Who is Elohim?
In my blogs I answer question I get from the bible with scriptures form the bible. This blog is a little different. I am going to answer Who is I AM? GOD called himself I AM several times in the bible. GOD has more than 100 different names throughout the Bible. When the bible was first written it was written in the Hebrew and Greek langue. Names of people in the Hebrew and Greek langue have meanings. I am going to explore the different meaning of GOD’s names found throughout scripture. I am going to take the different Names of GOD and explain where they were first seen and their meaning, so we can get to know who GOD is.
Who Is Elohim?
Elohim is the Hebrew word for GOD and is found in the first sentence of the Bible, Genesis 1:1. Elohim is used more than 2500 times in the Bible with different meaning. For the question Who is Elohim? I am going to use the scripture Genesis 1:1 – 2:3 to answer who is Elohim?
Genesis 1:1-2:3 say’s “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.” And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens. God called the space “sky. “And evening passed, and morning came, marking the second day. Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened. God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened. The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. And evening passed, and morning came, marking the third day. Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened. God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day. Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” So, God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” And evening passed, and morning came, marking the fifth day. Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So, God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day. So, the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.”
I have not studied Hebrew or Greek, so I went to the internet to find the meaning of names. When I put in Elohim most web pages don’t know what it is. But when I went to the Merriam-Webster dictionary I found that the meaning of Elohim is GOD. It also said Essential Meaning of God is the perfect and all-powerful spirit or being that is worshipped especially by Christians, Jews, and Muslims as the one who created and rules the universe. It also said: a spirit or being that has great power, strength, knowledge, etc., and that can affect nature and the lives of people: one of various spirits or beings worshipped in some religions.
I have found a few websites with definitions of Elohim. This is what I have found. Every name of God highlights one aspect of His character. The term “Elohim” means “supreme one” or “mighty one.”
When I look at this meaning for Elohim and the scriptures in Genesis 1:1-2:3 I come up with the meaning Mighty Creator. When I get questions from the Bible, I like to find my answers from another scripture.
For the answer for this question, I am going with Genesis 1:1
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” “Elohim created”
When I put Elohim created in the place of GOD it gives me a bigger picture of who GOD is. I am not able to create the things that GOD created. So, for me he is a Mighty Creator. When I hear the name Elohim I think of Mighty Creator. I respect that GOD is mighty and powerful.
My question for the world is: Do you know the true Elohim? The one who made you and everyone in your life?
My Prayer for me and the world is: Oh, Heavenly Father each time I hear your name make me stop and remember how powerful you are. How you created everything and have the power to end everything. GOD, please keep me humble enough that I always look towards you for my strength.
AMEN
