Elohim

Elohim is a plural noun which means "Mighty Ones." The English translation is "God." It is first and primarily used in Scripture to describe the one true God of Israel, but sometimes it refers to the pagan gods, idols, or fallen angels in which case it is not a proper name like YHWH or Elohim, it is simply elohim with a lowercase e.

How is the name of God a plural noun you may ask? The "im" on the end of the word always signifies plurality. (The words cherubim and seraphim are the plural forms of angel names just as geese would be plural for goose or mice for mouse.)   

Deuteronomy 6:4 declares: "Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God [Hebrew: Elohim] is one Lord."

There are two different words in Hebrew for the number one. One singular and one collective. The word "one" in Deuteronomy 6:4 is the word 'echad אחד. This is the collective one which means one of many or one of others. For example, the word "one" used in Deuteronomy 6:4 is the same word used in Genesis 2:24 when Adam and Eve (two different individuals) were considered by God to be "one flesh." Jesus said: "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). Thus, two individuals are reckoned to be one, yet they are separate personalities from each other.

The same word is also found in the verse that speaks of God taking one of Adam's ribs to create Eve. God used one rib that was from a collection of many ribs that together made up the rib cage. Think of the Trinity as God being one rib, Jesus is another rib, and the Holy Spirit is a third rib that together make one ribcage of three ribs. Or imagine the Trinity is one egg. God the Father is the yoke, Jesus Christ is the egg white, and the Holy Spirit is the shell. Each part is different but they all together make one egg.

The apostle Paul explained the oneness and the singularity of the Godhead within the concept of plurality as it relates to the body of Christians called the Church. Paul said: "For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ" (I Corinthians 12:12).

Genesis 1:1 tell us that the Trinity created the world together. "In the beginning, ELOHIM created the heavens and the earth." Verse 26 says, "Let Us make man in Our image."

It is so interesting to study the Trinity. I am learning more and more as I teach Bible class to 11th and 12th graders every morning.

Song of Solomon

 לכה דודי לקראת כלה

I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.

Currently Listening Beach Boys - 20 Good Vibrations, The Greatest Hits (Volume 1) By The Beach Boys Wouldn't It Be Nice? see related

Cedars

What is going on at Cedarville? What is newsworthy? What's worth talking about?

I need to write an article for Cedars and I don't know what is happening that is worth writing about.

Comment and tell me something that is happening that you think deserves to be known on campus.

-An injustice?

-A conflict?

-A tragedy?

-A victory?

-An announcement?

Something you want your fellow classmates to know that would have some sort of impact on them.

I got nothing. This is your chance to be heard! So sound off.

Currently Reading For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men By Shaunti Feldhahn see related

Questions About God

My roommate and I stayed up late talking about things I don't understand about God.

Here are my questions:

1.) "God wills that none should perish."

2 Peter 3:9 says that God is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."
-If the Lord desires that none should perish, why does He send some to hell?
The answer is: because our just and righteous God must punish sin. He is also loving and merciful so He sent Jesus Christ to pay the punishment for sin.
-Why doesn’t everyone accept Jesus as their Savior?
Because God grants free will to man. Man may either accept or reject God’s grace and forgiveness.
-But what about election and predestination? (Ephesians 1:11)
-Why does God harden hearts? (Such as pharaoh’s.) The Bible says God will have mercy on those whom he wants to have mercy, and He will harden those whom He wants to harden. (Romans 9:18-21) Why the heck would He harden people who He loves?

2.) What is the place for prayer?

When I pray for my friend’s salvation it feels like it is in vain. Will they never come to repentance because God has not chosen them? I pray and pray that God will change His mind and choose those I pray for. If God already chooses who will go to heaven and who will spend eternity burning in hell why do we have verses that tell us to go out in into all the world and preach the gospel? Is salvation on our shoulders? (Matthew 9:38; Luke 10:2; Acts 1:8, 14; 2:38, 41-42; 12:5; 16:13-15; Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2-6) Can we know with assurance that God will answer our prayers for the salvation of souls? Only if it is in His will. (I John 5:14-15, Philippians 2:13) But why doesn’t He will EVERYONE to be saved? The Bible says those who are perishing are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:10) But now we’re back to 2 Peter 3:9 again… It says in the Bible not to be anxious or worry about anything but instead, PRAY. (Philippians 4:6-7) However, I can’t help worrying that my friends do not believe in God and they might die without receiving salvation. Is it REALLY TRUE that believing, God will give us whatever we ask Him in Jesus name? (Psalm 37:4, Matthew 21:22, John 14:13, Mark 11:24)

3.) "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."

-What about the babies (who are not old enough to understand)
-What about the mentally handicapped (who can’t possibly understand deep concepts)
-And what about the people in unreached areas (who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ in their life?)

4.) The five points of Calvinism.

Total Depravity:
Is it true that we can not choose God on our own and we need the Holy Spirit to convict our heart? If that is true, and God wills that none should perish, why doesn’t He convict the heart of every man?
Unconditional Election:
Does God choose those who will be saved based on His Divine sovereignty or on foreknowledge of man’s free will? (Romans 8:30)
Limited Atonement:
I absolutely do not believe that Jesus Christ died for a select few. I firmly believe that Jesus Christ died for the whole world.
Irresistible Grace:
If grace is irresistible, why do so many people reject it?
Perseverance of the Saints:
This is the only one I have no questions about. I am certain that once a believer is indwelled by the Holy Spirit and cleansed by the blood of Christ he can not lose his place in heaven. He is securely sealed in the Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30, 2 Corinthians 1:22, John 6:37-39, John 10:28) I don’t know if this has anything to do with predestination, but even if it doesn’t, it still makes sense to me.

5.) "All things through Christ"

Is it really true that we can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives us strength? (Philippians 4:13) I can't seem to do a lot of things... what is the meaning of this verse within context?

Currently Listening Worship Live By Salvador see related

Autumn Update

It's been a while since I posted. You may be wondering what I've been up to lately.

First of all, the Lord has been shaping me into a young woman who desires Him. I long to be someone who is hard-working, strong, wise, kind-hearted, and virtuous. That's why I decided to do a 21-day study of the Proverbs 31 Woman. I posted it on the internet and you can find it here. The things I've been learning are brokenness and humbleness, having a good attitude, guarding my heart, guarding my speech, and daily preparing for spiritual battle.

I'm taking a lot of amazing classes, my favorite is called "Marriage and Family." I also enjoy poetry class and sometimes (when I don't get frustrated) my painting class.

My roomie Leah is incredible and has been helping me grow so much. She is respectful, generous, sweet, thoughtful, and has godly character that I hope to emulate. I couldn't ask for better friends at Cedarville and I know it will be terribly difficult to say "good bye" to them when I graduate. 195 days left!

I will leave you with a quote by Jim Elliot:

"Let not our longing slay the appetite of our living."