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Elohim (Part 3)

Not only is He Elohim the creator God, and Elohim the covenant God; He is Elohim, the God who is three in One. His voice resonates through the shining new creation, “Let us make man in our image.” In that instant, He confers with the Son and the Spirit. Their decision is unanimous. As a matter of fact, their decision is always unanimous. This is the Dream Team. They never disagree—never. Elohim is plural, yet consistently One.

In those early days, when the earth didn’t know the footprints of a man, where three-day old tigers explored newly created jungles, Elohim made a decision. Looking at His Son He said, “Let us make man.” Jesus, knowing that Eve would choose a bite of fruit over the sweetness of eternal bliss, said yes. Jesus, knowing that man’s failure would require His faithfulness, said yes. Jesus, understanding man’s proclivity toward sin and his eventual need for a personal Savior, said yes. No other team has ever worked like Elohim. Though He is three in One, He is One in three. There is no dissension, no difficulty. He is Elohim—creator, covenant-maker, and Christ.

In that moment of decision, Jesus looked across the years and saw you. He saw you cry in your mother’s arms. He watched you take your first steps. He witnessed your first spanking. He saw the tears of your mother when she left you at school for the very first time. He enjoyed your first basketball game, and the trophy, too! He cringed when you looked at your friend’s Algebra paper, hurt when you laughed at your poorly dressed neighbor. He wept when you went too far with your girlfriend. His heart broke when you said His name—and you weren’t talking to Him.

At that moment, He knew that creation would cause his crucifixion.

He looked across the years and saw the cross. He felt the tearing of the flesh as the whip tore into his back. He heard his own groans as he lifted the cross to his shoulders. He jerked when the nail ripped apart his wrist. He looked into the eyes of the one holding the hammer—and saw you!

“Let us make __________________________.” You fill in the blank. Write your name there. He knew what you would do to him, that one day you would hold the hammer; one day you would drive the nail. In total submission to the Father, He said, “Yes.”

Elohim. Amazingly consistent. Faithful One. He is the Creator God, the Coming Christ, and the Comforting Spirit. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God. He proclaimed with his death, “It is finished!” Never again will he face the cry of the crowd. Never again will he flinch as the hair is pulled from his face. Never again will he cry from a cross in desperate loneliness. The work has been done—the awesome task completed.

He didn’t leave you comfortless, though. You don’t fight this battle alone. No! The Holy Spirit, that third person of the Trinity, leads the way. He goes before you, is behind you, and lives within you. Jesus Himself said, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17, NAS)

What a team! That’s Elohim. He started this thing called life. He redeemed your life. And He continues to make life possible through living inside you.

Before you read any further, stop and take inventory. Have you ever met a God who cares so much? Did you know that your Creator can be your Savior? Do you know Him personally? Need a friend, a guide? In this world of psychic powers and astrological predictions, looking for the sure thing? The real thing? Read no further. He is the way, the truth the life.

Bow your head, humble your heart and call out to Him right now. Ask Him to come into your heart and change your life. Pray this prayer. Elohim, Creator, Christ, Comforter, waits to hear from you—his most prized creation.

Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I need your forgiveness for my sins. I believe you died on the cross for my sins. I believe you were raised from the dead three days later and that you will return. I surrender my life to you. Forgive me of my sins. Change my life. Thank you for loving me.

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Elohim (Part Two)

The very name means mighty, strong, powerful. When God chose to reveal Himself, he displayed His power. When God decided to invent humanity, He did so through the demonstration of unequivocal power. When God initiated human life, He did so as the Sovereign ruler of the universe. From Genesis 1:1 to 2:4, Elohim is used 35 times to describe God. Though other names come later, Elohim stands alone in these verses as the descriptive name of God. He is omnipotent.

The towering tree—God’s power displayed. The rush of the ocean tide—the power of God. A bird in flight—God’s power. A giraffe stretching his neck into the trees, an eagle soaring over the mountaintops, a form of a man lying lifeless on the ground until God breathes into him—God’s power. He is the omnipotent Elohim. He is the creator God.

And He is your creator. That’s right. He created you. The God who flung the stars into space designed you. The God who spoke worlds into existence speaks into the meager existence of your life. You may think He has forgotten you, that He has gone on a long journey, that you are out of His reach. He is omnipotent—the almighty God. He hasn’t gone anywhere.

Your greatest challenge doesn’t catch Him by surprise. Your deepest worry causes God to lose no sleep. Your secret fear is His public domain. He is God. If He can take nothing and make something incredible, He can take the mess of your life and create something beautiful.

Elohim—who watches the woman created for Adam listen to a serpent in tree limbs. He created the serpent—yet loved Eve enough to allow her to make her own choice. Elohim—who came walking in the garden, searching for Adam and Eve. Elohim, repulsed at the behavior of Noah’s generation. Though His wrath is stirred, his heart is moved with compassion. The boat leads His creation to safety—and reestablishes the line of descent from Adam. In the name Elohim is not only power, but covenant love. The rainbow—a physical demonstration of a loving God. Time and again, Elohim remembers His covenant and declines to administer total punishment to His people. Though He possesses the power to speak them out of existence with a word, He takes great pain in establishing His people through the spoken word. He is Elohim.

What ails you? What dominates your thinking, haunts your dreams? Perhaps it is someone. That boss you just can’t please. Your husband whose left you—again. Your children. You’ve prayed for them and God seems conspicuously absent. Answers are few—questions unending. The hurt in your heart is camouflaged by the smile on your face. God sees deep into your heart, to the very source of the problem. He knows the broken dreams, the unrealized goals.

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Elohim

(This is part one of three introducing Elohim.)

An empty wasteland. Blackness. A deep abyss. Falling and never landing. Looking and never seeing. Darkness. Emptiness. Nothingness. Chaos. Perpetual night. Thick, black darkness. No east because there is no west. No up—there is no down. No sense of direction. Purposeless. Void of meaning. No beautiful neighborhoods—there is no earth to build upon. No highways. No cars. No one. The cry of a newborn baby—never heard. The budding of a spring flower—never seen. The flutter of a butterfly’s wing—never felt. The sweet juice of a savory strawberry—never relished. The aroma of a summer rose—never enjoyed. Life never lived.

And God said.

God’s voice broke the silence. His words pierced the darkness. The time had come for the interruption of emptiness, the declaration of creativity.   “Let there be light!” And there was light. God’s first creative activity—light. Oceans would have to wait. Mountain peaks be patient. Galaxies on hold. Light came first. Darkness dissipated. Nothingness evaporated. Emptiness filled.

And God said.

Darkness fled like a hunted prisoner. Never again would light and darkness mix. Never again would darkness overpower light. From this creative moment, light would always dominate darkness. Darkness settled for second place—forever. Day and night became reality. No longer would life be lived in continuous blackness. Night would always be sandwiched between two days.

And God said.  

Nothing became something. Darkness surrendered to light. The abyss became the Grand Canyon. Chaos succumbed to organization. All because God spoke.

And God said.

Three words that have done more to change the course of history than any words ever spoken. Who is this God? Who is this God who dared interfere with the status quo? Who is this God who spoke and worlds came into existence? Who is this God who displaced darkness with the announcement of light? Who is this God whose word is so trustworthy that the mere mention of his plans brings them into existence?

He is Elohim. Creator God. Designer of the universe. He is the One who broke into nothingness and left orbiting planets and pulsating stars in its place. Elohim—the One who stirred up dust and breathed into it the breath of life. Elohim.

The very name means mighty, strong, powerful. When God chose to reveal Himself, he displayed His power. When God decided to invent humanity, He did so through the demonstration of unequivocal power. When God initiated human life, He did so as the Sovereign ruler of the universe. From Genesis 1:1 to 2:4, Elohim is used 35 times to describe God. Though other names come later, Elohim stands alone in these verses as the descriptive name of God. He is omnipotent.

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Only Trust Him

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:10 ESV)

Struggling to trust God? Feeling assailed by the trials of life, temptations of sin, pressures of peers? Wondering when you’re going to get out of the trouble you’re in? The Psalmist makes it clear that the key to trusting God is knowing his name. So over the next few days (maybe even weeks) we will learn the names of God. As you do, you will find that your trust in him grows.

When you’re in need, you will want to seek Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider. When the banners of the world are flying high, you will long for Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our Banner. When you’re battling the enemy within and without, you will cry out to El Shaddai–God Almighty. When you’re as low as you’ve ever been, you will look up to El Elyon–God Most High.

John Piper says, “The reason knowing the names of God will help us trust him with our daily affairs and with our eternal destinies is that in Scripture a person’s name often signifies his character or ability or mission — especially when the name is given by God. Adam names his wife Eve, because she is mother of all the living (Genesis 3:20). God changes Abram’s name to Abraham to show that he had made him the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5). God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah (Genesis 17:15). He changed Jacob’s name to Israel (Genesis 32:28). And when the Son of God came into the world, his name was not left to chance: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

So tomorrow I will introduce you to Elohim–the Creator God. I can’t wait for you to meet the God whose names you’ve never known!