This God, “Elohim” discloses, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26).
Scholars and denominations have, construed by human interpretation, the plural “us,” and “our,” as “a plurality of beings” when speaking of God as Elohim.
You must search the scriptures historically, grammatically and as biblically defined, to find the truth of who is Elohim. Does Elohim comprise one being, two beings, three beings or even more?
Historical Evidence
In all of Genesis 1, the word for God is “Elohim,” in Hebrew. In every case it is Elohim who does the work. That is why Genesis 1:31, (Elohim), concludes all His work is good. Does that mean three beings or two beings? In reality God, The Father, did the work.
Was it three, two or one God who rested that first Sabbath’s rest in The Garden? How many god-beings talked to Adam and Eve? The context only reveals One Superior God or Being.
You do know (by Genesis 1:2) that God’s Holy Spirit moved over the waters. Historically, you can acknowledge God’s Holy Spirit as involved in the creation. What is God’s Holy Spirit? Quite a dilemma or is it?
John 1:14 scripturally proves Jesus, The Christ, became flesh, at His birth. “The Word” became Christ, the human at His birth, as well. This is scriptural history. The Word had to be something else before becoming flesh or human. When Jesus, in the human flesh, could not be The Word until He received the fullness of God’s Holy Spirit.
More information is given to resolve the problem, in John 1:1. “In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Quite a mystery – but maybe not.
What John 1:1 does say – is this Word, (which was God), is indeed God, by inheritance. Whatever that Word was, (who was God) had to be God. The Word had to have some attachment with God, to be God, and not merely another Being.
Then John 1:3 gives God a masculine gender and some believe “the Him” makes this entity an extra being. Was it? Here grammar comes into play. Hebrew and Greek uses genders to comply with the context and subject. God would always be a “HIM” since God is a male.
As a male, the suffix must apply to the subject being discussed. God would always be a male and therefore called “Him.” “Him” in Hebrew and Greek does not mean another being. The subject and context decides what gender is being referred to as a source. “God” is what “The Word” is, who is male and therefore “Him,” is The One and Only One God.
This is quite a beginning. Much more proof is available scripturally. The Book of Hebrews defines clearly what historical activities were for Moses, Jesus and God, Our Father. “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest [Melchizedek] of our profession [witness] Christ Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1). Historically “Christ” is called “An Apostle” which means “sent from heaven just like the other Apostles were called by God.”
Nowhere does it say Jesus was sent from heaven as “a being” but only was sent from heaven as a child and then to become an Apostle. How did this happen? Hebrews 3:2-3 compares Moses and Jesus (God’s Word) were both faithful, in their houses.
Moses’ House of God was a portable Tabernacle and Jesus was faithful, as well, in His house, which comprise The Churches of God, (spiritually) (I Corinthians 3:16). Finally, The Bible plainly tells you who is “The Creator of all things.” “For every house is built by some man [human – Moses and Christ] but he that built all things is God.” Can’t be said any simpler or plainer. God is Elohim, The Father of us all (Hebrews 3:4).
Verb Tenses
When a context uses a subject as a noun, person, place or thing, the word “Elohim” can be “plural,” meaning “many.” A judge, a mayor or a king can be an Elohim. Anyone, totally responsible for the fulfillment of an office, can be an “Elohim,” including all those helping them.
An Elohim includes everything and everyone required to complete a responsibility. There is one exception when using the title “Elohim” as carrying a plural concept. Elohim, as the verb form, is always singular. When Elohim is completing an action, it is always in the singular. It can never be more than one.
In every verse of Genesis, including Genesis 1:26 God is (when using the verbal use) an action and is to make you like Him. “Being verbal,” as all of the verses, relate in the context as “an action.” What God was doing, therefore, was singular, as “One Being” with all His capabilities and power.
The Apostle Paul defined God clearly (Romans 1:20). He wrote God can be seen by His universal creation. The universe according to Paul, reveals all of God’s Power and Godhead.
Godhead and God’s power is all that God is, in the power of God’s Holy Spirit, which is exactly what Paul tells Timothy. “For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear; but of power and of Love and of a Sound Mind” (wisdom) (II Timothy 1:7). God’s Holy Spirit is, therefore, not a second or another God Being, but God’s actual power, love and wisdom. It is all that The Godhead is (Romans 1).
Elohim, used verbally, is The One God, The Father, who builds all things (Hebrews 3:4). Elohim, as a noun, is plural as all of God’s Godhead. Whether “Elohim” is singular as a verb, or as a noun, (plural) it can never include more than one being, but a Being with many, many powers. The plural noun is descriptive in over 22 titles which God reveals in The Bible. This is all inclusive of God’s power and Godhead (Revelation 1:20).
The mistake made at The Tower of Babel, is the same as today, making two, three or more gods of God’s creation. They worshipped the creation instead of The Creator (Romans 1:21-23).
Notice Verse 23 warns not to worship a man, even Jesus, as a god when He was human. Below are listed twenty-six titles which name God, Elohim, Our Father.
| | 1) | Elohim Tzur − God of Rock (II Samuel 22:47, 23:3). |
| | 2) | El Ro’i – God who allows you to see Him, to understand, to know Him through His Word and deeds (Genesis 16:13). |
| | 3) | El De’ot – God of Knowledge, Omniscience (I Samuel 2:3). |
| | 4) | El Ha’Oneh Oti Beyom Tzarati – The God who answers you in the day of your trouble (Genesis 35:3). |
| | 5) | El Emunah – The God of faith (Deuteronomy 32:4). |
| | 6) | El Yeshuati – The God of my Salvation (Psalms 88:1 and Isaiah 12:2). |
| | 7) | El Chaiyai – The God of your life (Psalm 42:9). |
| | 8) | El Nashah – The God who forgets/forgives (Genesis 41:51). |
| | 9) | El Chanun – Gracious God (Exodus 34:6 and Jonah 4:2) |
| | 10) | El Kana – Jealous God who demands love, worship, honor and praise (Exodus 20:5 and Deuteronomy 4:24) |
| | 11) | El Tzadik – Righteous God (Jeremiah 12:1). |
| | 12) | El Simchat Gili – God who is the joy of your praise and exaltation (Psalms 43:4) . |
| | 13) | El Shaddai – The all sufficient God or The God who nourishes and sustains you by suckling from His breasts (Genesis 17:1 and Exodus 6:3). |
| | 14) | Elohim Kedoshim – Holy God (Leviticus 19:2). |
| | 15) | YHWH Mekadesh – The God who causes you to be Holy (Leviticus 20:7). |
| | 16) | Elohay Selichot – The God of forgiveness (Daniel 9:9) |
| | 17) | Elohay Mikarov – God who is near (Psalm 119:151 and Isaiah 50:8). |
| | 18) | Elohay Mauzi – God who is my strength (Psalm 43:2). |
| | 19) | YHWH Yerch – The God who sees everything and provides ahead for you (Genesis 22:14). |
| | 20) | YHWH Nisi – God is my banner or miracle, The God who leads and sustains me by His miracles (Exodus 17:15) . |
| | 21) | YHWH Shalom – God who is peace, wholeness, completeness (Judges 6:24). |
| | 22) | YHWH Tzidkenu – God who causes you to be righteous (Jeremiah 23:6 and 33:16) . |
| | 23) | YHWH Shamma – God who is there with you (Ezekiel 48:35). |
| | 24) | YHWH Tzva’ot – Lord of Hosts and The One who leads His people into battle and victory (I Samuel 1:11). |
| | 25) | Ruach Elohim – The Spirit of God or The Holy Spirit who empowers believers (Exodus 31:3). |
| | 26) | Ra ‘ah – The Lord that guides you (Psalms 23:1). |
Is that enough names and titles for God, Elohim and The Godhead to be all inclusive of who, what and God was, is and can be? He is The One God. Making Him many beings is idolatry and not who and what He is. Praise God, Our Lord!
