October is the Month of Divine Victory or Divine Triumph, symbolized by Divine Palm Fronds
Revelations 7:9-10
After this, I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
-Expect old and stubborn challenges to be easily resolved in the coming days
– Expect songs of victory from unusual quarters
– Expect the fulfillment of the word of God regarding personal relationships and marital settlements
– Expect prophecies relating to houses and children to be fulfilled
– Expect a strong wind of change in personal fortunes and behavioural issues
– Focus on strategy and growth for your businesses, ministry, investments, and endeavours
– Double-check all transactions, investigate potential fraud and pitfalls
– The hand that has always done great things but suddenly went limp or feeble will be made strong again
– There is a strong explosion of supernatural and spiritual experiences and encounters
– Expect the manifestation of supernatural miracles and ministers with healing as their strength
– The truth shall find strong expressions, as many nations will reset their agendas after serious crashes and bursts of deceitful bubbles
– Attempts of vultures to feed on a living calf will be thwarted
– International wars will experience a strong push and will become sluggish in their rise
– Expect a deep cleansing fire in the multicoloured movement of the misguided
– Announce to those in Rephidim, I have brought more than enough water to quench their thirst
– Be very wary of snakes (people with bad vision but sharp tongues honed for slander and full of poison). Since they cannot see the future or see beyond the present, these people stick out their tongues intermittently to sense the direction of the wind. They do this by paying attention to people’s speeches and communications to determine where they are leaning and then try to persuade them against their convictions by speaking bile and vile words in their ears.
– Expect reconciliation of values with common sense and a dismantling of false premises based on shifty foundations
– There will be a revitalization of almost extinct animals and plants
– Expect cures and outstanding achievements in the corridors of medicine
– Let it be a month of THE MOST HIGH GOD
El-Elyon: The King who Makes kings
The first use of this name for God is found in Genesis 14, when Abraham (then Abram) rescued his nephew Lot and recovered goods stolen by an alliance of kings who attacked Sodom and Gommorrah When Abram returned from defeating the kings who had raided these cities, the king of Sodom and the king of Salem, Melchizedek, came to meet him and thank him.
Then Melchizedek, the king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Much mystery hovers around Melchizedek, a priest of El Elyon. It is clear, however, that the Most High God, the Creator, was known and worshiped by others besides Abram. Abram’s God was recognized as the God of all. Other scriptures also reveal the weight of El Elyon’s name. He not only fights battles but also gives shelter, protects, judges, and vindicates. Those who trust him find rest and deliverance.
These four scriptures testify to these characteristics.
1. “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust
2. “The LORD thundered from heaven, the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning, he routed them” (2 Samuel 22
3. “But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High” Psalm 78:17
4. “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me. God sends forth his love and his faithfulness” Psalm 57:2-3
The name El Elyon teaches us that God is the One true, most powerful God. He’s the God who splits the sea, calms the storm, and is worthy of our worship. When I think of God as El Elyon, I feel safe, but I also think of the first commandment. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.
Though we live on the other side of the cross, this command still holds wisdom and precedence. Nothing can hold importance above God in our hearts. He must be the God Most High over anything we may put before him. The gods of this age aren’t shiny little statues. It’s not that simple. Our gods come in the form of finances, jobs, family, or success.
David referenced this idea at the end of Psalm 139. David prays, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”
“Offensive” is actually “idolatrous.” David prayed to have no idols in his life, for God to be his El Elyon.
This name occurs either as God Most High, the Lord Most High, the Most High God (Gen 14) or simply the Most High (Dan 4) or the Highest. The main thing that it expresses is the supremacy of God over all. There is none higher or superior to Him. In this world, we are familiar with levels of authority found in companies, organisations, and governments. We see people trying to climb up the corporate ladder to reach the topmost positions. We see politicians running for elections for the highest posts in government. We see kingdoms and nations vying to become superpowers with economic or military power.
The name El Elyon designates God as being way above every position of authority in heaven and in earth, higher than the greatest monarchs who have ruled mighty empires in the past, and higher than the most powerful politicians and presidents of today’s world. How comforting it is to know that in our troubled world, the Most High God is still ruling and overruling all things. Despite the threat of war and terrorism, we know that God is at the helm, in full control of all the events. Rulers may propose whatever they wish, but the Most High God will dispose, according to His sovereign will, which will prevail. The name El Elyon is, therefore a name that speaks of God’s supreme exaltation above all earthly authority.
The name El Elyon also describes the Lord Jesus Christ in His exalted state as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to whom ‘every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’
Jesus Himself said, ‘All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. And it may not be long now before we see Jesus Christ returning to earth to subdue all authority and establish His worldwide rule. Revelations 11:15 speaks of that blessed era with these words: ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.’ And so the name El Elyon looks forward to the establishment of this future reign of God over all the world. However, there have already been many manifestations of God’s supremacy and authority over all in the past.
El Elyon rules over Times, Seasons and History.
A. Giving Abraham Victory Over the Most Powerful Kings of His Time
The very first time that this name of God appears, is in Genesis 14 – the account of Abrahams victory over the invading forces of powerful kings who came from the east. Let us turn to this chapter and read the first two verses ‘And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.’
This conflict of four kings against five came about as a result of the rejection of the authority of former confederacy of kings by the latter group. The five kings in the west were under the power of the four eastern kings for 12 years. Then they rebelled against their overlords (v.4), prompting the outraged kings to come against them. This brought about a war which would be considered in those days to be a world war. All this took place about 4000 years ago, and it shows that world politics then was no different from what it is today – We had two world wars within the last century! The outcome of it was the re-establishment of supremacy by the four eastern kings. They were the clear victors in the conflict, basking in their supremacy and might. With such obvious political supremacy that these powerful kings enjoyed, who would dare to challenge them now?
Only one man – Abraham! Abraham was the most unlikely candidate of all. He was not a king at all, nor even a man of war. He was a shepherd with no experienced soldiers nor special powerful weapons to boast of. All he had was 318 servants who helped him in his work of shepherding the sheep, whom he now armed with ordinary weapons – probably swords, spears and bows – which he carried just to defend himself and his flock against thieves and robbers. Abraham had no ambitous plans or desires to subdue the kings under his control or take over territories to build an empire for himself. All he had was a strong love his nephew Lot, who had been caught and taken by them as a prisoner of war in the conflict, and a strong faith that God will give him the victory over them.
Abraham’s attempt to do battle with the four kings may have seemed quite futile and even suicidal to the people who were living then. How could he, such a ‘small fry’ hope to win against these powerful kings? He was like David the shepherd boy attempting to defeat the giant Goliath with only a sling, and that was exactly what he achieved in the end. They were soundly defeated by Abraham and had to surrender their loot and prisoners to Abraham. They returned back to the east empty-handed. Look at vv.15-16 ‘And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.’
How was Abraham able to accomplish this impossible feat of gaining such a great victory over the four powerful kings of the east? It is only because the Most High God who is greater than all earthly kings is able to subdue them all. This is brought out by the congratulatory words that were given to him by another king (Melchizedek), in vv.19,20 ‘Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.’ Abraham won the war because the Most High God, the one who reigns supreme over all, granted him the victory. This truth is also reflected in the words that Abraham himself spoke in v.22 ‘I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth’
And so what we learn from this very first mention of God by this name, El Elyon, is His awesome superiority over all, even over the most powerful kings of the earth. This truth of God’s supremacy was restated again about 15 hundred years later, in the time of Daniel. And it is interesting to note that the king who was humbled this time by the Most High God, El Elyon was also from the east, just like those who were humbled by the Most High God in Abraham’s time. In fact he was one of the greatest Eastern kings in antiquity – Nebuchadnezzar the great king of Babylon.
What we want to note are the words spoken by God about the purpose for this judgment on Nebuchadnezzar, ‘until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.’ This really brings out the truth that God is the ultimate supreme ruler of all nations, and every king and ruler in the world, even the greatest among all rulers, receives his right to rule from Him alone and must be subject to Him. Every government that has power in the world, can only do be in power because the Most High God grants it the right to exercise authority for a time. None can stay is power longer than the Most High God permits. When that government’s time is up, the Most High God replaces it with another one through various means. The outcome of all every war, revolution, and coup-de-tat is decided by Him. The result of every nation’s general election or presidential election is determined by Him.
This explains the rise and fall of every kingdom, every regime and empire that this world has seen from the beginning until now. They all received their alloted time of rule from the Most High God. Because of this no one can ever legitimately say, ‘I am now in authority by my own superior strength and wisdom.’ King Nebuchadnezzar did just that – and look what happened to him. The next thing he knew, he was eating grass and behaving like an animal running around naked in his palace gardens! (v.33) We can imagine the king now being ruled by animal instincts, roaming around his palace gardens on his hands and knees, eating grass together with the wild asses, all covered with dirt and moisture and growling at anyone who tried to approach him. Nobody could even come near enough to trim his hair or cut his nails for him for seven years! What a pitiful sight he was. Was this pathetic creature really Nebuchadnezzar the great, that powerful emperor who had conquered the world? It is interesting to note that in the records of Babylon that were kept during Nebuchadnezzar’s lifetime there is a period of time of at least 4 years when his name is strangely absent from the records.
Despite the awful condition that befell Nebuchadnezzar, the Most High God was actually very gracious to him. In Acts 24 there was another king who committed the same sin of self-glory as Nebuchadnezzar but was not as fortunate as he was: ‘And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.’ God could have easily taken Nebuchadnezzar’s life like he did to Herod, or He could have made his degraded condition a permanent one with no hope of recovery. But He showed grace upon grace to this Babylonian king, so that the account ends happily with his restoration to power.
One day at the end of the seven years the king realised how degraded he had become and as he looked up to heaven, his sanity returned to him, and he became king again. The climax of this whole account in Daniel 4 is found in the wonderful description of El Elyon, the Most High God that came from the mouth of the restored king Nebuchadnezzar in v.34,35 ‘And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?’
-GSW-