The week is approaching a rapid close to a fresh start in February. What better way to lighten the load of a new month than with the reminder of the Mighty One, the triune God? This post's focus is on the fifth letter, letter E, and the name Elohim, the sixth installment of the Alphabetical Attributes of God series.
Mighty One
"Elohim" is the plural name for God in the Hebrew language meaning "mighty one." The name references the trinity even though the word "trinity" does not appear in the Bible. However, the trinity is doctrinally present throughout the Bible, with visuals made in creation, salvation, baptism, and judgment. The name "Elohim"is used more than 2,750 times in the Old Testament alone.
Behind the Name Elohim
"In the beginning, God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1, NIV. This scripture portrays God, "Elohim," in the plural. This means that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are also being mentioned, not god as in multiple gods. This is also seen in the confusion of languages at Babel:
"If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." Exodus 11:6-7.
This scripture, like the workings of God, holds more than one significance. The text underscores the following:
God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are on one accord. Though separate in person, they are one in nature. Thus the Christian doctrine of one God, three persons is established.
This abolishes the Catholic doctrine of praying to Mary. Mary was a human and never held any eternal power. She was chosen by God to be Jesus's earthly mother when he was incarnate. Praying to her as holding any form of eternal power is a manipulation of the trinity.
God alone is credited for the creation of languages, not evolution. In Genesis 11, there is a mention of the location of Babel, eastward on the plain of Shinar, noted as Babylonia in biblical footnotes.
For more on Babel and the scientific/doctrinal evidence to support it, please see Answers in Genesis and their articles encompassing the subject. https://youtu.be/_KM1ANWbrIY
Behind the Name Elohim Continued
"The midwives, however, feared God (Elohim) and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live." Exodus 1:17, NIV.
The scripture above references what is probably the earliest mention of abortion. A new king had ascended to the throne in Egypt. The timeframe this occurred was after the passing of Joseph and his brothers. Israel had multiplied greatly. The new king saw that the Israelites were numerous and made them slaves for fear of revolt in numbers and fleeing the country. They were made to work harsh labor. (Exodus 1:6-15).
The new king had instructed the midwives to kill the baby boys birthed from the Hebrew women. This is highly important to note here for two reasons.
Most believe the practice of abortion is a new derivative of today's generation, but that is furthest from the truth. It has been around since the beginning of time, as with all sin.
The other crucial detail to note in this passage is that by killing the boys, generations would be severed due to the name of the previous generation not being able to pass to the females as they would marry and the names would change. This further exploits the agenda of mass murder.
"This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God." Zechariah 13:9, NIV.
The context of this scripture is noted in Zechariah 12. Its message is a prophetic one, foretelling what is to become of Israel.
Strong to Save
As portrayed by the scripture above, God is both merciful and wrathful. He balances both perfectly. The text portraying this and the name "Elohim"are too numerous to list in this post. For a more detailed look at this aspect of God, I encourage you to head to Cold-Case Christianity's podcast and website and Answers in Genesis' website.
Personal Ramification to the Alphabetical Attributes of God
In order to understand how this links with you, readers, you must understand where you are with God. Are you not known to him and are His enemy or are you in His favor as one of His own? If you were to die today, how sure are you of your salvation? Would you be with God in heaven or apart from Him in hell? God created you and formed you even before you were in the womb. According to the Bible, everyone knows there is a God and is held without excuse. Knowing there is a God who created heaven and earth and every living thing is suppressed by unrighteousness.
The author of Bible Study Tools put it best, "A man drowning in ten feet of water isn't in much better shape than a man drowning in a hundred feet of water. Likewise, acknowledging the existence of an Elohim doesn't put you in a position any better than one who actively and aggressively denies the concept of God. It is only when our knowledge of Elohim becomes personal that we move towards what the Bible calls saving faith." (author of Bible Study Tools name unknown, "What Does Elohim Mean and Why is This Name of God so Important," paragraph sixteen, Bible Study Tools.)
Understanding The Void
There is forgiveness waiting for you if you call upon the name of the Lord and humble yourself to see your sin. There is no such thing as a good person by definition of the law as by the law we are all guilty and unable to save ourselves.
"Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew or Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for 'WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.' How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?" Romans 10:12-14. For more information regarding the healing power of Christ, please see the evangelical ministry of Living Waters. For more on the attributes of God, see the following articles under the blog feed and blog archive.
Attributes of God
Letter A, Letter B, Letter C, Letter D
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Take care this week and God bless!