While traveling in the Rockies I can’t get over the absolute beauty and majesty of all the mountains I have seen. One day while staring at them, I heard in my spirit the words of the Psalmist who declared “I will look to the hills from whence comes my help, my help comes from Adonai.” As I pondered these words, I asked why look to the hills. In South Dakota they call mountains “hills” but to me they are mountains. Mountains in scripture always speak of places of power, authority, worship, dominion, provision and the places where most of the significant revelations of who Abba is have been portrayed.
One of the names attributed to Abba is “El Shaddai.” While there can be many various translation of El Shaddai, I saw Him as I looked at the mountains as “G-d of the Mountains.” The Hebrew word שדי (shaddai) whose root is “Shad” also has the meaning of a “teat.” Just as the goat provides nourishment to its kids through the milk, G-d nourishes his children through his MILKY Word and provides all the necessities of life. Ironically in this present-day dilemma of a baby formula shortage, babies that are being breastfed, their health and well-being are completely provided and so it is with El Shaddai.
The idea of G-d being characterized as having teats does not sit well in our Western culture. We are familiar with identifying with G-d as a father, but not as a mother. I remember a fellow believer took me to task for suggesting that Abba is both a “Father and Mother.” However, man was created as male and female and also that man was created in the image of G-d. G-d has the characteristics of both male and female and these characteristics were put in man, the male characteristics were placed in men while the feminine characteristics were placed in women. When a man and a woman come together, they unite these characteristics as one, now a perfect representation of G-d.
One of my favorite scriptures is “On the Mountain Adonai is seen” or perceived. To do what? TO PROVIDE Adonai-Jireh translates as The L-rd will Provide. So why can I look to the Hills? Because All I need will be provided as the Great and Mighty Helper is There High and lifted up…..
Rabbi Matt