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Elohim or Yahweh

Children of God

Children of God

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I'm curious what this group feels is the difference between Elohim and Yahweh? Elohim is used for God during creation and elsewhere in the Old Testament but it is also used generally to indicate a god as a general term , i.e. the calf at Mt Sinai is an elohim.
 
God has many names, because he has many attributes. Each name describes him a little differently, but it is still one God. I believe the name Yahweh or YHWH is the most commonly used name of God in scripture. I guessing here, but maybe how he is being described at that point is how each name is used.
 
NBTX11 said:
God has many names, because he has many attributes. Each name describes him a little differently, but it is still one God. I believe the name Yahweh or YHWH is the most commonly used name of God in scripture. I guessing here, but maybe how he is being described at that point is how each name is used.
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I was raised lutheran and thought I knew my Bible very well...not so much once you dive into the details I feel ignorant so bare with me if these seem simple. I do look to see if there are other discussions on the topic. Thanks for the support on this site and for all those that have followed this path for a long time.
 
Children of God said:
I was raised lutheran and thought I knew my Bible very well...not so much once you dive into the details I feel ignorant so bear with me if these seem simple. I do look to see if there are other discussions on the topic. Thanks for the support on this site and for all those that have followed this path for a long time.
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There are many names of God. If I have a chance I will outline a few tonight.
 
He does, in fact, use more than one Name. And the variants are VERY important, in context, and often express a title in a specific situation. (Yahuah Nissi - our "Banner", YHVH Rapha - our "Healer", etc. You can easily find books on those.)

"Bereshiet bara Elohim..." in Genesis 1:1 is the first such, and later in Genesis His Name (aka 'the Tetragrammaton', YHVH in English letters, or Yod-Hay-Vav-Hay) appears -- first in Bereshiet/Genesis 2:4. He is also (primarily) known to the patriarchs as "El Shaddai" (which can be rendered several ways, but I prefer "the All-Sufficient El") and then in Exodus Moshe is told the patriarchs knew Him primarily by other names, but as YHVH, "I did not MAKE MYSELF known to them." Even so, it was a Name they DID know, as in Genesis 28:16 when Yakov see his famous ladder (which makes v 20 interesting.)

'Elohim' (which is in fact plural, albeit the 'Royal Plural' in His case arguably) is more a title than a Name; often rendered 'God' - although the same word, usually plural, references pagan "mighty ones," too.

I suggest the best key to understanding the context and importance of His Name, as Written, in that proper context, is do a word study with a good computer tool or concordance (BLB, E-Sword, etc) for "ki ani YHVH."

It is, in fact, THE overriding theme in the entire Book of Exodus. 'You shall know, THEY shall know, Pharaoh shall know, Mitzraim (Egypt) shall know, ALL shall know'..."ki ani YHVH". That My Name is Yahuah.

Later, in SO many of the prophets, we are told something I contend is VITALLY important, and just plain not taught in what I thus refer to as the 'whore church' which has changed His Word, virtually done away with His Name, and ignored the prophetic significance of all that is now in progress:

"Then they shall KNOW that My Name is Yahuah."

It does NOT say - EVER - "My Name is 'the LORD'" But it does say we will know His Real Name.

Do a search for yourself, and see how often that theme and prophecy is repeated. AND the context.
(Jeremiah 16:21 is one place to start, there are many.)
 
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Mark C said:
but as YHVH, "I did not MAKE MYSELF known to them."
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Maybe you have resources to check more deeply, but I have a friend that contends the verse should read 'Did I not make Myself known to them'... Thoughts?
 
I found it interesting that one of the ten sayings of Sainai, was "do not make the Name of the Lord empty." Often rendered "take the Name of the Lord in vain."

It's a difficult construction, especially since the rabbinical interpretation somehow has to get past the tradition of never making known the Name. And still, I find a lot of the pushback I get is "how dare you speak His Name" from people that flippantly reject His commands.

Almost like Scar threatening his minions for speaking the name Mufasa.
 
PeteR said:
Maybe you have resources to check more deeply, but I have a friend that contends the verse should read 'Did I not make Myself known to them'... Thoughts?
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Certainly a possibility; since there's no "?" in Hebrew it's a guess anyway. But it sounds like a similar meaning, and is certainly consistent that the patriarchs DID know the Name YHVH.
 
DawoodSaar said:
It's a difficult construction, especially since the rabbinical interpretation somehow has to get past the tradition of never making known the Name. And still, I find a lot of the pushback I get is "how dare you speak His Name" from people that flippantly reject His commands.
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They seem to feel that you can't make it 'null' if they already do so, by hiding it from you..

But that's part of the reason I emphasize what He did: "This is My Name (shemi) forever," and OVER and OVER He says we shall KNOW it.
 
rockfox said:
Isn't this word also used to refer to angels?
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Arguably not usually. (The tended to react negatively when men of YHVH bowed down or tried to worship them.)

The usual word rendered as "angels" is "malakim", which more properly means "messenger," and may include humans in many cases. But in that sense, it's a job description.
 
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