It is with joy in our hearts
that we continue to discover together the Names of the Lord.
El Elyon occurs 28 times in the Old
Testament. Book of the Psalms has 19 references. David particularly found
personal strength in the Name. He called on the heavenly Name in the confines of
a large rocky cave and the concerns of his heart.
This is often the position of Christian
believers for our experiences are similar. Often with deep concerns in our
hearts and feeling our lives are restricted to confined places. There are
delightful times and there are difficult times in our lives. Carefree at times
– concerned at times and like David before us we have calamity is our
unwelcome companion.
57:1-11. David, when he fled from Saul in the cave, prayed, “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusted in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
In 57:2 the Name El Elyon expresses the
extreme sovereignty and majesty of God and His highest pre-eminence. (The most
exalted God). The Name of the Lord is the greatest of names that will ever pass
our lips. We honour the Name and never use it in a loose or vain way, therefore
we bless the Name, we do not blaspheme the Name. We live by the Name and we will
die by the Name.
God’s people are real people in a real
world. Like David they are aware that DANGER AND TROUBLE CAN LEAD TO TEMPTATION
AND SIN. The secret in these situations is to be conscious of the continuing and
never-changing love and PRESENCE OF EL-ELYON.
In this anxious and dangerous time for David
he was linked to and locked in to the reality of EL-ELYON. Yes he looked around
and saw Saul ready to destroy him, and he knew the land was also being invaded
by the Philistines. Danger and trouble lay in every direction. It never rains
but it pours. But he also looked up to the God of his salvation, EL-Elyon, and
was assured of the MATCHLESS MERCY of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
We like him know that all our hope and faith
is built on the matchless mercy of the Lord, El-Elyon the most exalted God.
We like David place our reliance, devotion, trust and indeed our very
lives in the mercy and magnitude of God’s love to us as born again believers
in Our Lord Jesus Christ. For as believers we have done what the man did in Luke
18:13, “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his
eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a
sinner.” We have experienced the matchless mercy of a loving and forgiving
Saviour. The mercy of the Lord has made us what we are this today. We magnify
the mercy of God in the fact that while we were still sinners Christ died for us
on Calvary’s cross. He is our personal Saviour and we are the individual
personal sinner for whom He poured out His Blood on the Cross.
David knew that all the trouble would end in
due time. There is a divine time limit on trouble temptation and sin. Every
second that passes brings us nearer to a new dimension in God’s deliverance
plan.
In the surety of the future we can find
refuge and rest and relaxation in the Shadow of His Wings.
“I WILL CRY UNTO GOD MOST HIGH.”
The Lord offers Himself to us to be trusted.
We by faith must accept that merciful offer to us and put our trust in Him.
Conscious though that He is so high and He comes so low for the good of all His
people and for each believer personally.
The Lord will help and send MERCY and TRUTH
from Heaven. He constantly supplies the helicopters of provision and protection,
and they are power winging their way through the air corridors of the heavens.
Look up from where you are today and you will see them in formation; listen and
you will hear the music of the rotor wings, Mercy -Truth – Mercy – Truth.
One does not need binoculars to read the signage for our hearts are in perfect
accord with the Most High EL-Elyon. He dashes the designs of all who would
swallow and harm David. As it was then, so it is today.
We may face the malignant malice of men which is often fierce and furious. In a Den of Lions, Teeth, Tongue, Nets, Ditches, Spear, Arrows and every malicious project against us. The very mischief David’s enemies designed would return and devour them. El-Elyon will always reverse the attacks on His people and most certainly attacks through His people on HIS GREAT NAME.