Tag Archives: Elohim

The Cosmic Struggle Between Elohim and elohim as It Relates to the Saint (Pt 3)

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To understand the context of what is written below, it is essential to read  the previous parts of this series. — Natan

Interestingly, in this Isaiah 42 passage, YHVH Elohim demands that the heathen demon-gods present themselves to us “that we may consider them, ”  “or declare to us” (v. 22; also v. 23 where we occurs twice). Who is the we and us in these verses? It is referring to the Heavenly Counsel of Elohim—the same Elohim in the Shema Passage of Deut 6:4, and the same Elohim who created the heavens and the earth in Gen 1:1. While there is a true Elohim-Godhead, there also is a cadre of false elohim who feign to be the true Elohim, and who are not only deceiving the heathen nations, but who are attempting to draw YHVH’s treasured people away from him or out of covenant relationship with him. As Isaiah 42 indicates, these idol demon-gods, false elohim promise much, but deliver nothing, even as the people of Israel discovered in Elijah’s confrontation with Baal and his followers on Mount Carmel. This is why YHVH Elohim calls them nothing and their work nothing in Isa 41:24. Elohim holds these false elohim accountable, and even calls them in to his heavenly courtroom on occasion (e.g. Job 1:6–12; 2:1–7), and will ultimately pronounce full, final and eternal judgment upon them for the evil they have done on the earth (Matt 25:41; Rev 20:10). As Isaiah meant for this truth to be an encouragement to the downtrodden and discouraged people of Israel, even so, in our day, YHVH’s oppressed saints need to hold fast to the ultimate and irrevocable righteous judgments of YHVH Elohim against those who persecute and oppress them in these last days, and against the demon-god or false elohim behind these evil-doers.

In the mean time, we see in other Scriptures where YHVH Elohim through his prophets sets himself in opposition to these false idol, demon-gods of the nations. In Isaiah 46, the prophet contrasts dead idols with the living Elohim by lampooning the idols of the heathen, and at the same time Elohim passionately attempts to reason with his stubborn and rebellious people to choose him and obedience to his Torah-laws over fall prey to these worthless idols. The psalmist expresses similar sentiments in  Psalm 115:3–8.

Gibson sums up this conflict between YHVH Elohim and the elohim of the nations as follows:

Other gods are threateningly real in the problems they pose both for [YHVH] and his people Israel; but he is King of heaven no less than of earth, and is as able to deal with other gods as he is [able] to deal with their human counterparts like Egypt and Babylon; and that is why he alone is worthy of Israel’s undivided allegiance. (Language and Imagery in the Old Testament, p. 32, by J.C.L Gibson)

YHVH Elohim as the sovereign Creator of the universe will deal with his evil opponents, but he alone chooses his the timing, place and manner of his battles. In accordance with his ineffable wisdom and according to his divine plan and will known only to him, he chooses when and whether to engage his rivals or not. From our earthly perspective as humans, we often wonder why YHVH doesn’t seem to stop the evil that is occurring on the earth more than he does. This is a question that righteous people have been asking virtually since the beginning. Nevertheless, at the end of the age, a final grand showdown will occur between YHVH Elohim and the false demon-elohim because it is written in his word. His prophetic word is the saints’ advance intelligence information as to what Elohim will do and when. This is why it is imperative that we study and know his word well. This final judgment will occur when he judges the nations at the end of the age. This final showdown between Satan and his demon-gods and Elohim will occur at the battle of Armageddon.

YHVH will be awesome to them, for He will reduce to nothing all the gods/elohim of the earth; people shall worship Him, each one from his place, indeed all the shores of the nations. (Zeph 2:11)

Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of Elohim Almighty. “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. (Rev 16:12–16)

After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to YHVH our Elohim! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” … Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of Elohim. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty Elohim. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great Elohim, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Rev 19:1–2, 11–21

Be assured, these devil-backed evil gods and their human counterparts won’t relinquish control over this earth willingly or easily with out a monumental fight. But YHVH Elohim will destroy them. Yeshua the Messiah is not coming to the earth this time as a babe in the manger, but as a Conquering King on a war stallion to destroy his enemies once and for all (read Rev 19)!

As YHVH Elohim judged the demon-gods of Egypt and that reduced to nothing that nation that had oppressed his people, so likewise in the last days, the Almighty Creator will bring judgment against the false elohim and their human counterparts who rule the earth who perpetrate evil far and wide, and who are in charge of every aspect of the life on this planet as they attempt to control all humans for their personal benefit—for the love of money and power. The system they have constructed for their greedy and nefarious purposes is slowly but surely becoming like a tightly woven web that is controlling nearly every human endeavor. The Bible calls this demonic system Mystery Babylon the Great. It’s a demonically inspired and controlled system that has at its core tenet the worship of Satan and rebellion against YHVH Elohim. Its end goal is the exploitation and ultimate elimination of humans and especially the destruction of YHVH Elohim’s plans and purposes here below as expressed and carried out by his people—the obedient redeemed saints.

 

The Cosmic Struggle Between Elohim and elohim as It Relates to the Saint (Pt 2)

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Who are these other elohim-gods to which YHVH juxtaposes himself and asserts himself to be the one true Elohim who is the first and chief? Ezekiel gives us a clue.

 Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Adonai YHVH: “Because your heart is lifted up, and you say,” ‘I am a god/El, I sit in the seat of gods/elohim, in the midst of the seas,’ yet you are a man, and not a god/El, though you set your heart as the heart of a god/elohim’”… (Ezek 28:2)

Here the prophet names an earthly king and connects him in a spiritual metaphorical way to Lucifer who after his fall became Satan the Adversary (vv.  11–19). It seems that Ezekiel is indicating to us that behind earthly kings is to be found  false gods/elohim or demonic entities the chief of which is Satan the devil himself. This is the kingdom of Satan to which Yeshua and Paul make reference (Matt 12:26; Eph 6:12). This is the same satanic spirit that will possess the leadership of the end times beast, antichrist system, which the Scriptures prophetically refer to as Mystery Babylon the Great (Rev 13:1–4, chapters 17, 18).

Down through the ages and even into the end times just prior to the return of the Messiah, YHVH Elohim has expressed jealousy over his people and has been continually vying against these other demonic gods for his saints’ loyalty and affection. In defense of himself, he categorically declares that he is the only original eternal Elohim as we see in Isa 43.

“You are My witnesses,” says YHVH, “And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God/El formed, nor shall there be after Me.  I, even I, am YHVH, And besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,” Says YHVH, “that I am God/El. Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?” (Isa 43:10–13)

Here YHVH states that he is the one and only Elohim, the El of Israel and that no other elohim have existed before him. At the same time, YHVH elsewhere confronts the idolatrous elohim of the nations to which Israel continually felt drawn and challenges these elohim to support their claims and produce their credentials as being who they purport to be and what they purport to be able to do compared to him.

“Present your case,” says YHVH. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob. “Let them bring forth and show us what will happen; let them show the former things, what they were, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare to us things to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods/elohim; yes, do good or do evil, that we may be dismayed and see it together. Indeed you are nothing, and your work is nothing; he who chooses you is an abomination.” (Isa 41:21–24)

Here YHVH Elohim is calling out the false elohim, idol-gods of the nations to a show of force, if you will, in front of his people to prove to them that he alone is the one true Elohim who only has the power to back up his claims. A similar contest had occurred earlier in the power encounter between YHVH Elohim (as represented by the prophet Elijah) and the demon-god Baal (as represented by the prophets of Baal) on Mount Carmel (1 Kgs 18). There, Elohim was victorious over the Baal and his pantheon of demon-gods.

Indeed, one of the characteristics of Elohim is jealousy. He doesn’t want his people serving other gods or elohim.

You shall have no other gods/elohim before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, YHVH your God/Elohim, am a jealous God/El visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. (Exod 20:3–4)

The Hebrew word for jealous (qana) is a verb denoting “envy and zeal.” It is the expression  of “a very strong emotion whereby some quality or possession of the object is desired by the subject” (The TWOT). The Bible depicts Elohim as a possessive husband over Israel (Ezek 16), who he took for himself, and who he lovingly delivered out of slavery in Egypt and brought to himself (Exod 19:4) to become is “special treasure [or people]” or treasured possession (Heb. am segulah; qv. Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps 135:4; 1 Pet 23:9) “above all people” (v. 5). The whole process of YHVH redeeming the nation of Israel out of the nations, then espousing himself to her, and then marrying her is outlined by the seven “I will” statements of Exod 6:6–8. Perhaps the strongest marital language of this passage that expresses YHVH jealousy over his people is found in the fourth and fifth “I will” statements: “I will take you as my people, and I will be you Elohim” (v. 7). As part of his loving jealousy over his people, he brought severe judgments against the competing idol gods/elohim of Egypt (Exod 12:12; Num 33:4).

YHVH Elohim choosing his Israel as his spiritual marital partner above and instead of all the other nations was no mere capricious act on his part; it had a legal basis. His choice was based on the covenant he had made several hundred years earlier with Abraham (Exod 6:2–4). His jealousy for his people was predicated directly upon his relationship with their patriarchs—a relationship he promised would continue on down to their descendants forever, even to one thousand generations (Deut 7:9; 1 Chron 16:15; Ps 105:8), which is somewhere between 20 and 40 thousand years! Clearly, the Scriptures chronicle the fact that YHVH Elohim refuses to stand idly by when other demon-gods or elohim come between him and his people.

So when YHVH Elohim demands of the heathens and of their demon gods or elohim in Isa 41:21, “‘Present your case,’ says YHVH, and ‘Bring forth your strong reasons,’ says the King of Jacob,” he is holding the heathens and their demon-gods accountable for their actions against his people who is his treasured possession, and for whom he is protectively jealous. In verse 22, YHVH further demands that these people and their demon-gods “show us what will happen” and show us “the latter end,”  and “declare to us things to come,” or,  in other words, predict the future (vv. 22–23) “that we may know that you are [the true] gods/elohim” (v. 23). Because the false demon-gods in whom the heathen have placed their trust instead of him have no power and are nothing, YHVH declares that those who follow them are abominable or disgusting to him—it is wickedness (v. 24).

To be continued in Part Three…

 

The Cosmic Struggle Between Elohim and elohim as It Relates to the Saint (Pt 1)

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For YHVH your God/Elohim is God/Elohim of gods/elohim and Lord of lords, the great God/El, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. (Deut 10:17)

For even if there are so-called gods/elohim, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods/ elohim and many lords… (1 Cor 8:5)

A cosmic struggle is occurring in the heavenlies between YHVH Elohim, the Mighty One, and the elohim or mighty ones on this earth who are under the control of the Prince of the Power of the Air—the Adversary and Accuser of the Brethren. The control of this earth and its people is the object of this struggle, and the redeemed saints of YHVH Elohim are at its epicenter and in the cross hairs of the demon-elohim who view them as their chief obstacle to world domination. Until the saints recognize this, they will not be able to identify their enemy, much less know how to resist him and to protect themselves from its evil onslaught.  The purpose of this work is to better understand who Elohim is, and who his (and our) enemy—the false demonic elohim—is, so that we can take our resolute position along side of Elohim—who is on the winning side of this struggle—and come out victorious in the end.

First, we must identify the key player or protagonists in this cosmic struggle.

Who is like You, O YHVH, among the gods/elohim? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exod 15:11)

For YHVH is the great El, And the great King above all gods/elohim. (Ps 95:3)

Who are these gods or elohim? The Bible reveals that there is the one true and supreme Elohim (or Yehovah/YHVH Elohim), who created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). But who are other elohim or gods over whom Elohim stands out and above in glory and holiness? Truly, as these scriptures above tell us, these other elohim are incapable of the wondrous feats of the glorious and holy Elohim who parted the sea, allowed Israel to escape, and destroyed her enemies all at the same time.

What is the author’s purpose in these two passages of contrasting Elohim with these other elohim? If Elohim is the sole Elohim, then there would be no point for the Scriptures to mention other elohim. But this is not the case, and the Bible clearly sets Elohim above and, at times, in contrast with, and even in direct conflict with these other elohim. What does this have to do with us and how does this directly affect us in our struggles as end-times saints? Keep reading.

Let’s first define some terms and the scope of this work. Quantifying the term elohim as used in the Scriptures is a larger subject and beyond the scope of this brief study. The biblical lexicons tell us that the Hebrew word elohim can refer to God, gods, human judges and angels. What is of primary concern to us in this study is (a) Elohim (i.e. the Godhead), which the Scriptures reveal as the Father, the Son and the Spirit (Matt 28:19), as well as (b) the demon-gods/elohim or idols of the heathen nations, and how these affect YHVH Elohim and his  people.

The first written witness in this cosmic struggle between Elohim and the elohim that we want to examine is one of the most important passages in the Bible in that it sets the monotheistic religion of the Bible squarely at odds with the polytheistic religions of the heathen nations.

Hear, O Israel: YHVH our Elohim, YHVH is one! (Deut 6:4)

The actual text of this passage in the Torah emphasizes the monotheism of the Bible and the oneness of Elohim (in contrast to the polytheism of the heathens) when it enlarges the last letter of the Hebrew word echad (אחד) translated in this text as “one.” Why is this? The Jewish sages teach us that this is to emphasize the fact that the word echad ends in the letter dalet (ד) and not the letter resh (ר)—two letters that closely resemble each other. This is an important distinction to make, since were one to read this word with a resh instead of a dalet, it would spell the word echar (אחר) meaning “another” instead of “one” (The Kestenbaum Edition Tikkun, commentary on Deut 6:4). So instead of this verse reading “YHVH is one” (validating the truth of monotheism), it would read “YHVH is another” thus validating polytheism.

Echad can mean “one, first, head among many with an emphasis on unity or being joined together.” Although this statement in Deuteronomy 6:4—commonly known as the Shema Passage—has become a creedal statement among the Jews affirming the monotheistic nature of the Godhead, it, in fact, is ambiguously monotheistic because of the expansive meaning of the word echad. On this passage, The Theological Wordbook of the OT  notes that “the question of diversity within unity has theological implications. Some scholars have felt that, though ‘one’ is singular, the usage of the word [at the same time] allows for the doctrine of the Trinity. While it is true that this doctrine is foreshadowed in the OT, the verse concentrates on the fact that there is one God and that Israel owes its exclusive loyalty to him (Deut 5:9; 6:5” (vol 1, p. 30).

This same commentator goes on to note that Deut 6:4 could as easily be translated as “The LORD/YHVH is our God/Elohim, the LORD/YHVH alone”—a translation that is copacetic to the passage’s immediate as well as broader context as well as the broader context of the book, and the whole Bible as well.

On the same passage, Keil and Delitzsch in their commentary, note that this passage affirms that YHVH is the one absolute God or Elohim, and that he requires that humans love him with their all. Due to the Hebrew grammar, they note, that this passage does not mean that YHVH is the only Elohim, but that he is the only YHVH.

The Bible clearly teaches that there is more than one Elohim, but that YHVH is the true Elohim, and that Elohim has chosen to reveal himself to humans in the mode of YHVH, and that he is the absolute Elohim to whom no other elohim can be compared. He is the King over all the earth (Zech 14:9) and presumably over any other competing elohim. The Zechariah passage, not only precludes polytheism, but syncretism, as well, thus reducing Elohim to the national deity of Israel as opposed to the demon-god Baal (Hos 2:17) and every other form of deism (ibid.).

Even though YHVH is the name of the one true Elohim, within the idea of YHVH itself there is a compound unity as the word echad relates to YHVH in Deut 6:4. Additionally, the choice of the strict singularity of the meaning of the word echad is further mitigated against by the occurrence of the word Elohim (God) in the same sentence, which is commonly accepted linguistically as the plural form of El or Eloah (also translated in our Bibles as God). So within the same passage, we find two uni-plural nouns—echad and elohim. It’s as if this scripture, at the same time, is attempting to emphasize both the singularity and the plurality of the Godhead.  This is who Elohim is: the Father, the Son and the Set-Apart Spirit (Matt 28:19). But who are these other elohim or gods that the Scriptures contrast Elohim against?

To be continued in Part 2

 

What do I believe about the Godhead? Greek Vs. Hebraic Logic

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I just received an email from a man who watched one of my YouTube videos and liked everything I said, but didn’t care for the idea that, in his mind at least, I was a trinitarian. He is a man of science with a medical and computer background and indicated that he tries to understand the Bible purely from a logical, scientific approach. This was my response to him.  Wanted to share this in hopes that this might bless someone. Natan

I am not trinitarian in the traditional sense. There is no label for what I believe. I believe what the OT and NT both say. Elohim is echad (a compound unity) and has revealed himself as Father, Son and Ruach. The Bible presents the Ruach as the feminine component of the Godhead. Before the creation Elohim was a more singular entity, then in order to relate to man, split into a compound unity, still one, but separate, and in the olam habah will be back to one again more or less. This is, to the best of my understanding, what the Bible teaches. But this understanding still falls short of the truth. Man can’t understand the unfathomable. To quantify the Godhead by using silly man-made labels like trinity, binity or oneness, or whatever, is, in my opinion, to create a god in own image according to our own limited understanding. This is idolatry and violates the second commandment. Make of this what you will.

A Hebraic understanding of Elohim defies man-made labels and logic, because it is beyond human understanding. This is why your science-based Greco-Roman logic fails to comprehend the godhead. Greco-Roman logical is ideal for explaining science because it is linear and is based on syllogistic or plane (horizontally)-oriented reasoning. Hebraic logic is vertically based and is circular or cyclically in nature and is based on and uses block logic. Science needs Greek logic to put a man on the moon. But this kind of logic won’t explain the one who made the moon. That’s where Hebraic logic comes in. Even then, it too is limited by human linguistics which were invented to describe physical things, not  spiritual things.

I use a combination of both Hebraic and Greco-Roman logic. So did Paul, because he was schooled in both approaches. We need both approaches working together to reach humanity—the head or mind of man (Greco-Roman logic) as well as the heart or spirit of man (Hebraic logic). Truth and Spirit must work together to understand and approach Elohim as Yeshua told the woman at the well in John 4. The natural mind in its normal reasoning capacities using simple Greek logic can’t fully understand Elohim. Paul discusses this in 1 Cor 3:6-16. Paul goes on to say that both the Jews and Greeks stumble at the other’s approach when it comes to presenting the truth of the gospel (1 Cor 1:23), and that YHVH through the foolishness of preaching the gospel via weak vessels, the kingdom is advanced (1 Cor 1:18–25). I am that foolish person trying to preach the gospel, and my approach will likely offend (scandalize) both sides and illicit criticisms from both those who favor a more Aristotelian approach and those who want only the Hebraic approach. Yeshua instructed the righteous disciple of his to judge righteously by examining the fruits of the tree, and not the approach taken (Matt 7:15–20; John 7:24). YHVH’s approach throughout the Bible usually defies human logic. Those who are led by the Spirit will do the same. Those who rely solely on logic apart from faith and the Spirit will fall short of understanding and knowing Elohim, and will criticize and fail to understand the Spirit-led preacher.

May YHVH grant us the wisdom to discern his heart and truth from his, not man’s, flawed and limited perspective.

 

Grace…A New Testament Concept!? Really?

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Exodus 33:12–13, Grace. The mainstream church places a great deal of emphasis on the message of grace. The biblical doctrine of grace finds its roots in this chapter in the Torah and not in the apostolic writings as the mainstream church teaches. The noun grace (Heb. chen) is found six times in chapters 33 and 34. The adjective gracious (Heb. chanan and channuwn)as an attribute YHVH’s character is found three times in chapters 33 and 34. Six is the number of man and three is the number of Elohim. That is to say, the grace of the entire Godhead covers man completely even when his children turn away from him and give into golden calf worship. His grace for his people rejoices or triumphs over his fiery and consuming judgments (Exod 33:4; Jas 2:13; Pss 85:10; 89:14; Mic 7:18; Eph 1:7; Rom 5:8) that they deserve for their stiff-neckness and sinful rebellion against his commands (Exod 33:3).

The Hebrew word for grace is chen/IJ meaning “favor, grace, charm, acceptance.” The Hebrew word chen (found 69 times in the Tanakh), which is translated as grace, in this verse is equivalent to the Greek word charis/cariV, which is found 156 times in the Testimony of Yeshua and is translated as grace 130 times in the KJV. The equivalency of these two words is confirmed by the translators of the Septuagint (the Greek Tanakh) who used charis in place of chen when translating the Hebrew Tanakh into Greek beginning in the third century b.c. According to The TWOT, in the vast majority of occurrences of chen in the Tanakh, the focus of attention is not on the giver, but on the recipient. The emphasis is on the relationship of the superior to an inferior (e.g. a king to his subjects). What this teaches us is that despite sin and rebellion against him, YHVH (the king) is gracious (to humans, his subjects). Contrary to what many in the church have been led to believe, the grace of Elohim is a very prominent theme in the Tanakh. Examples of this include Noah who found grace in YHVH’s eyes (Gen 6:8), or the children of Israel although dead in their sins in Egypt and deserving of YHVH’s wrath, they were saved by the blood of the lamb. There are a number of other references to the grace of Elohim in the Tanakh as well (Gen 18:3; Exod 3:21; 33:16,17; 34:9; Ps 84:11; Zech 12:10).

Exodus 34:6–7 lists various attributes of YHVH’s mercy. He is:

  • compassionate
  • gracious
  • abundant in kindness
  • abundant in truth
  • a preserver of kindness for thousands of generations
  • a forgiver of iniquity, willful sin (transgression) and error (sin)
  • cleanser of our sins

Merciful (verse 6) in Hebrew is the word rachuwm/ OUJR from the root word racham/ OJR meaning “to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion.” The TWOT explains that this word refers to a deep love (usually a superior individual for an inferior) rooted in some deep natural bond. It is used for the deep inward feeling we know as compassion, pity, or mercy. This word is found 47 times in the Tanakh, and frequently refers to the love of Elohim for his people (see Ps 103:13; Mic 7:17). Often Elohim’s mercy and grace are linked together (note Exod 33:19; 34:6; 2 Kgs 13:23; Pss 86:15; 111:4; 112:4; 145:8). His mercy and graciousness are at times unconditional upon those he chooses to favor (Exod 33:19), and is upon those who repent of their sins as well (Deut 13:17). The Tanakh elsewhere frequently exults in the attributes of YHVH’s mercy or compassion (see Deut 4:31; 2 Chron 3:9; Neh 9:17,31; Pss 78:38; 102:13; Joel 2:13; Jon 4:2.) Again, can there be any doubt that the “God of Old Testament” is just as loving and merciful as the “God of the New Testament?” It stands to reason that they are, for they are one in the same Divine Personage—and his character is unchangeable (review Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8)!

Numerous parallel passages in the Testimony of Yeshua can be found that are built on these foundational Torah principles of YHVH’s grace and mercy ( Heb 4:16; Rom 3:24; Eph 1:17; 2:4,8; Tit 1:4; 2:11; 3:5; 1 Pet 1:3; Jude 21).

 

All Hail to Yeshua, Who Is the Word of Elohim, Is Elohim, the Only Son of Elohim and the Creator

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John 1:1, The Word was Elohim. Is Yeshua or the Father the God (Elohim) of the Old Testament (Tanakh)? For many believers in Yeshua, there is confusion as to who it was in the Godhead who interacted with the Israelites in the Tankah. Was it the Father or the Son? In the minds of the apostolic writers, there was no confusion about this. Yeshua, in his preincarnate state, was the One that YHVH Elohim the Father used to both create (John 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 11:3), and then to interact with mankind. He was the Word of YHVH Elohim, the Father, who become flesh and dwelt among men (verse 14). This truth is easily confirmed in several passages in the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament).

First, Yeshua himself claims to be YHVH or the I Am of the burning bush (see John 8:58 cp. Exod 3:14). The Jews viewed Yeshua’s claim to be deity as blasphemous, which is why they picked up stones to kill him (John 8:59). Next, Yeshua in declaring to the Jewish religious leaders that “I send you prophets, wise men and scribes: some you will kill…” (Matt 23:34), he is claiming the rights and prerogatives of YHVH — a right and role that solely belonged to YHVH in the Tanakh.

Yeshua also declared that no man has seen the face of Elohim the Father (John 5:37). Yet in the Torah, we have several instances of men seeing YHVH (e.g., Gen 17:1; 18:1; 26:2; 48:3). If we are to take what these scriptures say literally, then it could not have been YHVH the Father these individuals saw, but rather YHVH the Son who later become Yeshua. Not only that, Yeshua even goes so far as to say that the Israelites of old not only never saw the Father’s face, but neither at anytime even saw his form nor heard his voice (John 5:37). Therefore, it becomes evident that while on Mount Sinai, Moses didn’t see the backside of the Father, but rather that of the pre-incarnate Yeshua (Exod 33:18–23).

What’s more, in John 14:15, Yeshua, speaking to his disciples, declares, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” When Yeshua says commandments here, we know from Luke 18:20 that he has the Torah in mind. In this statement, Yeshua is actually quoting himself when he made the same statement to the children of Israel while he was delivering to them the Oracles or Torah of Elohim at Mount Sinai (Exod 20:6; Deut 11:1).

Stephen, in agreement with John, clearly demonstrates that Yeshua was the prophesied “prophet like Moses” who was to come (see Deut 18:15), and who was the Angel, or more correctly, the Divine Messenger from Elohim, who gave the Torah to the Israelites (Acts 7:37–38). Paul goes on to say in enigmatic terms that Yeshua was the spiritual rock from which the Israelites drank and that followed them (1 Cor 10:4). And finally, Paul equates Yeshua, “the Word of Elohim made flesh and that dwelt among us” (John 1:14) with the Written Torah which YHVH gave through Moses to the Israelites. This he does when he quotes Deuteronomy 30:11–14 and substitutes the word Torah for Yeshua (see Rom 10:5–13). In Paul’s mind, Yeshua was not only synonymous with the Torah, but he was very much present with the children of Israel.

The Word was Elohim. Numerous scriptures in the Testimony of Yeshua clearly show that the apostolic writers believed in the deity of Yeshua (see Matt 1:23; Luke 24:52; John 5:18; 8:58–59; 9:38; 10:33; 19:7; 20:28; Phil 2:6; Col 2:9; 1 Tim 3:16; Tit 2:13; Rev 21:3, 6, 23; 22:1–5). Amazingly, even James (Heb. Ya’acov), the writer of the epistle that bears his name and believed to be the biological half brother of Yeshua equates Yeshua with YHVH of the Tanakh (Jas 5:7, 8, 10, 11 cp. 1:1). This is evident in his usage of the word “Lord” where he equates the Lord Yeshua (verses 8 and 10) with the LORD (or YHVH) of the Tanakh (verses 10 and 11).

The Word was Elohim. The Greek grammar of this statement is very specific. It says, “and the Word was God/Elohim.” It doesn’t say, “And the Word was the God,” which is Sabellianism or modalism, which is the belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one monadic Elohim. It also doesn’t say, “and the Word was a god,” which is Arianism, which is the belief that Yeshua the Son of God did not always exist, but was created by and is therefore distinct from and inferior to Elohim the Father (Basics of Biblical Greek, pp. 27–28, by William Mounce).

All things were made through him. Yeshua is the Creator. (See also Col 1:16; Heb 11:3.)