be forgotten. Let’s build a tower and put our names on it. This type of thinking even gets into the church when we think this is our church. This is not our church. This local body of believers belongs to God because we belong to God. He is El Elyon. He is in charge of it all. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
God humbled Nebuchadnezzar. God struck him with a mental disorder known as boanthropy. Literally, the person thinks they are a cow. The once powerful ruler of the mightiest nation on earth, is reduced to thinking he is cow. For seven years, the perfect amount of time, we might say it this way, “until he gets it” - until he gets that God is El Elyon; he will live with wild animals thinking he is a cow. How utterly humiliating.
This is a stark warning for us.
Humble yourself before El Elyon.
Humble yourself before El Elyon.
Look at .
34 But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified him who lives forever: For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and he does what he wants with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can block his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” 36 At that time my sanity returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and my nobles sought me out, I was reestablished over my kingdom, and even more greatness came to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens, because all his works are true and his ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
Daniel 4:34-
Nebuchadnezzar finally did what we all need to do. He realized who God is and who he is in relation to the God Most High. He realized that God is in control of all the affairs of men. He puts leaders in their position. He establishes who is in charge. No one can stand against God. God is able to humble those who walk in pride.
Let me ask you a couple of questions. How do we humble ourselves? How do we make sure that we aren’t exalting ourselves? How do we receive compliments well? How do we be sure that we aren’t taking glory from God and instead are contributing to God’s glory? I think holds a key.
7 For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it?
Recognize all we have flows from God.
Recognize all we have flows from God.
Whatever blessings you have, whether big things or small things, flows from the hand of God Most High. He is the source of all we have received. Therefore, if what I have is from God, then I have nothing to boast in except in God.
17 So let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
Brothers and sisters, I urge you this morning to repent of your pride and humble yourself before El Elyon. I have seen so many people who have refused to humble themselves and are then humbled by God. In the last few years, we have seen so many proud people fall. They thought the rules didn’t apply to them. They thought they were in charge of their lives. They thought they were better than everyone else. They thought they were powerful enough to get away with it. Let me tell you something. We may get away with it because of the failures of man’s justice systems, but we never will beat God’s justice system.
7 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap,
Galatians 6:
I urge you to confess and repent of your pride. God is El Elyon. He is the Most High God and glory belongs to him alone.
Isaiah
8 I am the Lord. That is my name, and I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.
The Reformers called this soli Deo gloria — to God alone be the glory.
Soli Deo Gloria — to God alone be the glory
Soli Deo Gloria — to God alone be the glory
If you forget everything else this morning, remember this. This is so important.
Give glory to God and take none for yourself.
Give glory to God and take none for yourself.
Benjamin Franklin said, “There is perhaps no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.”
Benjamin Franklin said, “There is perhaps no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.”
In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn't a technology problem like radar malfunction--or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship's presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late. Don’t let this be true of your life. Humble yourself before God.
Perhaps you are here this morning and you realize right now, the way you’re living, the way you do life, God is not Most High in your life. You may even believe in God’s existence, but he is not in control of your life. You were made to glorify God, but right now you are just living for yourself.
The truth is at one point in time; all of us were living our lives for ourselves. Without a personal relationship with God, we all stray away from what’s right. We stray right into danger. We are all bent towards sin. We never had to be taught to do wrong. It is just natural for us. Naturally, we are all sinners. Our sin separates us from a holy God. The evil one will try to convince you that you have to deal with your problems on your own. He will try to convince you that you’ve got to get your life straight by your own power. He will try to tell you that after what you have done, God probably doesn’t want you.
Perhaps you are here this morning and you realize right now, the way you’re living, the way you do life, God is not your One right now. You may even believe in God’s existence, but he is not your One. He wants to be your One. He loved you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to become sin for us and to die on the cross for our sins to be raised from the dead because our sin separates us from God. We’re bent away from God to do sinful things because we are sinners by nature. We need forgiveness. Jesus offers you forgiveness. Anything and everything you have ever done can be forgiven by God and you can be new. When Jesus washes away your sin, he cleanses you and he’s not only to be your Savior, but also your Lord. He is to be Lord of your life. He is to be your One. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. If you look at your life right now, how you spend your time, the way you spend your money, the way you invest your life, you would have to say, Jesus is not my Lord.
God loved you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to become sin for us and to die on the cross for our sins to be raised from the dead. Jesus offers you forgiveness. Anything and everything you have ever done can be forgiven by God and you can be new. When Jesus washes away your sin, he cleanses you and he’s not only to be your Savior, but also your Lord. He is to be Lord of your life. He is to be El Elyon, the most High God in your life. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. If you look at your life right now, how you spend your time, the way you spend your money, the way you invest your life, you would have to say, Jesus is not my Lord.
<praise team beings to play softly>
Please bow your heads and close your eyes. Today, your life can be changed. You can be forgiven. No longer will you be known by the title of sinner. You will be known as a child of God.
There are those of you here today who need God’s grace in your life. You are ready to be made new. Today, by faith, when you call on Jesus, your sins will be forgiven and you will be made new. If that is you, pray with me.
Today, your life can be changed. You can be forgiven. No longer will you be known by the title of sinner. You will be known as a child of God.
There are those of you here today who need God’s grace in your life. You are ready to be made new. Today, by faith, when you call on Jesus, your sins will be forgiven and you will be made new. If that is you, this morning, would you raise your hand?
Pray with me.
“Heavenly Father, forgive me for my sins, make me new. I ask Jesus to be my Savior and to be the Lord of my life, first in every way. My life is not my own, I give it to you. Thank you for new life. In Jesus’ name, I pray.” Amen.
In just moment, we are going to sing a song. I will be at the front of the worship center. If you need prayer, please come. Get on your knees before God and we will pray with you. Perhaps you need to come, humble yourself before God, and confess your pride. Sometimes people ask why we invite people to come forward and get on their knees before God. It is because it is an act of humility. If you won’t humble yourself here, you won’t humble yourself when you leave here. Our deacons will be coming forward to pray with you and for you. If you prayed to receive Jesus, please come and let us pray with you and celebrate your new life in Christ. If God is dealing in your heart and life right now, don’t let this moment pass.
As you stand and we sing together.
<after closing the time of invitation>
Perhaps you didn’t come forward for one reason or another, but you really do want to talk with us about what is going on in your life. Perhaps you need help, prayer, or you just want to know more about being a follower of Jesus. I would encourage you to do one of two things. After we are dismissed, just stay where you are. One of our deacons will come and talk with you and pray with you. The other thing you can do is check one of the boxes on the Connection Card. Put it in the offering plate as it passes. We will get in touch with you this week. You see, this church exists to minister to one another. We are here to support you in your walk with God.