Yahweh, the God of the Bible
ResLight
worshiped long before there was any of the religions of the world.
About 6,000 years ago, Eve recognized Yahweh as ELOHIM, when, after
giving birth to Cain, she said: "I have gotten a man with Yahweh's
help." (Genesis 4:1. World English Bible translation throughout,
unless specified otherwise) It is Yahweh (Jehovah) who is identified
as the Creator:
Genesis 2:4 - This is the history of the generations of the heavens
and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh God
made earth and the heavens.
In the Hebrew part of the Bible (Old Testament), Yahweh presents
Himself with different contrasts, all of which are harmonious once
understood from the right perspective. We are told of a Creator who is
so far above man as to be aloof in His holiness. He is "the high and
lofty One who inhabits eternity" (Isaiah 57:15). Yet in the same
verse, He also dwells with him "who is of a contrite and humble
spirit." We read of Him in Isaiah 55:9, "For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts
than your thoughts." He is portrayed as an exactor of strict justice,
who is "of purer eyes than to see evil" (Habakkuk 1:13). He is "a
jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on
the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me" (Exodus
20:5). He tolerated no rivals, giving as His first commandment, "You
shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3). He spoke to Moses
"face to face, as a man speaks to a friend" (Exodus 33:11). Abraham
was known as "a friend of God" (James 2:23). We read of Him in Amos
3:7, "Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing, Unless he reveals his
secret to his servants the prophets." But such servants were few and
far between. Of others we read "Make the heart of this people fat, and
make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their
eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and
turn again, and be healed" (Isaiah 6:10).
While in the Hebrew part of the Bible, Yahweh is mostly presented in
relation to condemnation of sin, in the Greek part of the Bible, his
mercy and love toward all mankind is exalted, due to the satisfaction
of justice by means of the sacrificial death of Yahweh's Son. "As in
Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1
Corinthians 15:21). The logic of this redemption is simple: one
perfect sinless human life in place of another perfect life forfeited
by sin, and justice is satisfied.
All through the Bible, Yahweh, by means of his holy spirit, reveals
through the scriptures that Yahweh (Jehovah) is the only true God, the
God and Father of the Lord Jesus. Jesus has One who is the Supreme
Being over him; Jesus is not his Supreme Being whom he worships, prays
to, and who sent him, and whose will he carried out in willful
obedience. Yahweh, the only true God who sent Jesus, is always
distinguished from Jesus. - Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Matthew 4:4
(Deuteronomy 8:3; Luke 4:4); Matthew 4:7 (Deuteronomy 6:16); Matthew
4:10 (Exodus 20:3-5; 34:14; Deuteronomy 6:13,14; 10:20; Luke 4:8);
Matthew 22:29-40; Matthew 26:42; Matthew 27:46; Mark 10:6 (Genesis
1:27; Genesis 2:7,20-23); Mark 14:36; 15:34; Luke 22:42; John 4:3;
5:30; 6:38; 17:1,3; 20:17; Romans 15:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 11:31;
Ephesians 1:3,17; Hebrews 1:9; 10:7; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 2:7;
3:2,12.
See:
Scriptures That Show That Jesus (Yahshua) Is Not Yahweh (Jehovah)
http://godandson.reslight.net/jesusnotyhwh.html
The words ELOHIM, EL, THEOS are not "names" for Yahweh, except in the
sense these titles can be spoken of as a "name" in a general sense, as
"tree" is a general name for the certain kind of plants that we have
designated as such. The words ELOHIM, EL, and THEOS signify strength,
power, might. ELOHIM is plural in form, but is not always used in
plural settings. The Hebrew does use the plural form of a word in a
singular setting to intensify the meaning, similar to the English
superior and superlative forms: higher (superior), highest
(superlative). Thus ELOHIM, when used in a singular setting, when used
of Yahweh, denotes the superlative: "Mightiest". With this thought
also, however, is the Yahweh is "the Might" of the universe. Being the
source of all might, there is no might aside from Him. - Isaiah 44:6;
45:5,21.
See:
Elohim - Does This Word Indicate a Plurality of Persons in a Godhead?
http://godandson.reslight.net/e-p.html
The words EL and ELOHIM are many times in the Bible used of others
than Yahweh.
See:
Hebraic Usage of the Titles for God
http://godandson.reslight.net/hebraictitles.html
We note that ELOHIM is used of Moses in reference to Moses'
relationship to Pharaoh:
Exodus 7:1 - And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'See, I have given thee a
god [ELOHIM, as a mightier one] to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother is
thy prophet [spokesperson].' - Young's Literal Translation
Likewise, Jesus is presented a mighty one (THEOS), who, as the LOGOS,
was with his God, the only true God , in the beginning, before the
world of mankind was made, which world Yahweh made by means of the
LOGOS. - John 1:1-3,10; 17:1,3,5.
See:
John 1 and the Word (Logos) of God
http://godandson.reslight.net/john-1.html
Genesis presents the fall of mankind from the glory of God into sin,
and also offers the first prophecy of being released from sin, as by
means of the seed of a mysterious woman, whose seed is prophesied to
bruise the head of the serpent. (Genesis 3:15) Thus, a hope was
presented of the reversal of the effects of the serpent's lie to Eve,
and of the disobedience that resulted. This theme is kept up
throughout the whole Bible, and every book of the Bible in some way
relates to this theme.
Because Adam disobeyed, God sentenced him (and the race in his loins)
to death - not eternal torment or eternal separation from God.
However, God in his great love caused his Son to be "made flesh," "a
little lower than the angels for the suffering of death . . . that he
by the grace of God should taste death for every man." - Genesis 2:17;
3:17-19; Romans 5:6-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; Matthew 20:28; John
1:14; 3:14-18; Hebrews 2:9.
The "good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people," centers
in Jesus, the "ransom for all, to be testified in due time." This
"good tidings" guarantees to "all men" (Acts 17:31) one (no individual
second chance for any of Adam's race) full, fair opportunity for
everlasting life (either in this life or after being awakened from the
dead - John 5:28,29, New American Standard). God "wills all men to be
saved [from Adamic condemnation; but this does not mean that they will
automatically live eternally], and to come to the knowledge of the
truth." - Luke 2:10; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; 4:10.
See:
The Day of Judgment
http://hereafter.reslight.net/day-judg.html
In service of Jesus and his God,
Ronald