Names of God – Part 6

El Olam

God’s name El Olam, Everlasting God in English, reminds us that God is everlasting from before anything existed through to eternity. God is outside of time. God is from everlasting to everlasting, the “for ever and ever” words that we add to the prayer that Jesus gave his disciples. Olam means for ever, as in May his name endure for ever, in the Psalms.

But the name also means God has hidden it. God did not reveal all that he was at once, but slowly over time he revealed things hidden to previous generations, right up to becoming incarnate, God became man on earth in order to become the one perfect sacrifice for sin and to put people right with God through his death and resurrection. This sacrifice is sufficient for those who trust in God from ages past until the end of the age.

So God is a mysterious God, but also the God who reveals mysteries. But no mater how much is revealed there will always be mystery. What God has revealed is what we need to know not all there is to know. There will always be mystery.

It is the same for us who love and follow Jesus. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin in our lives not all at once but little by little, issue by issue. We are a work in progress, God has not finished with us yet.

A prayer:

Holy Spirit, reveal in me where there is un-dealt with sin and cleanse me. Reveal to me the mysteries of God.

Amen