Elohim

The word “El” in Hebrew means God. Elohim is a plural form that points, not to a view of many gods, but to a supreme authority — the God above all gods. Elohim is God – the Mighty Creator.

We are introduced to Elohim in the very first verse of the Bible. “In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth.” The rest of the narrative of Genesis 1 and then the entirety of the Christian faith hangs on that name.

Why this topic?

Let’s take a step back and let me explain why I’m writing this post. For years I’ve had this study on my bookshelf that walks through the names of God. I’ve always found it fascinating that there are so many names of God that depict His character and the implications they have on my life. I’m pretty familiar with some…like Jehovah Jireh or Jehovah Shalom…but I truthfully am not as well acquainted with them as I want to be. And I want to be because well, I want to really know God more.

Look at it this way. If I meet someone new, certain personality traits are going to stand out right away. Those traits are either going to create an attraction or they’ll create a barrier. An initial attraction leads to getting to know the person more and more — not as a chore but as a genuine desire. As I get to know them, I uncover more of their personality and probably the deeper I get, I’m bound to find a character trait that is actually hard to accept or handle. In a human relationship, that could mean an end, or it could mean pushing on because we’re not perfect.

Let’s switch back to relating this to God. Initially there are things about God that make it super easy to want to follow Him: goodness, love, provision, etc. However, as we continue to uncover His character through His names we may be met with some that are harder: just, holy, etc. For some, they don’t want to know these harder parts of God and they walk away. The reality is though, unlike a human who may have negative character traits, ALL of God’s names point to character traits that are GOOD and PERFECT! So it’s 100% worth it to take the time to get to know Him through all of His names and to wrestle with how they all work together for GOOD!

Back to Elohim, our Mighty Creator

One of the questions that was asked as a part of the study I’m walking through by Ann Spangler was this:

God seems delighted by what He has made, proclaiming it good and even very good. How does God’s assessment of creation shape your own attitude toward yourself? How would your life change if you lived with the constant awareness that He creates you to bear His image?

Let me tell you, it actually took me a couple days to really come up with answers to this because my automatic reply was “I’m so not worthy of the labels ‘very good’ or ‘image bearer'” but then I had to think about it. I don’t have the option to remove those labels or only wear them when I feel like I deserve them. No, those were labels that God gave me as my Creator. He put them there and He’s the only one who can take them away.

That’s when I realized how greatly personal Elohim is. He’s not just a distant Mighty Creator. Rather, He knows my weaknesses, my frailties, and my faults, and yet, as a part of His creation I am labeled “very good”. That label is because of His redemption.

As I start this new year, I’ll admit there are parts of me that still feel broken. There are a lot of tasks and challenges that are coming my way. Many of them are new, and I’m afraid of failing. But God – Elohim the Mighty Creator – is with me to overcome my weaknesses by His grace and time accomplish that which He created me to do.