Elohim

 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2 ESV).

 

The most common name for God in the Hebrew Bible is El, meaning “God.” Derived from a Semitic language, the root meaning of El is “might, strength, power.” This name for God occurs widely throughout the Bible. In the first chapter of Genesis it is used 35 times. Sometimes the word el refers to the pagan gods of nations surrounding Israel. When it refers to the one true God, however, the word is always capitalized, meaning “God of gods.” More often (about 2,600 times in the Old Testament), the name El occurs in plural form as Elohim (pronounced “e-loh-him”). This form, sometimes called the “plural of majesty,” emphasizes that the God of Israel is “the one true God of the universe.”

 

The names El and Elohim set the God of Israel in stark contrast with the false gods of other nations, proclaiming them counterfeit and stating that he is the one true God. No wonder our reading today (which is the very first verse of the Bible) reads, “In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.” No one knows the reason for the plural form here, but the early church fathers suggest it points to the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God in three persons.

 

Regardless, El or Elohim, “the one true God,” declares that our world along with all of creation belongs to Him. Perhaps the most encouraging thing about this truth is found in the meticulous care God has given to both the creating and sustaining of His creation.

 

I’m often reminded of this when I spend time in my shop. I have some tools that are decades old. My table saw is over thirty years old. Yet, I have maintained it with care. I can be found waxing the top on many occasions to insure both proper cuts and protecting the surface from rust and corrosion. I do that with all of my tools. None of them are special to anyone but me. They are not the most expensive; nor are they irreplaceable to anyone but me. If I would do that with tools, how much more will God care for and protect His pinnacle of creation? We can trust Him to care for us in the best ways possible. He is Elohim!