GOD OR ELOHIM.

HAVING thus seen that in Holy Scripture God is spoken of under different names, each given with a purpose, to set forth some distinct virtue or characteristic of His nature, we may now turn to the first name under which He is revealed. This is "God," -in Hebrew, "Elohim." This is the name, and the only name, by which God is set before us in the first chapter of the book of Genesis. Here we find it repeated in almost every verse. Under this name we see God, according to His own will, working on a dark and ruined creature, till by His Word all is set in order and made "very good." This is the name which we need to know before all others. This, therefore, is the first revealed in Holy Scripture; for it shews us One, who, when all is lost, in darkness and confusion, brings back, first His light and life, and then His image, into the creature, and so makes all things new and very good.

Now there are certain peculiarities connected with this name, which must be considered, if we would understand even in measure all that is divinely taught under it.

אלהים .Heb 1

دو

or

This name then, (in Hebrew, "Elohim' 'Alehim,") is a plural noun, which, though first and primarily used in Holy Scripture to describe the One true God, our Creator and Redeemer, is used also in a lower sense in reference to the "gods many and lords many," " whom the ancient heathen feared and worshipped. Let us first look at the primary use of this name, in which we learn its highest significance. We shall then better understand how it could be applied to the gods of the heathen, or to the idol: which represented them.

First then this name, though a plural noun, wher used of the one true God is constantly joined with verbs and adjectives in the singular. We are thus prepared, even from the beginning, for the mystery of a plurality in God, who, though He says, "There is no God beside me," and "I am God, and there is none else," says also, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; "5 and again, "The man is become like one of us; "6 and again at Babel, “Go to, let us go down and confound their language; and again, in the vision granted to the prophet Isaiah, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for And this same mystery, though hidden from an English reader, comes out again and again in

us.

"8

11 Cor. viii. 5.

997

2 For singular verbs with Elohim, see Gen. i. 1, 3, &c., and in countless places. For singular adjectives see 2 Kings xix. 4, 16; Psalm vii. 9; Psalm lvii. 2, &c. (see Gesenius, Thesaurus, under

"3

many other texts of Holy Scripture. For "Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth," is literally, "Remember thy Creators." Again, "None saith, Where is God my Maker?" is in the Hebrew, "God my Makers." 2 So again, "Let Israel rejoice in Him that made him," is, in the Hebrew, "in his Makers." And so again in the Proverbs, "The knowledge of the Holy Ones is understanding."4 So again where the Prophet says, "Thy Maker is thy husband," both words are plural in the Hebrew.5 Many other passages of Scripture have precisely the same peculiarity. Therefore in heaven "Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry, Holy, Holy, Holy, LORD of Hosts," while on earth, taught by the Spirit of our Lord, we say, "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." 8 The plural form of the first name of God, that is "Elohim," shadows forth the same mystery; while the verb, and even the adjective, joined with it in the singular, as when we read, "the living," or "the righteous," 10 or "the Most High God," "1 shew that this "Elohim,” though plural, is but One God.12

و

12

1 Eccl. xii. 1.

3 Psalm cxlix. 2.

2 Job xxxv. 10.

4 Prov. ix. 10.

5 Isa. liv. 5.

For example, "Holy Ones" in Job v. 1, and in Hos. xi. 12;

and "Thy Redeemers" in Isa. xliv. 24, &c.

7 Isa. vi. 3; Rev. iv. 8.

9 2 Kings xix. 4, 10; Heb. '

8 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

by D. See Gesenius, Thesaurus,

10 Psalm vii. 9; Heb. py D's. 11 Psalm lvii. 2; Heb.

p. 96, under

12 In a very few places this name, "Elohim," is joined with

C

1

Further, this name, like every other name in the Hebrew, has a distinct meaning, full of significance. For the word "Elohim "1 is formed from the Hebrew word, "Alah," "to swear," and describes One who stands in a covenant-relationship, which is ratified by an oath. Parkhurst, in his well-known Lexicon, thus explains the name: "Elohim:" "A name usually given in the Hebrew Scriptures to the everblessed Trinity, by which they represent themselves as under the obligation of an oath. This oath, (referred to in Psalm cx. 4, The Lord sware and will not repent,') was prior to creation. Accordingly 'Jehovah' is at the beginning of the creation called 'Elohim,' in Gen. i. 1, which implies that the Divine Persons had sworn when they created; and it is evident, from Gen. iii. 4, 5, that both the Serpent and the Woman knew Jehovah' by this name, 'Elohim,' before the Fall."3 Here a wondrous deep

6

plural adjectives, (see Gen. xx. 13; xxxv. 7;) and verbs, (Deut. iv. 7; v. 26; Josh xxiv. 19; 1 Sam. xvii. 26, 36; 2 Sam. vii. 23; Psalm lviii. 12; Jer. x. 10; xxiii. 36.) But in all these cases, except the first two, where perhaps angels are referred to, the name "Jehovah" is connected with "Elohim; " and the plural adjective or verb may be used to teach us, that in the One". Jehovah there is the plurality of the "Elohim."

אלהים .Heb 1

2 Heb. 7.

Parkhurst adds here," From this name (Elohim) of the true God, the Greeks had their Zevs 8ркios. Hence, also, the corrupt tradition of Jupiter's oath, which overruled even Fate itself" (Heb. Lex. in loc.). As to the view of some, that the word "Elohim" is derived directly from El, () which signifies "strong" or "mighty," it may perhaps suffice to say that the plural of El is Elim, not Elohim. God surely may be and is called both

opens to our view, as to the nature and being of God. Blessed be His name, that He has Himself, both by His Son and by His Spirit, given us some glimpses into the height and the depth here set before us, which flesh and blood never could have fathomed.

For this covenant-relationship, which the name "Elohim" expresses, is first a relationship in God. He is One, but in Him also, as His name declares, there is plurality; and in this plurality He has certain relationships, both in and with Himself, which, because He is God, can never be dissolved or broken. Thus, as Parkhurst says, this name contains the mystery of the Trinity. For the perfect revelation of this great mystery man had indeed to wait until it was declared by the Only-begotten of the Father, and even then only after His resurrection from the dead, to those whom He had called to be His disciples. But from the beginning the name "Elohim” contained and shadowed it forth, and the visions and words of the prophets gave still clearer intimations of it.

Into this mystery, however, I do not here enter,

אלה as from

"El," (Gen. xiv. 20, and in many other places,) and "Elim," (as in Psalm xxix. 1; and elsewhere,) that is "The Mighty;" but the letter H in "Elohim " points to the true etymology of the name, "to swear"; though, indeed, is also probably connected with ; for, as the Apostle says, (Heb. vi. 16,) “Men verily swear by the greater;" and the original idea of an oath may have been this affirmation by the " Strong" or Mighty One." In the case of God, as the same Apostle writes, "Because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself." (Heb vi. 13.)