Almighty God

Genesis 35:11, 12 Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”

This is the second time God introduces Himself as God Almighty. The first time was with Abraham (17:1) and now to Jacob. Both the instances have a common thing that is it was not the first time God speaks with them. The first time it was that I am your God but now God wants to introduce Himself as God Almighty which means I can do everything. But both these men had limited God’s abilities in their lives. Abraham did not think God can bring descendants through himself and his wife. God proved his might in Abraham’s multiplication by bringing forth a seed and a covenant.

This covenant is everlasting and God desires similar relationships with us to establish His being Almighty. God’s only intention is that we should have eternal life and live with Him. We can read this in 17:8. But we do not even try to go there. All we need is temporary solutions and pleasures. We should grow up to understand these do not matter.

In Genesis 35:12, we read that God giving the land of Canaan to Jacob personally. Jacob had good riches but God wanted Jacob to own Canaan completely which he was not working towards. So God mentions that “I am God Almighty. Go and own the land”. God wants us to be victorious completely and our life in this earth should be completely overcome. Satan, flesh or the earth should not have any authority in our life. For this victory God says “I am mighty and available for you to live that perfect life”. We need to have sufficient faith so that God is seen victorious.

In Jacob’s case he was well settled according to the world’s eyes. Jacob had eleven sons, sufficient property and money. But God still wanted Jacob to be fruitful and multiply. Jacob was multiplying well but he was not fruitful. God wants a fruitful person to multiply. Abraham was good at ninety nine years as he fell down at the Lord’s feet. Jacob chose to wrestle instead. Being fruitful in Jacob’s case should be that all the children are raised wear Godliness and discipline. But that was not what Jacob did. He was partial towards Joseph and ignored everybody including Benjamin. Jacob was silent when Dinah was violated. When children became violent and bad, Jacob did not do much about it. God wants us to be responsible parents first and that would be the first step of being fruitful. Multiplying without fruits is dangerous for the good children. Even in Christendom, if we plan to grow our ministry or plan new activities in church without proper fruits, it would not just spoil but be a disgrace to all our actions.

The other indication that Jacob did not understand God’s covenant is that he went to Rachel to multiply his family and lost her. He sincerely hoped that Benjamin was the chosen son and so named him “son of my right hand”. But God has chosen Judah already. The problem here also was that Jacob had limited God’s ability that God would only give him more children but not good descendants or nations. God had promised kings to come out of Jacob’s blood. But in the next chapter (Genesis 36) we read about Esau’s expansion and kings who come out of him. This is an indication that material and worldly blessings are not from God Almighty. In Chapter 37 we see a son who Jacob cherished is sold. In the next chapter we read how God had to kill sons of Judah who was God’s chosen one. These events are opposite to what Esau was seeing in his life. God disciplines and corrects us because we need to be fruitful.

In both cases of Abraham (17:22) and Jacob (35:13) we read that God left them and went above. This is how God wants to win. God promises that He will be present in a supportive way and wants us to bring that victory or product to Him. There is no profit if God uses His own authority and power for our victory and we do not participate. A good leader ensures that every follower participates and wins.

In the book of revelation we read the term Almighty in multiple instances. Twice we read it as “Who is, Who was and Who is to come.” In Rev 1:8 God adds the term I am the beginning and the end. God is the mighty person in our life. His power created us and His power saved us. Now we are sustained in His power and when he comes again as a Judge, He still will be almighty through our victory. The beginning is His and the end is His and both are eternal. We are living in a temporary small period that is in the middle where God wants us to make the right decisions. In Rev 4:8 we read the important character of the Almighty God as HOLY, HOLY and HOLY. His might is displayed when we who share glory with Him would become worthy.

Amen.