Who is the God of Israel?

By David Cook

Is the God explained by the Jewish Rabbis from the Talmud; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?  What about Chabad-Lubavitch; the Orthodox Hasidic Jews in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York.  Do they  have the true wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of the God of Israel?  Is the seventh Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson really the promised Moshiach?  Since the Rebbe passed away on June 12, 1994, does this mean the Moshiach will come twice?  How about Kabbalah Judaism; is this Jewish mysticism revealing the hidden mysteries about the God of Israel through their esoteric method, discipline and school of thought?  What about the Messianic Yeshuanikim; do they have revelation of the divine nature of Yĕhovah Elohim from Yeshua the Moshiach?  Other Jews are non-religious, and consider themselves Secular Jews; and range from humanism, agnosticism to atheism, intertwined with various aspects of rationalism.  Many believe that man and all of creation is the result of random change, plus time; over billions of years of evolution.  For the humanist, agnostic or atheist; their only hope for the redemption of Israel will come from the collective intelligence, work and military strength of the Jewish people.  Such diverse theological positions and non-theological positions.

Who is the God of Israel?

The prophet Moses wrote in the Torah about Abraham’s grandson Jacob, the son of Isaac.  We read in the book of Genesis chapter 28;

28 So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him, and said to him, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and from there take to yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. 3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May He also give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham.” 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.  Genesis 28:1-5 NASB

May El Shaddai bless you and make you fruitful

El Shaddai is the God of Abraham and Isaac.  El Shaddai is the Mighty God who nurtures His people.  El Shaddai is the all-sufficient Mighty God. [1]  El Shaddai was the God of Abraham and Isaac but would Jacob serve the God of His fathers?

Jacob’s dream at Bethel, by José de Ribera.

On his journey back to Paddan-aram Jacob had a dream.

“the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac”

10 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place. 12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”  Genesis 28:10-17 NASB

“the Elohim of your father Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac”

Yĕhovah said He is the Elohim of Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac.  The Hebrew word “Elohim” is a plural masculine noun for God.  Elohim is the plural of El (or possibly of Eloah) it is the first name for God given by Moses in the Tanakh: “In the beginning, God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1 [2]

Yĕhovah the Elohim who created the heavens and the earth is the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac.  Yĕhovah the Elohim of Abraham and Isaac appeared to Jacob in a dream and spoke to him and made promises to him about the future of the land he was sleeping on, multiplying his descendants and that through one of his offspring; all the families of the earth would be blessed.  God made promises to Abraham, and these promise were passed on to his grandson Jacob.  [3]

Bethel

18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”  Genesis 28:18-22 NASB

Bethel means “House of El” or “House of God”.  [4]

“El Shaddai” & “Thy Word” performed by Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith

Moshe wrote in the Torah in Genesis chapter 32 that Jacob wrestled all night with a “man” who later Jacob stated is God (El).  The Person from heaven who looked like a man but turned out to be God changed Jacob’s name to Israel and blessed him.

Who is this “man” who turned out to be “God”?

Jacob Wrestles with God

24 Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” 31 Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. 32 Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.

Genesis 32:24-32 NASB

The prophet Moses wrote that Jacob was left alone, “and a man wrestled with him until daybreak”.  Who was this man that wrestled with Jacob?  Why did Jacob think this man had the authority to bless him?

Who is the God of Israel?

Some believe that Jacob wrestled with an angel.  Yet Moses wrote that Jacob said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”  Was Jacob right?  Did Jacob wrestle with God, and see God face to face?  Jacob was so convinced he had a real encounter with God that he named the place Peniel, which means “face of God”.

Jacob’s new name Israel means to “struggle with God” and man and prevail.  Jacob wrestled all night with God, and persevered in faith; to be blessed by God.  Israel is the new name given to Jacob by God.  Some believe the “man” who later is revealed to be “God“, who blessed Jacob and gave him the new name Israel; is the pre-incarnate Moshiach, the Son of the living God.  The prophet Micah wrote that the Moshiach existed from the ancient days long before His incarnation, long before His birth in Bethlehem;

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Too little to be among the clans of Judah,

From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.

His goings forth are from long ago,

From the days of eternity.”

Micah 5:2 NASB

Jacob asked the “man” he wrestled with, “Please tell me your name.” But the “man” who turns out to be God said, “Why is it that you ask my name?”  The God-man eluded Jacob’s question with another question and left His identity obscure.  Jacob has had a real encounter with the God of Abraham and Isaac, yet he does not know His name.

The God of Israel, is the Lord of hosts

The prophet Isaiah wrote that the Lord of hosts, is the God of Israel;

“O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,

who is enthroned above the cherubim,

You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth.

You have made heaven and earth.

Isaiah 37:16 NASB

Isaiah had a vision of the Lord of hosts on His throne;

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said,

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,

The whole earth is full of His glory.”

Isaiah 6:1-3 NASB

 

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

“Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”  

Isaiah 6:8 NASB

Isaiah receives his call as a prophet from the Lord of hosts.  Isaiah responded, “Here am I.  Send me!”  Why does the Yĕhovah refer to Himself both in the singular and in the plural?  “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”  (See Genesis 1:26)  The triune Almighty God — Elohim (plural noun for mighty God) who is revealed in the Torah is a unique unified one, therefore the verbs and adjectives used with Elohim are singular.

Yehovah Elohim exists, He causes all things to come into existence.  Yehovah Elohim is the self-existent One.  Yehovah Elohim is the great “I AM”; who is, who was, who is to come.   He is the first cause; Creator of the universe, all that is seen and unseen, all that is visible and invisible.  Yehovah Elohim, the Lord our God is a unique unified one.

El is a Semitic name for God.  The Hebrew word “Elohim” is a plural masculine noun that means the strong supreme One, Almighty God.  Moses also writes in the Torah of our Almighty God (Elohim) in the plural in Genesis 3:22 and Genesis 11:7.

Then the LORD God said,

“Behold, the man has become like one of Us…”

Genesis 3:22 NASB

The prophet Isaiah tells us that the Lord of hosts created the heavens and the earth.

12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called;

I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.

13 “Surely My hand founded the earth,

And My right hand spread out the heavens;

When I call to them, they stand together.

Isaiah 48:12-13 NASB

Isaiah explains more of who was involved in the creation of the heavens and the earth in Isaiah chapter 48, verses 12-16.  The “Me” mentioned in verse 12 is identified as “I am the first, I am also the last” who is the maker of the heavens.  Who is the “I AM the First, I AM the Last” who made the heavens and the earth?  If we look back in Isaiah 48, verse 2 we see the “Me” is identified as “the God of Israel; the Lord of hosts”.  The Lord of hosts, Yĕhovah Tzeva’ot is the Commander of heavens armies.

The Lord of hosts, Yĕhovah Tzeva’ot is the First and the Last; who created the heavens and the earth.  In chapter 48, verse 16 we see that the “Lord of hosts”, who is “the First and the Last” maker of the heavens and the earth was sent by the “Lord GOD” (Adonai Yĕhovah in Hebrew).  What is the significance of the fact that the Lord GOD sent the Lord of hosts?  We see that the theology of the Tanach is consistent with the teaching of Yeshua the Moshiach and the New Testament writers.   The belief that Elohim is a unified one Lord is supported by numerous scriptures throughout the Tanach, one being Isaiah 48:16 which includes a reference to three distinct divine Persons.

“And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.”

Isaiah 48:16 NASB

1. Lord GOD

2. “Me”

3. His Spirit

So who is this “Me’ in verse 16?  The “Me” in verse 16 is the Lord of hosts, the First and the Last who created the heavens and the earth.  If we turn to the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation to find a clue who this mystery Person is.  The apostle John writes, “Fear not, ‘I am the first and the last, and the living one.  I died and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Revelation 1:17-18 John reveals that the one speaking is Yeshua the risen Savior, the promised Moshiach.  Yeshua is the Lord of host; who said, “I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.”

1. Lord GOD = Adonai Yĕhovah

2. “Me” = the Yĕhovah of hosts, who is Adonai Yeshua

3. His Spirit = His Ruach (Spirit of Adonai Yĕhovah) [5]

 

 “And now the Adonai Yĕhovah has sent Me, and His Spirit.”

Isaiah 48:16

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace

In chapter 9, Isaiah wrote a prophecy concerning the Moshiach;

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

7 There will be no end to the increase of

His government or of peace,

On the throne of David and over his kingdom,

To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

From then on and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB

 

Michael Card and Sara Groves sing El Shaddai

What is this blessing promised to both Abraham and Jacob that would bless all the families of the earth?

Through Jacob’s family line, the Moshiach was born and He will bring redemption for all the families of the earth; those chosen before the foundation of the world, from every tribe and language and people and nation. [6]

Saul of Tarsus, from the region of Cilicia was the son of a Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin who was schooled under Rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem.   Saul in his religious zeal was a persecutor of the early church.  Later, Saul became a believer in Yeshua the Moshiach.  Saul like Jacob was given a new name after his encounter with the Moshiach.  Jacob was given the name Israel, and Saul was given the name Paul when Yeshua appeared to him in a vision on the road to Damascus. [7]

Paul the apostle wrote to Jewish and Gentile believers in Moshiach this commentary on Genesis;

6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.  Galatians 3:6-9 NASB

Yeshua the Moshiach is the blessing promised to Abraham.  So that now, both Jews and Gentiles may receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. [8]  Moshiach is the One who would come and bless all the families of the earth.  The promises were made to Abraham and to his decedent, namely the Moshiach. [9]

Can a Jewish person find eternal redemption by attempting to obey the 613 Laws of Torah?  Can a Gentile person find eternal redemption by attempting to obey the 7 Noahide Laws?  Will both Jew and non-Jew be assured of a place in the World to Come (Olam Haba), the final reward of the righteous; by keeping the Law of God?

Moses wrote in the Torah; that Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness. [10]

The Law given through Moses does not nullify the promise God made to Abraham, of righteousness by faith.  The 613 Mosaic Laws were given 430 years after God made the covenant with Abraham, which included among other things; the promise of the Moshiach and righteousness by faith.  The apostle Paul explains; the law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. [11]

Why then, was the law given?

The Law was given because of transgressions until the Moshiach had come. [12]  The Moshiach is the descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who would bless “all the families of the earth”. [13]

13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.  Romans 4:13-15 NASB

The promised Moshiach came at the appointed time, He lived among us and then willingly laid down His life as a sacrificial offering for our many sins.  The sinless Moshiach took all our sins upon Himself, so that we might become God’s righteous people by faith.  The prophet Zechariah wrote about the invasion of Israel and the siege of Jerusalem by many nations just prior to the return of the Moshaich;

2 “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. 3 It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.  Zechariah 12:2-3 NASB

5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘A strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the Lord of hosts, their God.’   Zechariah 12:5 NASB

Then one day, the Lord of hosts will return to Jerusalem; and the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will look on the Lord of hosts, “whom they have pierced”; and they will mourn.  We read in Zechariah 12:10 “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.”

The God of Israel is the Lord of hosts.  The Lord of hosts is the One who was pierced for our transgression; Yeshua the promised Moshiach. [14]  In Zechariah chapter 14, we read about the millennial reign of the Moshiach King on earth when He will rule from Jerusalem; 16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 17 And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them.   Zechariah 14:16-17 NASB

Selah.

[1] El Shaddai is the all-sufficient Mighty God.  http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Names_of_G-d/El/el.html

[2] Elohim a Hebrew word for God is the plural of El (or possibly Eloah).  http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Names_of_G-d/Elohim/elohim.html

[3] A continuation of the promise to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3

[4] Bethel means “House of El” or “House of God”.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel

[5] His Ruach Adonai Yehovah (see Isaiah 61:1)

[6] If you belong to Moshiach then you are Abram’s descendants, heirs according to promise; Galatians 3:26-29.  People redeemed from every tribe, language, people and nation; Revelation 5:9-10.  The saints (elect believers in the Moshiach) were chosen by God before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4-6 and 1:11-12.

[7] Saul of Tarsus, Acts 21:39.  Saul from the tribe of Benjamin, Romans 11:1.  Saul was schooled by Rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem, Acts 22:3. Saul a persecutor of the early church, Acts 8:3.  Yeshua appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, Acts 9:1-31.

[8] In Moshiach the Gentiles receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, Galatians 3:14.

[9] Moshiach would bless all the families of the earth, Galatians 3:16.

[10] Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.  Genesis 15:6 NIVUK.

[11] The 613 Laws given by Moses, do not nullify the promise God made to Abram of righteousness by faith; Galatians 3:17-19 NIVUK.

[12] Why was the Mosaic Law given? Galatians 3:19.

[13] All the families of the earth will be blessed through Abraham’s descendant the Moshiach, Genesis 12:3 and 28:14 and Galatians 3:16.

[14] “But He was pierced through for our transgressions”, Isaiah 53:5.  “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf”, 2 Corinthians 5:21.

In the beginning…

By David Cook

The first verse in the Bible tells us a lot;

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1 NIV

Moses wrote the Torah in Hebrew, the predominate word for God in Genesis chapter one is “Elohim”.  We gain this understanding when we read verse one in Hebrew; In the beginning He created, Elohim created the heavens and the earth.

Who is Elohim?  He created the heavens and the earth.  Elohim is a Hebrew plural noun for God with a masculine suffix.  Elohim, He created the heavens and the earth.  But with the plural noun for God normally a singular verb is used.  Why did Moses use a singular verb with Elohim?  The Tanakh explains Elohim as the unified one God.  Why did Moses use the word “Elohim”, a plural noun; for the true and living God?  Elohim is the one true triune God; the heavenly Father, His Son and the Spirit of God.

In verse 26 of chapter one Moses gives us this insight about Elohim (the one triune God);

Then God said,

“Let us make mankind in our image,

in our likeness…”

Genesis 1:26 NIV

Here Moses reveals that man was made in the image of Elohim (Father God, His Son and the Spirit of God).  One Person of the triune Elohim is speaking to two other Persons of the divine Trinity.  In verse two we see that the Spirit of God is a Co-Creator with Father God and His beloved Son, “and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Yehovah Elohim is self-existent,

the first cause of all;

He made everything visible and invisible in the heavens and on earth.

Since Elohim (the one true triune God) existed before He made the heavens and earth, He is the first cause of all; He is the Creator of all things.  Elohim Yehovah is self-existent.  Elohim existed before the earth rotated around the sun, before time began as we know it; He existed from eternity past.  This is why the prophet Daniel called Him the “Ancient of Days”.

“I kept looking in the night visions,

And behold, with the clouds of heaven

One like a Son of Man was coming

And He came up to the Ancient of Days

And was presented before Him.

“And to Him was given dominion,

Glory and a kingdom,

That all the peoples, nations,

and men of every language

Might serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

Which will not pass away;

And His kingdom is one

Which will not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14 NASB

God the Father gives to His Son the Messiah an everlasting dominion which will not be destroyed.  Elohim existed before time, is now and always will be.  God is self-existent and eternal, He existed from everlasting to everlasting.

Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Psalm 90:2 NIV

The Jewish Prophet Isaiah wrote that the Almighty lives forever, He dwells on a high and holy place and with the contrite and lowly of spirit;

For thus says the high and exalted One

Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,

“I dwell on a high and holy place,

And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit

In order to revive the spirit of the lowly

And to revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 57:15 NASB

John a disciple of Yeshua the promised Moshiach wrote;

 ¹ In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

²He was in the beginning with God.

³ All things came into being through Him,

and apart from Him nothing came into being

that has come into being.

⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

⁵ The Light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:1-5 NASB

So who is the “Word” that the apostle John wrote of?  The word John used for the “Word” is “Logos”, a Greek masculine noun.  The “Word”, is a title for the Son of God, Yeshua the promised Messiah.  The “Word” was with God in the beginning, He is the living Word, Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.  Here John tells us that the “Word” (the Son of God) is a Co-Creator with His Father and the Spirit of God; “All things came into being through Him”.          

Later John wrote about the “Word of life”;

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— ² and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³ what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.   1 John 1:1-4 NASB

So who is the “Word of life” that the apostle John wrote of?  The “Word of Life” that the apostle John wrote about is the Son of God, Yeshua the promised Moshiach.

Hillsong United — “Yahweh”    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

“The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”

By David Cook

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”

Deuteronomy 6:4 NIV

What is Moses telling us in this scripture passage in the Torah?  Let’s go back to the book of Genesis to begin our investigation for an accurate Biblical interpretation.

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

Genesis 1:1 KJV

The Hebrew word that Moses uses for God in this verse and 32 times in chapter one of Genesis is “Elohim”, which is a transliteration from Hebrew to English.  Moses uses Elohim for God 207 times in the book of Genesis and numerous times throughout the Torah.  This name for God is an important word to understand.  Elohim is a plural and masculine noun used for God.  Elohim is used over 2300 times in the Hebrew Bible.

Moses gives us a foundational understanding about many things in Genesis – the book of beginnings.  In Genesis the first book of the Torah we find our initial understanding on the essence of God’s nature, the creation of the heavens and earth, the creation of man and woman, the beginning of marriage, and the beginning of the nation of Israel.

In  the Torah we read; “In the beginning Elohim created…”

The name for God that Moses uses in Genesis 1:1 is “Elohim” (plural Almighty God) has a plural intensive syntax.  The Hebrew verb “bara” (created) is singular since Elohim is “echad” (one or a unified one) as Moses reveals later in the Torah in Deuteronomy 6:4.  The triune Almighty God — Elohim (plural noun for mighty God) who is revealed in the Torah is a unique unified one, therefore the verbs and adjectives used with Elohim are singular.

In the Torah Moses writes that a man and his wife, the two become “echad” (one, a unified one) married couple, that the divided nation of Israel made up of the tribes of  Judah and the tribes of Ephraim become “echad” (one, a unified one) nation and the Lord our God, the Lord is “echad” (one, a unified one) God. (See Genesis 2:24, Ezekiel 37:17-22, and Deuteronomy 6:4)

Elohim (plural Almighty God) is the triune God who is the unique unified one true living God, revealed in the Bible who created the heavens and earth;  there is no other living God.

In chapter one, verse one of the book of Genesis Moses explains that God created the heavens and the earth.  In the second verse Moses writes that the Spirit of God moved over the surface of the waters, the Spirit of God; is a distinct person of the triune Godhead.  “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2 KJV  The Hebrew word that Moshe used for Spirit is “Ruach” that means breath, wind or Spirit. The Spirit of God was involved in creation in unity and in collaboration with God our Father in heaven and His beloved Son.  Moses refers to the Spirit (Ruach) 23 times in the Torah and Ruach is referred to over 200 times in Tanakh.

In Genesis 1:26 Moses quotes Yĕhovah Elohim who speaks to other Persons of the triune Elohim in the plural.  Why did the Spirit of God illuminate Moses’ mind to choose the word Elohim a plural noun for God and quote the triune God speaking to the triune Elohim in the plural?  Moses specifically writes about the plural nature of Elohim in Genesis,

Then Elohim said,

“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…”

Genesis 1:26 NASB

1. “Let Us make man”  2. “in Our image”  3. “according to Our likeness”

Moses quotes Elohim who refers to Himself in the plural three times, Elohim is speaking to other persons of the triune Godhead.  One of the persons of the triune Godhead is speaking to the other two.  Our Father who is in heaven, His Son and the Spirit of God are having a conversation about the creation of man being made in their image and their likeness.

Judaism believes in Yehovah our Father in heaven and His Spirit but not the divinity of the Moshiach.  The Tanakh and the New Testament both have scriptures about Yehovah our Father in heaven and His Spirit and the divinity of the Moshiach (Micah 5:1-2, Daniel 7:13-14, Isaiah 9:6-7, Psalm 2, Psalm 110:1-5).  The Moshiach, the “Son of Man” existed from ancient days in the beginning with His Father Yehovah, who is the Ancient of Days who gives an eternal kingdom to the Moshiach (Micah 5:1-2, Daniel 7:13-14 and John 1:1-3).

The New Testament confirms what Moshe  wrote in Genesis that creation was a unified collaboration by Elohim the triune Almighty God who is the Creator of the universe.  We read about creation from Saint Paul where he writes about the role of God’s Son, Jesus our Messiah:

“He is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn over all creation.

For by him all things were created:

things in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible,

whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;

all things were created by him and for him.

He is before all things,

and in him all things hold together.”

Colossians 1:15-17 NIV

Elohim a Hebrew word for God that is a plural masculine noun with plural meaning for the Almighty God is used as a “plural intensive” referring to the unified one God of Israel.  The triune God; the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit of God, these three persons of the Godhead are a unified one.

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

John 1:1 ESV

What is the Spirit of God teaching us through the writing of the apostle John?  The same thing that He taught us through the writings of Moses in the Torah.  Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 6:4, “The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”  The apostle John wrote in John 1:1 that Yĕhovah our Father in heaven, and His beloved Son the “Word” are divine.   In the Torah and in the New Testament we see that our Father in heaven is God, and His divine Son Yeshua and the Spirit of God; these three are one (echad), a unified one God (Elohim).

So who is the “Word” that the apostle John wrote of?  The word John used for the “Word” is “Logos” a Greek masculine noun.

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. 1 John 1:1-4 NASB

The “Word” that the apostle John wrote about in chapter 1 is the Son of God, Yeshua the promised Moshiach.

1 In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things came into being through Him,

and apart from Him nothing came into being

that has come into being.

4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

5 The Light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:1-5 NASB

The “Word”, is a title for the Son of God, Yeshua the promised Messiah, He was with God in the beginning, He is the living Word, Yeshua is the Messiah the Son of the living God. Here John tells us that the Word (the Son of God) is a Co-Creator with His Father and the Spirit of God; “All things came into being through Him”.

Saint John gives us this insight concerning creation and that fact that Elohim (plural God) was involved from the  beginning; Our Father in heaven and His Son our Messiah, who is called in this scripture the “Word” (Logos) of God.  The Son of God, Yeshua our Messiah is the the A & the Z, (the Aleph & the Tav) He is the WORD of God the Logos.  Yeshua our Messiah existed before Abraham the  father of  faith, Yeshua is the first and the last, He is the  beginning and  the  end; Creator, Prophet, Redeemer, Savior, High Priest, Prince of  Peace, KING of Kings, LORD of Lords and Judge.

When Jesus the promised Messiah returns He will fulfill the remaining prophesies in the Bible that are before us in the future; Messiah is the hope of Israel.  When Yeshua was born  in Bethlehem hometown of King David as  Micah foretold, the Son of David became the incarnation of the Logos!  God’s Son  lived and dwelt among us, He is Immanuel – God with us!

Yĕhovah the Elohim of Israel has not revealed everything about Himself to everyone, He is unique, there is no other god like Him, He is the infinite all-wise, all-powerful, everywhere present God; He is the King of the universe.  Man is finite in understanding and yet God gives illumination through the Holy Scriptures and by His Holy Spirit who gives us more understanding into the nature and essence of Yĕhovah our Elohim.  Both the Torah and the Tanakh and the New Covenant reveal the conundrum that surrounds the mystery of who God is; line upon line, precept upon precept.

Yĕhovah Tzeva’ot exists, He causes all things to come into existence.  Yĕhovah is the self-existent One.  Yĕhovah Tzeva’ot is the great “I AM”; who is, who was, who is to come.  He is the first cause; Creator of the universe, all that is seen and unseen, all that is visible and invisible.  Yĕhovah Elohim, the Lord our God is a unique unified one.

El is a Semitic name for God.  The Hebrew word “Elohim” is a plural masculine noun that means the strong supreme One, Almighty God.  Moses also writes in the Torah of our Almighty God (Elohim) in the plural in Genesis 3:22 and Genesis 11:7.

Then the LORD God said,

“Behold, the man has become like one of Us…”

Genesis 3:22 NASB

“Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language,

so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”  

Genesis 11:7 NASB

Yĕhovah our Elohim is a unified one.  As Moses tells us,

“Hear, O Israel: Yĕhovah our God, Yĕhovah is one.”

Deuteronomy 6:4 HSV

The Hebrew word Moshe used to describe God is “echad” translated as “one” in English.  In the Tanakh the word echad is used to mean a unified one and also may mean one alone.  The Rabbinic Jews interpreted echad to mean Elohim is one alone, that is; God is a singularity.  Although, this interpretation is not congruent with Genesis 1:26 where Moshe quotes God speaking to Himself in the plural.  Nor does this Rabbinic interpretation line up with Psalms 110:1 where King David quotes Yĕhovah speaking to Adoni.

The LORD says to my Lord: 

“Sit at My right hand 

Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”  

Psalms 110:1 NASB

Yĕhovah said to my Adoni:

“Sit at My right hand,

until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

Our Father in heaven said to His Son our Messiah, “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”  The reason King David calls Him “my Lord” is because Messiah is the KING of Kings and the LORD of Lords.  Yeshua ha’Mashiach (Jesus the Christ) is the Son of the living God and the promised Messiah.  David calls Messiah my “Lord” (Adoni in Psalms 110:1 and Adonai in 110:5), even though Messiah would be a descendant of David who would be born of a virgin in David’s hometown of Bethlehem many years later while the Roman Empire ruled over Israel.  Why would King David call his descendant the Messiah his Lord?  Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of the living God existed before Abraham, and before Genesis 1:1.  Since Messiah Himself came and lived among us He is “Emmanuel” (with us God), Yeshua is divine, He is God incarnate.   Yeshua explained the essence of God in the New Covenant.  Believers in Jesus as the Messiah who are called Christians now see and understand that Elohim (a plural noun for God) is a unified one.

Yĕhovah our God, Yĕhovah is echad, a unified one.

The Hebrew name for the Savior of the world is Yeshua translated as Jesus into English, is the Son of God, who is of one essence with the Heavenly Father and the Ruach of Elohim that is the Holy Spirit of God.  Yehovah our Elohim is a unified one: our Father in Heaven who has an only begotten Son named Yeshua and the Spirit of God makes the three persons of the Holy Trinity, the triune God; these three persons of the Godhead are the LORD our God, the LORD is one.  The LORD our God is echad — a unified one.

Some say God who is the Creator and King of the universe is speaking to members of His heavenly court, but God was speaking to members of the triune Godhead.  Yehovah Elohim is speaking to Adonai and the Ruach of God.  Our Father in Heaven is speaking to His Son our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit of God. “Let Us make man in Our likeness and our image.”  Man is created solely in the likeness and image of God not in the likeness and image of both God and members of His heavenly court.

Yahweh the “Elohim” of Israel may enjoy not revealing all about Himself to all, He is the infinite God. Man is finite in understanding and yet God gives illumination through the Holy Scriptures and His Holy Spirit that gives us more understanding into the nature and essence of Yahweh our Elohim.  Both the Torah and the Tanakh and the New Covenant reveal the conundrum that surrounds the mystery of who God is.

In the Tanakh we read of our Father in heaven and His Spirit two distinct Persons of the Holy Triune God.  It seems as though Judaism embraces both Our Father in heaven and the Spirit of God although they view God only as a singular one.  Father God and the Sprit of God are of the same essence yet two distinct Persons of the Trinity who are one, a “unified one”.  Many within Judaism also believe in God’s Messiah but they do not think Messiah can be divine, so they reject Yeshua as the Messiah who was foretold  by the Hebrew prophets.  But the Jewish community needs to reread Isaiah chapter 9:6-7, Messiah is divine!

The prophet Isaiah foretold:

“For to us a baby is born, to us a Son is given:

the government shall be upon His shoulders;

His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Omnipotent God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.

His government and peace will increase and go on for eternity.

He will rule on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

He will establish, sustain and defend it,

with justice and righteousness;

from its origin throughout all eternity.

The zeal of  Yĕhovah of armies will accomplish this.”

Isaiah 9:6-7 HSV

Messiah will rule on David’s throne forever, He is the “Prince of Peace”, the “Almighty God”, the “Eternal Father”!  Elohim is the strong supreme One – the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, Creator and King of the universe, He is the unique unified one “Almighty God”!

How can this Son prophesied by Isaiah who will rule upon the throne of David forever, the promised Messiah; be the “Prince of Peace” and the “Mighty God” and the “Everlasting Father”?  Jesus the promised Messiah, the Son of the living God taught us in the New Covenant; “I and My Father are one.” John 10:30 NASB  The Jews who heard Messiah make this profound statement understood that He was claiming to be one with His Father in heaven, claiming to be a unified one.  Yehovah our Elohim, Yehovah is a unified one.

There is only one triune God, there is no other.  The triune God is a unique unified one God, our Father in heaven, His beloved Son and the Holy Spirit.  Christianity is not a pagan polytheistic religion.  One Hebrew name for God that Moses used in the Torah is “Elohim”, a plural name for God.  Yĕhovah our Elohim, Yĕhovah is echad.  The Hebrew word “echad” typically means a unified one and may be used as a numerical one.  The Hebrew word “yachid” that means an absolute numeric one is never used to describe God.  The Jewish Rabbinic community may wonder, “When writing the Torah why didn’t Moses use the word ychid in the “Shema Yisrael” in Deuteronomy 6:4?  The reason is because the Spirit of God directed Moses to use an accurate word to describe Yĕhovah our God, Yĕhovah is “echad” – a unified one.   “The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”  Yĕhovah our God, is a unique unified one LORD.  The numeric one commandment of the ten is; “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”  Yĕhovah our Elohim, is the triune God; the unique unified one true and living God, Creator of the heavens and earth.