Elohim – The All Powerful One: Strong Creator
For many years of my life I viewed the Powerful Creator Elohim as the “far off and away” God. I didn’t know Him intimately. I had no understanding of His desperate love for me and His desire for a relationship with me. As a result, I had limited communication with Him, believing God was too big and busy to be bothered with my “small” concerns and requests. I didn’t reach for Him because I didn’t understand that even God’s name, Elohim, demonstrates His pursuit of me. How revolutionary it was for me to get to know Him through the Power of His Names. I pray the same is true for you as we begin this journey together into His heart for us!
1) His Name Elohim Reveals His Desire to be in Relationship with you:
Genesis 1:1-5 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface. Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that it was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day" and the darkness "night." Together these made up one day.
Elohim is the Hebrew name for God. He is the all powerful creator of the universe. Look around you. Everything you see was created by Him and for Him. He knows all, is over all, and is everywhere at all times. Therefore, this name for God is most often associated with His relationship to His creation. Some scholars use this name (which is plural) as proof for the triune nature of God. It is derived from El, meaning “strong one” and Alah which means “to swear or bind with an oath.” This name is used 2,500 times throughout the Old and New Testament. It is used 31 times in the first chapter of Genesis alone!
In Genesis 1:1-5 above we see the first five instances of this name in the Old Testament. You may also be tempted to read this passage and immediately imagine Elohim to be far away, cloaked in mystery. However, notice that God is talking to Himself. God the Father is so passionate about relationship that He operates in one with His Son Jesus and His Holy Spirit before man and woman were ever created.
Elohim’s first words were “Let there be light.” This statement is powerful, not just because it shows us His authority over creation but because it shows His heart for us in two distinct ways. First, it serves as a foreshadowing of the coming of His son Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Secondly, it serves as an illustration of His desire and intention to separate you from the darkness, bringing you into His light through a relationship with Himself through His Son’s sacrifice.
All of creation, especially the Garden of Eden, was created for Elohim to be in face to face communication with you just as He was with Adam and Eve. Everything He does points back to His heart and His extraordinary love for you. In fact, at the end of Genesis chapter one God highlights this truth by saying to Adam and Eve, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given you every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life (vs. 29-30).”
Does God seem far away to you? Are you tempted to believe He doesn’t care? Everything about His creation points back to His mindfulness of you. What beautiful proof that He longs to be in relationship with you!
2) His Name Elohim Reveals His Promises to You:
Isaiah 45:18 For the LORD is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. "I am the LORD," he says, "and there is no other.”
This passage promises us that Elohim is the creator who has everything under His control. He is sovereign over His creation, nothing is out of control, our world is not in chaos. This truth is not contingent on our emotions - the truth of who He is, is not dependent on how you feel or how you view your circumstances. Your life may feel like chaos but rest assured God is absolutely trustworthy, He always keeps His promises.
I often share with clients that whatever they are focused on is what they are worshiping. We cannot simultaneously give our attention to our circumstances, challenges or trials and be focused on God’s heart for us. We either see His face or we will see ourselves and our hardships. We will either hear His voice of truth or the enemy’s voice mocking and shaming us. What we look at and listen to is a daily choice, a choice between embracing our Heavenly Father’s love for us or entertaining the lies that lead us into fear.
Does your world feel like chaos? Look at Elohim, claim this passage in Isaiah and remember that He is sovereign. Your focus dictates your faith. The more chaotic your world appears the more you need Him. His plan and His heart for you will be revealed in the storms of your life when you look to Him and trust Him to fulfill His promises, in His timing. His love is perfected in your trials.
Reject the fear that creeps into your mind in times of chaos and choose to believe that He is who He says He is. Walk away from any sources of fear in your life that cause you to doubt, forget or minimize Elohim’s love for you. Turn off the news and shut off the constant stream of opinions and conspiracy theories on social media. Surround yourself with voices of faith. Meditate on His promises. Elohim longs to reveal His heart for you, especially in the midst of the challenges you face!
3) His Name Elohim Reveals His Heart to Provide and Protect You:
Deuteronomy 10:17-18 The LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and takes no bribes. He gives justice to orphans and widows. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.
This passage is so poignant in our lives today. We don’t have pagan idols like the audience of this passage in Deuteronomy but anything that takes our minds, attention and eyes off of Elohim is our idol today. Remember this, whatever has your attention is your “small g” god. The moment you look for answers, hope, provision or protection outside of Elohim, is the moment you become vulnerable to the lies of the enemy.
Watching the news or getting swept up in social media can easily cause you to forget that Elohim promises to care for you, always. He is sovereign over everything that affects you, nothing takes Him by surprise and He is profoundly interested in your daily needs and desires. Elohim wants you to remember that He is not far away. He’s right in the middle of everything happening in your life and our world. He’s got this. He’s got you.
No one but Elohim will love you perfectly. No one else can always be there for you or provide and protect you consistently. Only He can love you completely and meet the deepest needs you face, not just tangibly, but the needs of your heart as well. He longs for you to go to Him first to meet your every need. Elohim wants to provide for you and protect you, but you can only receive it if you are looking to Him to meet your needs mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. You can’t fully experience His protection and provision when you are “making it happen” for yourself.
What distracts you from Elohim’s presence? What are you tempted to focus on instead of His love and care for you? How do you need to experience His provision and protection? Choose today to surrender any “small g” gods in your life. Give Him your focus and hand back control to Him. Trust Him to provide for your tangible needs as well as your deepest emotional and spiritual desires. Elohim promises to show up for you in the Power of this name.
Prayerfully reflect on the following five attributes of Elohim and the corresponding passages this week:
He is the source of all life, He holds everything together - Colossians 1:16-17
He is omnipotent/all powerful - Isaiah 40:21-25
He is omnipresent/all present - Isaiah 57:15
He is omniscient/all knowing - Isaiah 40:12-15
He is the triune God, He is three in one - Genesis 1:26 & 3:22
Start a prayer journal for this study and write your response to the following questions:
How do the Bible passages above reveal His heart to be in a relationship with you?
How do they reveal His promises to you?
How do they reveal His heart to provide and protect you?
How will you apply these revelations of His heart for you to your life this week?
What would you like the all powerful, strong Creator Elohim to “create” a-new or heal in your heart and life?
What would you like to thank Elohim for today?
Heavenly Father, I confess that my circumstances have had more of my focus than who you are to me. Thank you for your love, promises and the protection found in your name. I choose to submit everything in my life to your authority and I claim that you are Elohim over every circumstance, situation and relationship - may your love overwhelm all the fear and doubt in my life. Please help me keep my eyes on you and your Great Love for me! In the Powerful Name of Jesus, Amen.