Names of God the Father, Part 1

Biblical worshipers reverenced the name of the Lord, but the terminology they used varied depending on the worshipers' needs, preference, or customary usage within the community. Included here are some of the major names or titles applied to God the Father in worship. God ('El).  'El was the original supreme god of the Semitic pantheon; the title is associated with the idea of strength or might. By the time the Israelite tribes settled in Canaan, the principal god was Ba'al ("husband" or "lord"), the divinity of popular worship, especially fertility rites. 'El had receded into the background, and his name had become a generic term for "god. " Hence the name 'El could be applied to Yahweh, usually in combination with a qualifier. The following are the major compound names with 'El found in the Scripture. Almighty God ('El shaddai). Shaddai is sometimes used alone. It comes from a Hebrew word meaning "mountain" and carries the meaning of "mountain God," as well as the sense of strength…