Volume 41 Number 2 October 1998
There are several different words in the original Hebrew and Greek texts of the Holy Scriptures in reference to God: "Elohim", "El-Shaddai", "Adonai", "Theos", etc. Perhaps it is because God is so great there is no one word or name to fully describe
Him. However, in our language we most frequently simply refer to Him as
"God". Our English word "God" is different than any other word in our
language that I know of. There are three beings which collectively or
individually may be called "God": the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit.
The book of Genesis begins, "In the beginning God ... ! " The Hebrew
word is "Elohim". It is understood to convey the thought of greatness
and glory, of creative and governing power, of omnipotence and
sovereignty. "Elohim" has the usual Hebrew ending for all masculine
plural nouns, thus properly applies to the trinity, yet either a singular
or plural pronoun may be used in its place, because our God is one.
(Deut. 6:4, 1 John. 5:7).
In Gen. 1:26, when God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to
Our likeness...", we are reminded that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were
all present in the creation.
"The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." (Gen. 1:2).
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through
Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." (John. 1:1-3) "God
... has in these last days spoken to us by His Son... through whom also
He made the worlds." (Heb. 1:1-2).
In Gen. 17:1, God spoke to Abraham saying, "I am Almighty God..." The
Hebrew is "El Shaddai". The very name is descriptive of His power and
might.
Another name for God is also in this same passage. "The LORD appeared
to Abram..." "LORD" all in capital letters in our King James Version of
the Bible is simply the word "Jehovah", probably "Yahweh" in Hebrew, a
term held in such reverence, that the Jews were reluctant to even speak
or write the name in its entirety. As a result the exact original
spelling and pronunciation is now questionable. Traditionally when the
Jews were reading aloud and came to the word, they substituted the word
"Elohim" or "Adonai" in its place. (Wouldn't it be great if all men today
held the name of God in reverence and awe, and ceased using His name in
profanity?)
Moses used the name "Jehovah" in retrospect as he wrote the book of
Genesis, but it was not until Exodus 3:15 and 6:2-3 that God revealed
Himself as "Jehovah", the eternal self-existing One, the One who depends
on none other for His being, the One who declares "I AM".
The Hebrew "Adonai" is translated "Lord" with only the first letter
capitalized in our Bibles. It is almost always plural confirming the
trinity as does "Elohim". The word "Adonai"
means ruler or owner. It is of significance that the singular form of
the word "adon" is often used when referring to a human ruler. Only when
in reference to God is it plural.
In the New Testament Scriptures the Greek word for God is "Theos",
meaning Deity to be worshipped.
There are a number of compound names involving the name of God such as:
Besides the names that help us to understand God, the Scriptures are
filled with statements regarding Him. God is "eternal." (Deut. 33:27) He
is "holy". (Lev. 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7, 26, 1 Pet. 1:15-16) God is
"longsuffering." (2 Pet. 3:9)
He is "faithful and just"(1 John 1:9). "God is love". (1 John 4:8)
He is "the God of all grace". (1 Pet. 5:10)
"Consider the goodness and the severity of God". (Rom. 11:22)
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God". (Heb.
10:31)
"For our God is a consuming fire." (Heb. 12:29) "There is no searching of
His understanding." (Isaiah. 40:28) His thoughts and His ways are far above
ours. (Isaiah. 55:8-9) "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past
finding out." (Rom. 11:33)
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and
with all you mind." (Mt. 22:37) "Fear God and keep His commandments."
(Eccl. 12:13) "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who
comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those
who diligently seek Him." (Heb. 11:6) It is His will that none "should
perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Pet. 3:9)
God is real. Believe in Him. Obey His word. Let Him save your soul
from Hell.