El Elyon: God Most High
Pastor Faithful Coronel
That I May Know Him • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:58:51
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Notes
Transcript
1 The Lord reigns;
Let the earth rejoice;
Let the multitude of isles be glad!
2 Clouds and darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 A fire goes before Him,
And burns up His enemies round about.
4 His lightnings light the world;
The earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declare His righteousness,
And all the peoples see His glory.
7 Let all be put to shame who serve carved images,
Who boast of idols.
Worship Him, all you gods.
8 Zion hears and is glad,
And the daughters of Judah rejoice
Because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9 For You, Lord, are most high above all the earth;
You are exalted far above all gods.
10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
Introduction
Introduction
Tayo po ngayon ay magpapatuloy sa ating pagaaral patungkol sa Pangalan ng ating Dios.
Noong nakaraan ay ating ang napakahalagang pangalan ng Dios:
YHWH (Yahweh): The LORD (All capital)
Nakita natin ang kahalagahan ng personal na pagpapakilala ng ating Panginoon bilang YAHWEH dahil nalaman natin na noon unang panahon, kahit sa panahon natin ngayon ay maraming pwedeng maging kahulugan ang salitang Dios (God) o Panginoon (Lord).
Pero ang ating Panginoon ay isang personal na Dios na naglalayon na makilala Siya at sambahin ng tao, Siya ay nagpakilala sa atin bilang YAHWEH.
Nakita din natin dito ang kahalagahan ng paggamit ng Pangalan ng ating Panginoon, na ang bawat pagsulat ng letter ng kanyang pangalan ay maaring magkaroon ng ibang pagkahulugan. Katulad ng LORD at Lord, God at god, Dios or dios, o Panginoon at panginoon.
Nakita din natin na bilang ang Dios ay si YAHWEH, ang Kanyang Pangalan ay tumutukoy din sa kanyang karakter.
Nakita natin just from the encounter of Moses to YAHWEH at Mountain of God (Horeb), ay nagpakilala na sa atin ang ating PANGINOON sa pamamagitan ng kanyang karacter.
At ngayon sa ating pagpapatuloy sa pagkilala sa ating Panginoon, ay ating titignan ang isa sa Kanyang Pangalan ang: El Elyon o God Most High.
Ang salitang ‘El’ ay isang generic word for God in Hebrew.
At ang salitang ‘Elyon’ naman ay isa ding Hebrew word na ang ibig sabihin ay ‘high’ o ‘elevated’, o ‘to ascend; to lead up; to rise’. Kaya dito ay nabuo ang salitang El Elyon.
Noong ancient time, alam naman nating napakaraming gods ang sinasamba ng ibat’-ibang nasyon.
Katulad nalang ng ‘the gods of the caananites’.
(Do not read this… just the highlight) -> more than 234 deities. Main warrior-god, Baal. council of dieities, lower level of attendant gods. Asherah, Anat and Astarte.
Ugaritic mythological tablets describe the activities of the main gods and goddesses of the Canaanite pantheon. Although there existed no single state theology, the major gods reflect local geographical concerns about the fertility of the earth and the importance of water as well as relationships to the sky and the underworld. The universe was believed to be ruled in tandem by the older god El and a main warrior-god, Baal, surrounded by a council of deities and a lower level of attendant gods. The divine council included the older generation of the god El and his wife Athirat, known in the Bible as Asherah, as well as a younger group of figures that included the war god Baal and the war goddesses Anat and Astarte. Forces of destruction included Yamm, the god of the sea (also known as Nahar, the River), and Mot, the god of death as well as burning (Resheph) and pestilence (Deber), a god described in the Bible (Habakkuk 3). In total, more than 234 deities are recorded in Ugaritic texts, and these gods, unlike humans, were thought to have eternal lives.
Kaya even noong panahon noon, ang ibang mga nation ay mayroon ding tinatawag na sarili nilang ‘el elyon’.
So ngayon, ang tanong sino ngayon ang tinutukoy na El Elyon sa Bibliya?
The word ‘El Elyon’ was first mentioned in Genesis 14 when Abraham (then Abram) rescued his nephew Lot and recovered goods stolen by an alliance of kings who attacked Sodom and Gomorrah. When Abram returned from defeating the kings who had raided these cities, the king of Salem, Melchizedek, came to meet him and thank him.
Notice the word: “God Most High” in verses 18, 19, and 20.
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said:
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”
And he gave him a tithe of all.
Dito ay makikita natin ang description ng Kanyang Pangalan: “Possessor of heaven and earth; Who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Then ang response ni Abram: He gave him a tithe of all. ( it is an acknowledgment of God’s ownership of all Abram’s possession)
Pero eto nga, babalik pa din tayo sa tanong, sinong El Elyon ang tinutukoy ng Biblia?
In the bible there are about 28 instances of God Most High. And in Psalm 97 which is our reference solidify that El Elyon in the Bible is referring to the God of Israel.
Notice how the psalmist use the name God Most High in verse 9?
“LORD Most High” or YAHWEH Elyown.
9 For You, Lord, are most high above all the earth;
You are exalted far above all gods.
This directs us to an idea that the God of Israel, the creator and possessor of heaven and earth, is the Most High God and there is non like Him. There is no other god like Him.
“I am the LORD (YAHWEH), and there is no other”
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;
There is no God besides Me.
I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
“You alone are the LORD”
6 You alone are the Lord;
You have made heaven,
The heaven of heavens, with all their host,
The earth and everything on it,
The seas and all that is in them,
And You preserve them all.
The host of heaven worships You.
The Bible is clear about the other gods:
“they have mouths: but do not speak”
“they have eyes: but do not see”
“they have ears: but do not hear”
“they have nose: but do not smell”
“they have hands: but do not touch”
“they have feet: but do not walk”
5 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
6 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
7 They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.
8 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
The God of Israel, the God of the Bible has no other. Wala syang katulad.
The question is, are you worshipping the same God of the bible? Are you?
If you are, the following are the response to the name of God Most High. Listen carefully.
Our Response to the name of God: El Elyon: God Most High.
I. Revere the Glory of the LORD
I. Revere the Glory of the LORD
1 The Lord reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad!
2 Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 A fire goes before Him, And burns up His enemies round about.
4 His lightnings light the world; The earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples see His glory.
Psalm 97:1-6 acknowledges the Lord's reign and calls for the earth to rejoice in His sovereignty. The verses depict the awe-inspiring nature of God's glory, with imagery such as clouds, darkness, fire, lightning, and mountains melting like wax. The heavens and all people are called to witness and declare His righteousness and glory.
It reminds me of the experience of the Israelites in the wilderness with Moses when Moses when up in Mount Sinai with God.
“thunderings and lightings, and a thick cloud”
16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice.
“thunderings, the lightning flashes”
18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”
The glory of the LORD demonstrated His righteousness and justice. He is the true and Almighty God who sets the rules all over the people. An idea of being Lord of all.
2 Clouds and darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘You have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves.
Though we don’t have that kind of experience just like what the Israelites experience, the glory of the LORD never cease to be known and felt.
“the heavens declare the glory of God”
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
“the whole earth is full of His glory”
3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”
In the New Testament, it tells us that Christ “is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature”
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
If we want to know what God is like, we must look to Christ, for Christ is God incarnate (Phil. 2:5–11)
In Jesus Christ’s transfiguration, Peter, James, and John have seen the literal light shining glory of God in Christ.
1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
As it says, in Rev. 21:23
23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
Now, my challenge to is this:
Do you revere the glory of God in your lives?
As verse says in 2 Cor. 3:18 (Moses’s face shines as He expose himself to the glory of God, in the same manner in our lives)
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
“glorify God in your body”
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
“The highest end for which all things exist is the glory of God. Nothing rises to a higher of importance than the glory of God.” - Dr. Steve Lawson
II. Revere the Judgement of the LORD
II. Revere the Judgement of the LORD
7 Let all be put to shame who serve carved images, Who boast of idols. Worship Him, all you gods.
8 Zion hears and is glad, And the daughters of Judah rejoice Because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9 For You, Lord, are most high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.
Psalm 97:7-9 emphasizes the judgment of the Lord. It calls for shame upon those who worship idols and boasts in carved images, exhorting them to worship the one true God. The passage affirms that the Lord is exalted above all gods and holds ultimate authority and power.
In the prior verse we already seen the radiance of God’s righteouness in His glory and presence.
And here in verse 7, the Psalmist emphasizes the righteous judgement of the LORD knowing the who God is.
30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
When God it is sin, then it is sin. Revere His Judgement because He is the Most High above everything.
Talk about LGBT
Talk about Marriage
Talk about romantic relationship (do not be unequaly yoke with the unbeliever)
Talk about first priority (God first)
Talk about humility
Talk about caring and sharing
III. Revere the Salvation of the LORD
III. Revere the Salvation of the LORD
10 You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
Psalm 97:10-12 highlights the salvation and protection offered by the Lord. It encourages those who love Him to hate evil and assures that He preserves the souls of His saints and delivers them from the hands of the wicked. The righteous are promised light and gladness, and they are called to rejoice in the Lord and give thanks for His holy name.
Tandaan natin, the LORD protects His own people. Just like the Shepherds protects his own sheep.
Not only He protects His own, he preserve His own.
These two are inseparable in the essence of God’s saving grace to us. It is all by His grace.
It is only by His grace that we were chosen.
It is only by His grace that we were responding to His call and message.
It is only by His grace that we were called ‘His own’, ‘His child’.
Church, revere the LORD in the salvation that He has graciously and unconditionally given to you.
The Psalmist says, “You who love the LORD (YAHWEH), hate evil!”
but then why o Christian, you advocate evil?
Illustrate liking and sharing immoral or ungodly post
Why you look no difference from the ungodly people: in your dress? in your speech? in your thinking?
Why do you appear to have no difference in your standing and conviction? You still enjoy parties, drinking liquor, and engaging in ungodly conversations. Why don't you give your best to God while giving your best to the world? Why do you still listen to the same music as unbelievers? Why do you continue to idolize the world? Why do you still enjoy the same ungodly things you used to enjoy? Why don't you have conviction? Why are you not sensitive? Why do you remain unchanged and untransformed?
Is God Most High in your life?
“If Christ is not all to you He is nothing to you. He will never go into partnership as a part Saviour of men. If He be something He must be everything, and if He be not everything He is nothing to you.” ― Charles Spurgeon.
If you are indeed a Christian, you will persevere, thats the promise of God to His own people.
Not only the persevance that God promises, but the future hope and glory in Christ that every true believers will experience. This give the true Christian a real and true joy in this life and life to come.
Psalm 97:11 (MBB)
11 Sa tapat ang pamumuhay ay sisinag ang liwayway,
sa dalisay namang puso maghahari'y kagalakan.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
Sabi ng iba, malungkot daw ang pagiging Kristyano, kung nalulungkot ka, iyan ay dahil hindi ka pa tunay na Kristyano. Dahil ang tunay na Kristyano ay mayroong kasiyahan na hindi kailanman kayang kunin ng sanlibutan na ito.
Kaya ang hamon sa iyo ng Salita ng Dios, Kristiano kaba? Kung ikaw ay tunay na Kristyano, nirerespeto mo ba ang Kaligtasan na ibinigay sayo ng Dios?
Pang-muni-muni at pag-isipang tanong:
Paano nagbago ang iyong pag-unawa sa pagkilala at pagsamba sa kaluwalhatian ng PANGINOON, na siyang El Elyon (Pinakamataas na Diyos)? Paano ito nakakaapekto sa iyong pag-unawa sa kanyang kapangyarihan at katuwiran sa iyong buhay?