Elohim: the first name of God used in the Bible

I thought it might be helpful to look with you a bit regarding the very first name of God we encounter in the Bible. The Hebrew word translated "God" in Genesis 1 is "Elohim."

Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Elohim is the English spelling of a Hebrew name of God.  You might ask, “When will I know when this name Elohim appears in the Old Testament?”  Our translators translated the Hebrew name Elohim as “God” 2,606 times in the plural form and “God” 245 times from its singular form.  Elohim or God appears 31 times in the first chapter of Genesis. 

Why did God give us many different names for Himself?   God is an infinite being.  God is without limits.  Since He is a limitless God, He chose various Hebrew names to reveal certain facets of Himself to mankind.  Each name describes some of the remarkable aspects of God in ways that we can grasp.

Generally speaking, the names of God that begin with “El” are names that tell us what God has done. However, the names of God that include the name “Jehovah” are the names that tell us of the character and nature of God.  Who God is at His core is the motivation for what God does. 

When the name Elohim is found it is mostly plural in form and reminds us that God is a trinity. He is three perfect and distinct persons yet completely one.  The Bible uses the word “Godhead” as a way to help us understand the three in one (trinity) nature of God.

The following highlighter texts from the New Testament help us see the trinity of the Godhead. You can see how this closely corresponds to Genesis 1:27.

Romans 1:19-21 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Genesis 1:27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

The name Elohim emphasizes God’s strength, creativity, and power as seen in Genesis 1:1. “El” means mighty or strong. Elohim means the mighty, true God. 

If we look back at the days of creation, we can see the power and majesty of the name Elohim on display. In the first day, Genesis 1:3-5 records that God (Elohim) created light.  Let us think about light for a moment. Light travels 186,000 miles per second. Light is made up of a whole spectrum of light and color.  When God said, “Let there be light,” He made an entire spectrum of light both visible and invisible that travels at incredible speeds.  This is what God or Elohim, created on the first day.

Genesis 1:6-8 records on the 2nd day, that Elohim created the waters and the firmament.  What is a firmament? The word firmament means the sky, canopy, or space.  The earth’s surface consists of about 75% water and some estimate the amount of water at 350 quintillion (18 zeros after the number) gallons.  Elohim divided the waters upon the earth from the waters above the earth with a firmament.  There are three forms of water: solid, liquid, and vapor. This is what God or Elohim, created on the second day. 

Water is a most unique element. Normally, substances contract or shrink when they freeze. Water expands when it is frozen. If this were not so, then our Great Lakes and other large bodies of water that freeze during the winter months would have their water perpetually frozen because the ice would constantly sink to the bottom where it would be unaffected by sunlight.

Genesis 1:9-13 records on day 3, that God (Elohim) created the earth or dry land.  The earth is a satellite planet that orbits around the sun every 365 days, at a distance of about 92.5 million miles.  The diameter of the earth is 8,000 miles across and 25,000 miles around, and from its surface to its center it is 3,950 miles.  The total of the earth’s surface is 197 million square miles of which only 25% is land.  

The earth travels 45,000 miles per hour through space around the sun, which takes one year to complete its orbit, and the earth spins on its axis at the speed of 1,000 miles per hour.  This is what our God (Elohim) created on the third day.  What a great God we have.

In the next post we will look closer at what God (Elohim) accomplished on the final three days of creation. I think we already have seen some of the amazing complexities God put in place to support life and prepare the world for all living things.  

I hope that by bringing the actions of God (Elohim) before us that we will have a better understanding of God through examining this divine name, Elohim. I hope you all enjoy a weekend with the people you love and that you will consider some of the vast implications of what God says in HIs word.