I am going to be doing a study on some of the names of God. I have often heard someone pray or teach and they could call on the names of God at just a thought of whatever was the circumstance at the time and I have wished I knew what each name meant and where it was in scripture and could have recall like that. I will be using a little book by Wendy Blight called “I Know His Name” for my study along with God’s word of course, and I will start with studying the names that she has outlined.
This week we will study Elohim, the God who creates us. This is pronounced el-o-heem. It turns out that this is the first name of God mentioned in the Bible. When we read Genesis 1:1 we see God, but in the original Hebrew language the word for God was Elohim.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
The word el is a generic word for god. Notice the little g. Therefore it is plural as in God as well as other gods but when you add im to the end of the generic name it makes the word plural. But when Elohim is used in the Bible it is always used with a singular verb. This signifies one God, not many gods. But this one God is a triune God. You know God in three persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Our God is unique in that He is a God of unity as well as a God of diversity in His nature. He is the only God who has the name Elohim, He has many attributes and characteristics not just one.
To quote Wendy in her book:
“Though the exact meaning of Elohim is not known, the name itself incorporates the idea of strength and power and speaks to the supremacy of God as He reveals Himself though His creation.”
I think it is fitting that as I start this study I am sitting on my porch watching a beautiful clear sunrise over the lake. While my favorite sunrises have a few clouds in them. On this clear morning I am seeing creation wake up and I can’t help but praise Him who created this place, this earth, this world, that we get to live in temporarily. I have often on vacations to the mountains looked out and said “how can people not worship God who could create all of this?” I have sat on a beach and watched the waves come and go and marveled at the power of God. Have you looked at creation like that lately? I can’t say I do every day, but I want to. I am better about it now because I have the advantage of living in a place that has beautiful sunrises and sunsets by just walking out on my porch. But I can’t say that I have always looked at things that way. When I lived in the city and my neighbors were so close I could hear their cars crank up and hear their voices if they were outside I didn’t always go out and look at creation quite the same way that I do here. I would have to remind myself to go look. Sometimes when I felt so hungry for God I would ask Him to show me something beautiful. And He always did. I would always notice something that I may not have noticed had I not been intentional about asking God to show me. Today when you look at creation, praise the creator of this creation. In the beginning He created these, the heavens and the earth, and He is still painting us beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Tonight when the stars come out go out and look up and know that our God put those stars in place.
“Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” Isaiah 40:26
Have you ever thought about that? He puts them out one by one and He actually calls them out by name. Look up and think how pretty those stars but be sure you praise the one who put them in place. Elohim!
Restore 