ELOHIM (e-lo him):  Elohim is a compound word meaning a singular “God” with a plurality of power or majesty;  i.e. God Most High / Strong One.  The root word ‘El’ means ‘God’.  This suffix ‘ohim’ means either ‘be strong’ or ‘be in front’.  ‘El’ is the most common general designation of God as deity.  ‘El’ combined with a suffix becomes a compound word describing the nature or function of God.  In Mosaic times, ‘El’ was synonymous with the Lord Who delivered Israel from bondage.

Elohim is plural in form, but is singular in construction.  That is to say, when Elohim is used with a singular verb or adjective it has the meaning of a singular God as deity, with a plurality of nature possessing a magnitude or majesty, see Gen. 1:1 & 26.

Elohim as a compound word, meaning a singular God with a plurality of expressed majesty; i.e. Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Father;  i.e. a Triune, but singular God.  Elohim is used over 2500 times in Scripture starting at Gen. 1:1.  God manifests Himself in three personifications; or persons; or “Divine Essences”.   Therefore, when we refer to “Jesus in the Feasts” we are referring to God; as One Being with a plurality of form:  Jesus the Person, the Holy Spirit and God the Father (Echad). 

Scripture does say God is ‘one’ in Deuteronomy 6:4.  The word for ‘one’ there is the Hebrew word Echad, which means a composite unity.  For examples of this consider Genesis 1:5, Genesis 2:24, Ezra 2:64, Ezekiel 37:17 where the same Hebrew word Echad is used, and means one in unity, not in number.

In Psalm 7:11 and  Isaiah 43:12 the name Elohim was used to denote supernatural provisions or powers.

Jesus quoted ‘Eli’, a form of the name (meaning “My God”) from the cross in Matthew 27: 46.  Then in Mark 15: 34 we find the term ‘Eloi’, an Aramaic transliteration of the Hebrew ‘Eli’, in Matt. 27: 46.

When Elohim is used as a representative of God, (i.e. Judges) or, as angels, or even heathen gods, Elohim is plural in sense as well as in form.  In other words, a plural verb or adjective is used with the plural noun, e.g.:

Elohim where used of heathen gods: see Exodus 18:11,20:3

Elohim where used of angels: see Ps. 8:5; Job 1:6

Elohim where used of judges: see Ex. 21:6

Elohim is the earliest name of God in the O.T. and persists along with other derivative descriptive names of "El" (God) to the latest period.

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Cognates in linguistics are words that have a common origin. They may occur within a language, such as shirt and skirt. They may also occur across languages.  Cognates need not have the same meaning; cognate terms may  diverge in meaning as languages develop separately.  I.e.  Eloah and Allah.

‘Eloah’ (God) is the Hebrew name for God (specifically "the God of Israel") and corresponds to the Aramaic ‘Elah’.

‘Elah’ (God) is the Aramaic word equivalent to the Hebrew word ‘Eloah’ and cognate* form of ‘Allah’, the word used by Arabs today for ‘God’ i.e. "El".  Elah is used 43 times in the book of Ezra.

‘El Shaddai’ is a compound word of El; meaning ‘God Almighty’.

‘El Olam’ means ‘God of eternity; God the everlasting: God forever’.

‘Elil’ signifies an idol or false god.  See Lev. 19:4: “Turn ye unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods…” or in Lev. 26:1 “You shall make no idols…”.

            Reference:  An Expository Dictionary Of Biblical Words by W.E. Vine.

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OTHER DESCRIPTIVE NAMES FOR GOD:

Yahweh / Jehovah               

                              LORD / Self-Existent One / "I AM THAT I AM"   Ex.3:14    Isa.44:6

Ye Shua / Yeshuah / Jesus / Joshua    

                              God is Salvation     John 8:58      

Christ                    Anointed One / Promised One / Messiah

Adonai                  Lord - Sovereign One       

Jehovah Jireh      The Lord will provide

El                          God

Elohim                Strong One / God Most High     (In Scripture over 2,500x)

El Shaddai          God Almighty  

El Olam                God Of Eternity, God The Everlasting / Forever  Gen. 21:33

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T R I N I T Y

The word Trinity is used to express the doctrine of the unity of God as existing in three distinct personifications of Himself:  Expressed as three persons: God the father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.

There are 4 basic ideas involved in the concept of the Trinity:

1 That God is one, and that there is but one God.  

    (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Kings 8:60; Isaiah 44:6; Mark 12:29, 32; John 10:30).

2. That the Father is a distinct divine Person, distinct from the Son and the Holy Spirit.

3. That Jesus Christ was truly God, and yet was a Person distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit.

4. That the Holy Spirit is also a distinct divine Person.

One way to help you understand the Trinity is to think about water. In its liquid form it is water.  In its frozen form it becomes ice or snow.  In its boiling form it becomes a vapor.  All three forms are distinct; yet they are all water.

Another way to look at it would be to consider the Hebrew word for God; “Elohim”

Excerpt:

ELOHIM (e-lo him): Elohim is plural in form, but is singular in construction.  Elohim as a compound word, meaning a singular God with a plurality of expressed majesty; i.e. Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Father; aka a Triune, but singular God.  Elohim is used over 2500 times in Scripture starting at Gen. 1:1.  God manifests Himself in three personifications; or persons; or “Divine Essences”.

Therefore, when we refer to “Jesus in the Feasts”  we are referring to God; as One Being with a plurality of form: Jesus the Person, the Holy Spirit and God the Father (Echad; One in Unity - not in number).

Scripture does say God is ‘one’ in Deuteronomy 6:4.

The word for ‘one’ there is the Hebrew word Echad, which means a composite unity.  For examples of this, consider Genesis 1:5, Genesis 2:24, Ezra 2:64, and Ezekiel 37:17 where the same Hebrew word Echad is used, and means one in unity, not in number.

There is a beautiful account of Jesus' baptism by his cousin John which features all 3 members of the Trinity; Matthew 3:16-17:  "As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened, and he (John) saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him (Jesus).  And a voice from heaven (God the Father) said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.' "

And in Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians, he referred to the Trinity:  "For there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men."  2 Cor. 12:4-6

Sone other Verses which indicate the members of the Trinity include:

Matthew 28:18-20 which states:  "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.' "

In John 10:30-38  (Jesus says):  " 'I and the Father are one.'  Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him,  but Jesus said to them, 'I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?'  'We are not stoning you for any of these,' replied the Jews, 'but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.'  Jesus answered them, 'Is it not written in your Law: 'I have said you are gods'?  If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken  - what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'?  Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does.  But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.' "

1 Corinthians 8:6 says:  "Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live."

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 adds:  "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men."

Paul makes mention of each member of the Trinity in his benediction found in 2 Corinthians 13:14:  "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

Hebrews 1 (actually quotes Psalm 110:1):  "To which of the angels did God ever say, 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet'?"   Hebrews 10:12-13 declares:  "But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool."

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Elohim Etymology Misinterpretation by Mormons, Church of God & Others

Ref. Verses: John 10: 30-38, esp. vs. 34 & 36; Psalm 82:6; Ezek. 28:2; Ex. 21:6, 22:9 & 28

John 10:30-38, esp. vs.34-36 states:  "I and My Father are one.  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.  Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from My Father; for which of those works do ye stone Me? The Jews answered Him, saying,  For a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that Thou, being a man, make Thyself God.  Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, Ye are gods (plural verb & noun)?  If He called them gods (plural adjective & noun), unto whom the Word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken; say ye of Him Whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, thou blaspheme; because I said, I am the Son of God (singular verb & noun)?  If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not.  But if I do, though ye believe not Me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in Me, and I in Him."

Psalm 82: 6,7  “I have said, Ye are gods (plural verb & noun); and all of you are children of the Most High.  But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”

Ezek. 28:2   “Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus:  'Thus says the Lord GOD; because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, ‘I am a god (singular verb & noun), I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas;  yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God.' ”

Ex. 21:6  “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges;  he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.”

Ex. 22:9 “For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, [or] for any manner of lost thing, which another challenges to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges (plural); and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbor.”

Ex. 22:28 “Thou shalt not revile the gods (plural), nor curse the ruler of thy people.”  

Is. 44: 6-8  "Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God … Is there a God beside me?  Yea, there is no God; I know not any.' "

Is. 43:10-11   " 'You are my witnesses', says the LORD, 'and my servant (Jesus) whom I have chosen: that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me.  I am the LORD; and beside Me there is no savior.' "

Is.  48:12-13   "Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am He; I am the first, I also am the last.  Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together."

Rev. 22:12-14   "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

By Bill Miller      email       Updated  July 23, 2008

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