El Elyon: The God Most High

Most High: Elyon, adjective (Strong’s 5945).

Hebrew lettering: עֶלְיוֹן

Sounds like: Elyone (rhymes with phone)

God the “Most High”… this is one of the many descriptor names representing YHWH. It’s all through the Bible, in the Torah, the prophetic writings, the poetry, the historical accounts, including the Gospels. And we tend to just carry on reading when we come across it because it seems rather simple. God is at the top… no god in history can top YHWH, the Creator of the Universe. He’s way up there. No body or no thing comes close to our God who is way above all. Simple. Direct. We get it. But, as usual, there’s more being said here than meets the eye.

Our first introduction to this word comes in Genesis 14. The first Biblical war had just ended and two kings met with Abram.

Genesis 14:17-24

….the king of Sodom went out to meet him [Abram] at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High [l-El Elyon לְאֵ֥ל עֶלְיֽוֹן]   And he blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram of God Most High  [l-El Elyon לְאֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן], possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High [El Elyon אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן], who has handed over your enemies to you.”

And he [Abram] gave him a tenth of everything.

Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the possessions for yourself.” 

But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to YHWH God Most High [El Elyon אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן], Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, so that you do not say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.”

The war was over and Abram focused on his relationship with the God Most High. To kings came to Abram. One was the king of Sodom, the other was the king of Salem, who was also a Priest of the God Most High. That person was Melchizedek (whose name meant king of righteousness) and as the king of Salem he was also titled a king of peace (salem meaning peace). So this fellow was a priest-king representing righteousness and peace. Out of respect, Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of what he had, as a representative of their shared God, the One they called “The Most High”.

This phrase, the Most High God, wasn’t exclusive to Abram and Melchizedek’s God. Other religions from neighbouring tribes had their own gods which they believed were the “most high” gods but the Biblical writers boldly claim that their God, YHWH the great Creator, topped them all. 

A careful reading of the Biblical text hints at the “birth” of these foreign gods. In YHWH’s domain, the spiritual beings (which He created) came together as an Assembly. They were the children of God in the spiritual realm:

Psalm 82 (a Psalm of Asaph)

God takes His position in His assembly; He judges in the midst of the gods. How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah

Vindicate the weak and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked.

They do not know nor do they understand; they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

I said, “You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High [Elyon עֶלְי֣וֹן]. Nevertheless you will die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”

Arise, God, judge the earth! For You possess all the nations.

The nations had come under dominion of these fallen spiritual sons of God, but God possessed the nations. Ultimately they were under His domain:

Deuteronomy 32:8

“When the Most High [Elyon עֶלְיוֹן֙] gave the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of mankind, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.”

When the fall at Babel occurred (Genesis 11) God divided and scattered the people with languages and locations of their own. Those boundaries came under the dominion of the spiritual sons of God, and they became the gods of the nations. Those gods would drag them down, until they uncovered their blindness and could see that they had been deceived. They would come to find out that the god(s) they were worshipping were small-time players in a host of spiritual beings, and their Creator was the Most High God, YHWH.

Isaiah helped flush out this concept. He sang a song about the king of Babylon, a dominating ruler who acted like a god and who worshipped a god of darkness.

Isaiah 14:12-15

“How you have fallen from heaven, you star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who defeated the nations!

But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High [l-Elyon לְעֶלְיֽוֹן].’ Nevertheless you will be brought down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.

Many of us have read this passage assuming it’s referring to ha-Satan (the Adversary) of God. And it can be read that way. It can also be referring, literally, to the king of Babylon. This mighty king had dominated his people with a powerful hand; he saw himself as god-like ruler and wanted to rise up and be above the gods. He also worshiped a “god” of destruction, under the dominion of God’s own Adversary, and so the text takes on a layered depth of meaning. Powerful rulers who lead with force and fear are representing the face of YHWH’s Adversary. They are the reflection of the Evil One. They are not bearing the image of YHWH.

Many of YHWH’s creations (human beings and spiritual beings) have tried to become gods of their own making, but Isaiah claimed the victory. Those beings would not rise up (to be higher than the Most High), instead they would be “brought down”… to the darkest recesses of the pit.

Israel was surrounded by nations under the dominions of other gods and they felt the weight of those opponents always on their boarders.

Deuteronomy 26:18-19 (see also Deut 28:1)

And YHWH has today declared you to be His people, His personal possession, just as He promised you, and that you are to keep all His commandments; and that He will put you high above all the nations [elyon al kal ha-goyim עֶלְיֹ֗ון עַ֤ל כָּל־הַגֹּויִם֙] which He has made, for glory, fame, and honour; and that you shall be a consecrated people to YHWH your God, just as He has spoken.”

YHWH took the title of “Most High” and shared it with His people. He called them “high above” all the nations. YHWH never tries to lord His power over the people; He wants to share His loving power with the people.

The Most High in the Psalms

History sometimes gives us the feeling that those rebellious spiritual sons of God are flourishing in our world. God may be way up top, but down here we’re surrounded by dark forces that want to control us. But the Bible gives us so many hopeful passages that hint at the victory of YHWH. 

The phrase “God Most High” or “YHWH Most High” was a common descriptor used by the Biblical poets:

Psalm 7:17

[David:] I will give thanks to YHWH according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of YHWH Most High [YHWH Elyon יְהוָ֥ה עֶלְיֽוֹן].

Psalm 47:1-4

[Sons of Korah:] Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a voice of joy. For YHWH Most High [YHWH Elyon יְהוָ֣ה עֶלְי֣וֹן] is to be feared, a great King over all the earth. He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet. He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob whom He loves. Selah

Psalm 57:1-3b

[David:] Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by.

I will cry to God Most High [l-Elohim Elyon לֵֽאלֹהִ֣ים עֶלְי֑וֹן], to God who accomplishes all things for me. He will send from heaven and save me; He rebukes the one who tramples upon me. Selah

Psalm 9:1-2

[David:] I will give thanks to YHWH with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will rejoice and be jubilant in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High [Elyon עֶלְיֽוֹן].

The poets compared YHWH with the small “gods” who wanted to be at the top and the nations who wanted to dominate their neighbours:

Psalm 97:7-9

May all those be ashamed who serve carved images, who boast in idols; worship Him, all you gods.

Zion heard this and was joyful, and the daughters of Judah have rejoiced because of Your judgments, YHWH

For You are YHWH Most High [YHWH Elyon יְהוָ֗ה עֶלְיֹ֥ון] over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.

Psalm 83:17-18

[Asaph:] May they [God’s enemies] be ashamed and dismayed forever, and may they be humiliated and perish, so that they will know that You alone, whose name is YHWH, are the Most High [Elyon עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן] over all the earth.

Those who purposely chose to accept their inheritance as YHWH’s children were under the protection of YHWH the Most High:

Psalm 91:9-11

For you have made YHWH, my refuge, the Most High [Elyon עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן], your dwelling place. No evil will happen to you, nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways.

These angels of protection were God’s messengers from the Spiritual realm. They were not the rebellious ones who dominated the nations. They followed God’s commandments to protect His people. This was why the faithful people of the Bible trusted YHWH, even in their darkest days:

Psalm 21:7

[David:] For the king trusts in YHWH, and through the lovingkindness of the Most High [Elyon עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן] he will not be shaken.

Yeshua, the Most High

The Tankh includes many prophetic hints about the coming Messiah. One of the most unique was the story of Balaam. Balaam was a reluctant prophet used by YHWH. In fact, Balaam’s whole goal was to tear God’s people down, but God used Balaam’s voice to hint at His tactical plan. Something good was coming:

Numbers 24:15-17a

Then he took up his discourse and said, “The declaration of Balaam the son of Beor, and the declaration of the man whose eye is opened, the declaration of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High [Elyon עֶלְי֑וֹן], who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered:

I see him, but not now; I look at him, but not near; a star shall appear from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel…”

This was the beautiful Star Prophecy announced by a man who was opposed to YHWH in all respects. From the mouth of this man YHWH would be lifted up. This prophecy spoke of a star from the line of Jacob, a king (scepter) from the people of Israel. 

We later learn that from the line of David, a new King would come forth:

Psalm 89:20-29

[YHWH about David:] “I have found My servant David; with My holy oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand will be established; My arm also will strengthen him. The enemy will not deceive him, nor will the son of wickedness afflict him.

But I will crush his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him.

My faithfulness and My favour will be with him, and in My name his horn will be exalted. I will also place his hand on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.

He will call to Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’

I will also make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth [elyon l-mal’keh aretz עֶ֝לְיֹ֗ון לְמַלְכֵי־אָֽרֶץ].

I will maintain My favour for him forever, and My covenant shall be confirmed to him. So I will establish his descendants forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.”

David is “the elyon of the kings of the earth”. His descendants would be established forever and from his line would come the Messiah, announced by the prophetic star that lighted the Way. 

Matthew tells us that a group of leaders/kings from the East came in search of the King under the star

Matthew 2:9b-11

…the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight. On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

These men recognized that this was a King of all kings, high above their station. They worshiped Him like the Most High God. 

When the Angel Gabriel came to Mary, he called the baby to come, “Son of the Most High”:

Luke 1:31-33

[Angel Gabriel to Mary:] “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” 

In Koine Greek, tou Hypsistou is ”the Most High” and it can be found scattered throughout the B’rit Chadashah (New Testament). What’s particularly fascinating is that demons often called Yeshua, Son of the Most High. In Matthew 5 the demon, self-named as Legion, proclaimed:

Mark 5:7

“What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!”

These low-level nefarious spiritual beings begged Yeshua, Son of the Most High, to have mercy on them. They knew their power was useless in the shadow of the Most High God.

When Yeshua returned to the Father and the Spirit of God came to His followers they too were recognized as connected to the Most High God:

Acts 16:17 [the possessed slave girl:]

She (a possessed slave girl) followed Paul and us and cried out repeatedly, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation.” 

The forces of darkness recognized the power and divinity of the Most High God. They had no power in His Presence.

Yeshua, flipping the script, shared His power with us, His followers. We are the children of YHWH, inheritors of His goodness. When humans do us harm we are supposed to act as Yeshua would, by showing mercy and kindness. This is how we reflect our status as children of the Most High God:

Luke 6:35-36

[Jesus:] “Love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Having ultimate power means being,  ultimately, merciful. The only way all of Creation can flourish is to  have its Creator be forgiving and loving, with His arms wide open to all who seek His face. Thank YHWH that He is that kind of Most High God! I shudder to think how this could have gone if the Most High God became a god of vengeance instead of a God of Love. 

YHWH, Creator of the Universe is a God of Love and as His children we cannot act high and mighty,  regarless of our lofty status. We are to be servants to the Servant King and from our Most High status we are to bow low and serve our fellow humans in need. 

Galations 5:13

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.

Always remember that love is what our Most High God is all about!