What Is His Name?

A Devotional Study of the Names of God

by Jacque Brown

  

ELOHIM

 

Elohim comes from a root word that means “to swear”.  What do you think that means?  God is a God of Covenant:  throughout the Word of God He is always making covenants with His chosen.  We usually consider the very first covenant that God made was with Noah in Genesis 6, but I believe that there was a Covenant even before that one:  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit covenanted with each other that they would create the heavens and the earth, that they would create man in their own image, and do whatever was necessary to restore that image that they knew would be lost!  We know there was a covenant within the Godhead because it was decided that the Son would be the sacrifice, the substitute!  Revelation calls Him “the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the earth”.  What an awesome promise God made Himself: a promise that has not been diminished by time or chance or man’s continued disobedience.  He is the God who has sworn with and by Himself:  Hebrews 6 tells us that He swore with Himself because He could find no one greater!  He has promised that He will not forsake the work of His hands, and that what He started, He will finish. 

FIRST MENTION:  Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth.” Elohim is used approximately 2500 times throughout the Old Testament, 35 times just in Genesis 1-2. The three Old Testament books where Elohim most frequently appears are Genesis, Deuteronomy and Psalms.

Elohim is a “uni-plural” noun, stating from the very beginning the fact of the Holy Trinity--the Presence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit: 

• Genesis 1:28:  “Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness.”
• Colossians 1:13-16:  “Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers:  all things were created by Him and for Him.”
• Job 26:13:  “For by His Spirit He has garnished the heavens.”
• Genesis 1:2:  “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

Just as Genesis is the foundational book of the entire Bible, so Elohim is the foundational Name of God.  It is His “Signature” Name. 

This Name “Elohim” contains the essence of the Character of God

I was trying to think of a way to illustrate what I mean when I say that Elohim is God’s signature name.  It is not a term of endearment, like “El Shaddai”, or “Jehovah-Jireh”, names that we will be looking at during the course of this study.  Elohim is His full name:  His official insignia, if you will.   Just like when you are asked to give your full name on any kind of official document - you print out your full name, then usually underneath, you give your unique signature:  but that is not the name that those closest to you use when speaking to you.  In this one Name, Elohim, is hidden everything we need to know about God.  Not hidden as in “secret”, but hidden in such a way that only those who really want to know Him can find out the treasures in this Name.

Some of those beautiful treasures are these insights:

HE IS THE ETERNAL, SELF-EXISTENT ONE:  Genesis 1:1 does not try to prove the existence of God, nor His origin.  Genesis 1:1 makes a precise, authoritative statement of fact:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

HE IS THE CREATOR:  In Genesis 1:1, God chose precisely the words that He wanted to convey exactly Who He is and what He has done:  He made the heavens and earth out of nothing; we read verses throughout Scripture that indicate to us that He spoke the worlds into existence.

HE IS THE TRIUNE GOD:  Elohim is a very special proper noun in that it is a plural yet singular noun.  A “uni-plural” title for God.  There is no one who has ever been able to explain satisfactorily to me the concept of the Trinity.  Every object lesson that has ever been used to “explain” the Trinity breaks down at some point because we really have no true illustration:  it will forever remain one of the incredible mysteries of God.

And yet, there needs to be a basic understanding of the concept in order to integrate it into my knowledge about God.  In one sense, it is enough to say, “God said it and I believe it”!  But there is a part of all of us that desires to know more, and I believe God reveals to us what we need to know about His Triune Nature.  In Genesis, He reveals to us the entire Godhead:  The Spirit and the Son, as well as the Father, in unison creating the universe and mankind.  They were all there!

HE IS PERSONAL:   throughout Scripture, particularly in Genesis and Deuteronomy and the Psalms where this Name occurs most frequently, He is constantly interacting with His Creation, calling them by name, communing with them.  David speaks of Elohim over and over as “my Elohim”-- "my God".

HE IS THE COVENANT-MAKING, COVENANT-KEEPING GOD:  He is the One Who has sworn with Himself that He will not forsake the work of His hands.  Paul says that we are His Workmanship.  Just as Creation as a whole is His handiwork, each of us is His workmanship, and He will never walk away from us!  And no matter how damaged we may have become, He will never throw any of us away!