QUESTION: What does the  EL in El Elyon mean?

        1. El   is the same as in El ohim.   It expresses God as might or power. Elyon   expresses that He is Most High .
           (Gen. 14:19,22)

        2. It expresses order of  like natures or  the highest in a series.
           a. El Elyon, reveals that though He is the Highest, there are others  with  like natures and therefore in some way are
               related to Him, but that  because He is the Highest, He has the power to rule and chasten  them as He will, should
               they be disobedient or seek to exalt themselves  against Him.

QUESTION: Who  are those below Him?

         Angels are "Sons of God" ( Job 38:7, Ps. 89:6 )
         Even fallen angels are partakers of a like nature to God. ( Job 1:6, 2:1 )
         Man are children of The Most High. (Ps. 82:1,6 )( John 10:34 )

QUESTION: What is another title associated with El Elyon in Gen. 14:19?

       3. Another title associated with The Most High is Possessor of heaven and earth.
           This is found when the name Most High is first revealed. ( Gen.14:19 ) The word translated Possessor basically means
           to Contain or to Hold. It describes 'In whom we live and move and have our being" ( Acts 18:28 )  " In whom all things
           consist" ( Col. 1:17 )

QUESTION: Who is El Elyon possessor  of?

  The Most High is Possessor of all. Gentile and Jew. ( Rom. 3:29 )

        4. When this name is mentioned each time it is spoken  from the mouth of a gentile or it was about the  gentile's world and
            God's relation to it. It would seem that this title is used mostly in relation to the gentiles and not to the  elect.
            -In connection with Melchisedek
            -This name is mentioned many times in the book of Psalms. Again it is usually  in reference to the gentiles and to God's
             relationship and dealings with them.  ( Ps. 83, 87 )
           -It is mentioned in Daniel in connection with Nebuchadnezzar who is set before  us as  the great king of the gentiles.
            ( Dan. 3:26; 4:17,24,25,32 )

II. Historical Significance
    A. This name is revealed in connection with Melchisedek, the King Of  Salem, in the days  of Abram.
          Melchisedek was "Priest of the Most High God" and it was through  him that Abram received knowledge of this name.
          It was after his meeting with  Melchisedek that Abram uses this name of God.

QUESTION: What happened in Gen. 14?

    B. A confederation of  kings from the north fought against the kings of  Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah,  Zeboiim and
         Bela.  ( Gen. 14:1-12 )
        -They defeated them and the King of Elam took Lot, a  nephew of Abram, as his slave.( Gen. 14:13-22 ) Someone
          escaped the battle and came to Abram to tell him of his nephew lot's situation. Abram gathered  318 of his trained men
          to fight against the king of Elam in order to free Lot.He defeated the king of Elam and  took all the booty form the battle,
          as well as Lot and his possessions. On the way back he went between two cities, Salem  and Sodom. The king of
          Sodom asked for the people that the king of Elam had taken from him in his war with the  king of Elam. The rules of
          war stated that Abram could keep all people and goods captured in a battle.

       -This king of Salem, Melchizedek, served bread and wine, to Abram for protecting his city and for any possessions that
        were returned to him. In exchange Abram gave Melchizedek a  tithe of what he had  just gained. Melchizedek had
        identified himself as a priest  of the Most High.  He was a gentile king who worshipped the same God , El Elyon , as
        Abram.

QUESTION: What city would Salem eventually become?

        Salem , by the way, is the forerunner of the city of Jerusalem.

III. Theological Significance
QUESTION: Where did Melchizedek come from...what country?

     A. Melchisedek is believed to have  been from Canaan's race for he dwelt among them as one of  their kings.
         -It shows that even the gentiles, even a son of Canaan, can have the pledge of  blessing by God. It was Abram who was
          promised all of Canaan's land, yet it  was also Abram who paid tithe to Malchisedek because he saw him as a priest Of
          The Most High and Malchisedek blesses  Abram.  ( Gen. 14:19,20 ).

QUESTION:  What do you know about Caanan?
                       What does this tell us about God's blessings?

          Canaan was the land of the cursed ( Gen. 9:25 ) It however becomes the inheritance of the elect.  ( Ps. 105:11 ) But Christ has showed what this all means.

QUESTION: What does this say about man today? Even the most wicked?

          Man as man is  son of God. He may be and is for a while like Canaan, under  the curse of  sin. Even so, because his God is the Most High he is also the heir of boundless  blessing. With such a God even the curse is a blessing, judgement is mercy and death  the way to life. It is under this name that all may find hope.

IV. Personal Application: Two principals

QUESTION: When is tithing first mentioned in the Bible?

      A. Tithing
          -The tithe was first given when Abram gave a 10th of his spoils to a Gentile, Melchizedek, king of Salem and a priest of
            El Elyon. A tithe is usually a gift to a deity. Inasmuch as God possesses the  heaven and the  earth, we must surrender
            everything we have to the control of God. The tithe is an outward symbol of the inward gift of oneself to God. A  tithe
            is given to God to indicate that all the rest belongs to Him.

      B. Possession
          -The Most High possesses heaven and earth. All creation belongs to Him because He is  it's creator. However, the
           Most High wants to posses our hearts. This includes our will, our feelings and our minds. The proper  response to this
           claim on our lives is
                  -To yield to Him
                  -To seek His blessing
                  -To obey His command

Sequence to date

        Elohim: The Strong Creator
                    Jehovah: The self-existing one in relationship w/man.
                                  El Elyon: The Most High God, this shows his transcendence and superiority.