Elohim

Sketched IX Day 15 On This Rock

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Peter 1:12-15
1 Peter 3:14-18
Luke 22:54-62

Sketched IX, Day 15

In the pale half-light of early morning, softly growing light glows in the east. The speckled rooster slumbers still. I know he’ll rise to remind me of my failure. Crowing roosters and early mornings like these could forever taunt me, but they now proclaim His holy calling upon me, a fallen man. Because of His calling, I shepherd His flock of those who believe.

The menacing specter of evil looms, yet we remain His glowing lampstand in this idolatrous place. In recent days, dear brothers have fallen beneath the brutal blade of martyrdom. Our Lord Christ has made plain the path before me; I too will soon lay aside this earthly tent. The brothers can no longer depend upon me for nourishment and guidance. My focus now must be transferring the baton of faith to the brothers, so they will remain steadfast in my absence.

False teachers prowl among the flock, confusing and deceiving the sheep with their insidious half-truths. These babes in faith need the pure milk of truth taught by reliable brothers, so they can grow strong, able to teach and lead others. Remaining in the Scriptures, craving and continuously feeding upon the truth, is the only way to remain steadfast and not be led astray.

My earnest desire is that they will not simply know the truth, but be seized with wonder by this precious faith. We’ve been given the riches of the Law and Prophets, all anticipating and announcing beforehand the coming of our Messiah. I’ve not only seen Him, but I’ve known Him as my Friend and Brother.

However, even while He was among us as Friend and Brother, He was clearly not of us, but from a high and holy place, discharged here on a sacred mission. The same dove-like Spirit present at creation was Him. All the truth of the Law and Prophets came to fruition in Him. I was privileged to see His eternal glory on the sacred mountain. This Friend and Brother among us is Elohim—I AM before creation. My Brother visited Father Abraham in his tent. Our Friend called Moses from the burning bush, decimated Egypt, and delivered our fathers through the Red Sea.

He is the true Lamb to which the Law and Prophets pointed. Our redemption was purchased by His human-yet-holy blood. Direct access was torn open by His blood; now within reach are all the divine resources we will ever need for this life of godliness.

The Holy Spirit is the key to this door of access. The Holy Spirit enables us to live such holy lives among the pagans that they will have no plausible grounds for accusation. Our faith must be expressed through virtuous lives in every facet, from our work to our citizenship, and especially in our relationships.

In these evil days, we can still live with steadfast and stalwart spirits. Trusting His sovereign plan is paramount, I believe. His plan spanned the epochs, has been in motion since before Eden, and plays out even now. His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension were all key points of this sweeping drama of mankind’s redemption. Our Lord and Master—my Friend, is seated in ethereal glory now, as completely in control now as the day the stars spilled from His nail-pierced hands.

Because our Friend is also “I AM,” we have no cause for fear. While this brutal persecution will likely grow increasingly worse, our suffering is not in vain. It purifies and strengthens us, provided we are trained by it; as our dross is burned away, we emerge as pure gold, reflecting the character of our Lord Christ! Even though it is painful now, it is only temporary. Our sufferings here are “light and momentary” (2 Corinthians 4:17) compared with the glory to come.

Christ is our model in this. Though He existed in ethereal glory before His incarnation, He stepped into this narrow slice of time and space for a season and endured the brutality of a Roman crucifixion on our behalf.

However, now He’s seated in Heaven at God’s right hand!
Our salvation has been secured and death and hell, forever defeated!

Like Him, we shall endure suffering for a little while and then receive the glories of heaven. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, Death, our final enemy, is now simply a doorway into eternal glory where Jesus awaits just across the threshold! I must soon cross that threshold; the path stretches plainly before me. He has lit the way well by His example. For the joy set before Him, He endured the brutality of the cross. (Hebrews 12:2)
As He calls me, I shall follow. 

When the brothers come today, I will dictate a letter. Time is short; truth must be imparted.

Ah, the rooster crows now! He mocks me! However, the truth remains that my Lord Christ has redeemed me as His called and chosen child, and placed upon me this mantle of shepherd. Therefore, I shall faithfully discharge my duties until I cross that threshold into eternal glory.

“Mock on, rooster, your crows no longer taunt me, for I am His called and chosen, the shepherd of His flock, and will soon run into His embrace as I cross that blessed threshold!”

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched IX Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched IX

The GT Weekend! ~ He Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Grab paper and pen, or open the notes on your phone, and quickly jot down what comes to mind when you think of God. What is it about His power? How far-reaching is His authority? Can you sneak under His radar? Are there people He does not care about or sins He does not see? Scriptures teach us God is the God above all other gods. No religion compares, there is no room for exception clauses, only the Lord God of the Bible holds all authority and sovereignty over, well, all. He alone is Elohim. What circumstance, or relationship, or person have you perhaps unwittingly put in a category of “beyond God’s reach or rule”? What might it look like if you began praying for that scenario or person based on the reality of God being God of all?!

2) Rights. What comes to your mind as you consider this word? Maybe you begin thinking of the rights you have as a person or in your various relationships. What thought have you given to God having lordship rights? He is Adonai of adonai. He is Lord of all lords. None has a right to rule and authority as He does. Adonai has the right to declare what is holy, and what is not. Amazingly, though He holds all power and authority as Elohim and Adonai, He still offers us the freedom to choose to follow Him and be rescued for eternity. Adonai does not force Himself upon you, insisting you follow His rule. Rather, He invites with love. In the matters of your everyday life, are you consistently leaning in to Him as Adonai or are you struggling to pull away and hold life together on your own?

3) The Lord God is the self-naming God. He looked to no one else to define Him. Beautifully, as He reveled Himself to us, He chose a name that encompassed the entirety of His all-consuming presence. I Am. Yahweh. Across all of time, in every scenario, in every relationship, in every celebration, in every grievous loss, Yahweh is I Am, the fully present, deeply intimate God. He is Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai. Take a brief couple of minutes to write down as many scenes of your life as you come to mind. The broken ones. The happy ones. The peace-filled ones. The tragic ones. Slowly, breathe each of these in and prayerfully remember, Yahweh is I AM in each of them. His presence is near. Draw near to this powerful, mighty, invitational God!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Genesis 1:1-3 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Prayer Journal
Sovereign rule. Almighty reign. Nothing is beyond Your scope, Your power, Your knowledge, or Your ability. I tremble at the thought of such sheer magnificence. I am like dust in comparison to You, oh Elohim. Yet, because of Your unfathomable kindness, You have extended love to me, inviting me to dwell with You, to be one with You. Lord, this is too marvelous! As I submit to Your rule in my life, You become my Adonai, the Lord of myself. With glad surrender, I turn over all to You. But Lord, I confess how quickly I defy Your lordship as Adonai, how swiftly I push myself ahead of You as Sovereign. Be present here, oh Yahweh, tenderly call me back to walk in tandem with Your Holy Spirit. What a gracious, kind God You are!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

He Day 4 Adonai: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Adonai!

The Questions

1) The title “Lord” is all throughout this passage, what is the difference between Yahweh, Adonai, and Elohim?

2) According to this passage, what sets apart Adonai from all other adonai?

3) What is our response to this Adonai of adonai?

Deuteronomy 10:12-22

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you except to fear the LORD your God by walking in all his ways, to love Him, and to worship the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul? 13 Keep the LORD’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good. 14 The heavens, indeed the highest heavens, belong to the LORD your God, as does the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the LORD had His heart set on your ancestors and loved them. He chose their descendants after them—He chose you out of all the peoples, as it is today. 16 Therefore, circumcise your hearts and don’t be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe. 18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 You are also to love the resident alien, since you were resident aliens in the land of Egypt. 20 You are to fear the LORD your God and worship him. Remain faithful to him and take oaths in his name. 21 He is your praise and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awe-inspiring works your eyes have seen. 22 Your ancestors went down to Egypt, seventy people in all, and now the LORD your God has made you numerous, like the stars of the sky.

Original Intent

1) The title “Lord” is all throughout this passage, what is the difference between Yahweh, Adonai, and Elohim?
Because the Bible was originally written in Hebrew (the Old Testament) and Greek (the New Testament), it’s extremely important for us to always study Scripture through the lens of its first languages and culture. For some practical examples of why, check out our Reasons for Digging Deeper. Adonai is a commonplace Hebrew title for “lord”. In the Old Testament, we see plenty of examples where adonai is used as a title of respect as in the passage where some men addressed the prophet Elisha, “My lord (adonai) can see that even though the city’s location is good, its water is bad.” (2 Kings 2:19) However, in a much fuller sense, we also read Scripture passages comparing the Lord God to all other “lords” by using the phrase, “Adonai of adonai”, literally translated as Lord of lords. This is intended to signify that only the God of the Bible has true authority and rights to rule as sovereign Lord of all things. Joshua says of the Lord God, “(He) is the Lord (Adonai) of all the earth.” (Joshua 3:11) The psalmist centers his entire praise song around God’s total rule and authority as God and sovereign Lord, “Give thanks to the LORD (Yahweh) for He is good (…), Give thanks to the God (Elohim) of gods (elohim) (…), Give thanks to the Lord (Adonai) of lords (adonai) (…).” (Psalm 136:1-3) Granted, it is quite difficult to simply pick up our English Bibles and know precisely when each different name of God is being used because our English words don’t take on various forms as the Hebrew words do, Bible translators do provide some help when it comes to distinguishing between Yahweh and Adonai. For most translations of the Bible, when the Hebrew name, Yahweh, is used, you will notice all 4 letters of the word LORD are capitalized. Comparatively, when you read the title Lord with only one capital, it signifies the title Adonai.

2) According to this passage, what sets apart Adonai from all other adonai?
This passage is full of beauty and depth of God’s character as Adonai of adonai (Lord of lords)! He is ruler of all creation, nothing is beyond His authoritative reach, rule, and reign. (verse 14) As Jesus says thousands of years later, not even a sparrow falls to the ground, or a strand of your hair, without the Father knowing. (Matthew 10:29-30) Also unlike other adonai who demanded sacrifices for their own selfish gain, Adonai of adonai, gives no such ultimatums because this Adonai loves. He has called apart a people, sin-wrecked though they were, and He willingly set His love upon them. (verse 15) This Adonai is just, never coy or able to be “bought” as was often the case with ancient “so-called-deities”. Whoever held the most power, could also be bought at the right price, but this was clearly not the case with Adonai of adonai. He is utterly just and righteous in His judgements, while also acting with compassionate benevolence to the foreigner, the outcast, and the weak. (verses 17-18) There is none who holds both love and justice along with incredible humility like the Lord of lords who, though holding all authority, uses His power for tender loving compassion. Who is like Adonai of adonai?!

3) What is our response to this Adonai of adonai?
I love this passage in Deuteronomy because not only does it lay out who our God is, why He is worthy of the title Adonai of adonai, but it also succinctly clarifies our response. “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you except to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul?” (Deuteronomy 10:12) The core of God’s desire is to be in relationship with each of us individually and corporately as a whole so we can experience His love and delight in Him as He delights in us. (verse 15) Though He holds all power and authority, He will not use this sovereignty to force us into obedience because His goal is love. He invites us to experience fullness by submitting to His rule; when we do, we respond by walking in His ways, loving Him, and worshipping Him with every aspect of our entire lives. (verse 12) We love this Adonai, moving far past title of Lordship to the intimacy of experiencing Him as Yahweh, Savior, and even, Abba Father. The deeper we enjoy this love relationship with Him, the more we will love others just as He has loved us. When we love God and love others, we are reflecting the beauty of submitting to the Lord of lords. (verses 18-19)

Everyday Application

1) The title “Lord” is all throughout this passage, what is the difference between Yahweh, Adonai, and Elohim?
Each name, or title, of God reveals more of His character, helping us to more fully understand who He is. When we read of the Lord of lords (Adonai of adonai), we are reminded that nothing is beyond the rule and reign of the Lord our God. There is nothing beyond His power, no mystery that will confound Him, and no aspect of our humanity that is beyond His ability to save and rescue us from. What a refreshing, powerful gift to apply this truth to the believer’s life! There is no sin He does not have the ability to forgive. There is no place we can flee from His presence. There is no circumstance where He does not have absolute control. As a God who infinitely loves and treasures us, this reassurance goes far beyond any comfort a human being could provide, no matter how wealthy or powerful they are! Yet, for the unbeliever, the one who hasn’t chosen to surrender everything to this Adonai of adonai, the idea of such limitless power, authority, and lordship should bring a sense of dread fear. Without the sacrificial blood of Jesus to forgive our sins, the fullness of God’s just wrath is upon us because we have rightly earned it for every instance when we chose sin over holy living. Adonai is indeed Lord of all, “the great, the mighty, the awesome God who is not partial and takes no bribe.” (Deuteronomy 10:17) On the day when this earth passes away, each of us will stand before the throne of God whose fierce Name is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16). Either we will be declared righteous because we have trusted in Christ for salvation, or we will receive the just punishment we deserve for our sins, which is eternal living death in Hell. Turn to Him, love Him, worship Him, and follow His ways for your own good! (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

2) According to this passage, what sets apart Adonai from all other adonai?
In today’s culture, and in your everyday life and mine, there are a million and one things that vie for our attention and devotion. Our children’s education, the dream home (or even a clean one with folded laundry!), a spouse who fills our expectation, a friends’ approval, or maybe it’s a position and title that holds our lust for more. We are much too quick to “bow down” to these lords, these adonai, and willingly surrender our sanity, and our peace, for the allure they dangle before our eyes. None of us are immune to insatiable pride. Hope for this condition of our hearts is found only in total surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. When we align our lives, our everyday mundane moments, under the Lordship of the Adonai, the doorway is open for Him to pour out abundance and fullness through our humble surrender. This surrender is not a squeezing to fit into a snug box of “dos and donts”, rather this is a pathway of freedom to live as we were originally designed to live. Only under the Lordship of Adonai do our lives truly begin to flourish! It is nothing short of miraculous when we begin this process of surrendering every detail we give over to Adonai, is redeemed and repurposed in His time and His way, precisely because He Is Lord! Then, these details are returned to us to use in fullness and beauty. This is the work our Lord Jesus Christ, Adonai of adonai!

3) What is our response to this Adonai of adonai?
The reality of God being Lord of all is true regardless of whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. We do have a choice in how we respond to that unchanging reality. We can either live in arrogant rebellion of the One who answers to no one, or we can choose to submit our will to His. (verse 16) This act of surrender follows naturally as we glimpse the all-surpassing power and authority of the Lord God while also considering how small and insignificant we are in comparison. (verse 21) As we understand and experience His love wash over us, our hearts respond with adoring worship. As His Holy Spirit shapes us to become like Christ, we begin to experience what it is to love like this magnanimous God Himself who generously loved us first. We begin emulating the Adonai of adonai in beautiful reflection of love and grace on display in our everyday moments. (verse 12) Like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle fitting flawlessly together, when we follow God’s intended pattern for living, we experience the best of life and relationships. (verse 13) Our parenting, our marriages, our relationships with co-workers, the way we view ourselves, and our priorities all fall into place with God as our Adonai ruling over every other false, self-seeking adonai. Who will be adonai of your life?

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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He Day 2 Elohim: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Elohim!

The Questions

1) What are the results of having a knowledge of God versus loving God? (verse 1)

2) What is the attitude Paul tells believers to take when it comes to serving the one true God in a society of many gods?

3) What was Paul trying to convey in verse 6?

1 Corinthians 8:1-6

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by him.

4 About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from him, and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.

Original Intent

1) What are the results of having a knowledge of God versus loving God? (verse 1)
It is believed the phrase, “we all have knowledge”, was coined by the Corinthian believers in response to some of Paul’s teachings. It was also used by believers in dealing with the division caused by attending functions in idol temples and eating meat dedicated to temple idols (BibleRef.com). In asking Paul to decide between the two camps, Paul affirmed that yes an idol is nothing in the world, and there is no other God but one. (1 Corinthians 8:4) Therefore, if an idol is nothing, then the food dedicated to the idol is nothing as well. That appears to be a sound argument at face value. However, keeping in mind the current culture and sharp feelings based around idols and idol worship, the end result would be division and losing a member of Christ’s body. Paul used this as an opportunity to remind the Corinthians that those members of the body who seem weaker in knowledge (or understanding of the freedom we have in Christ) are necessary and important to the Body as a whole. For this reason, there should be no schism in the body, rather, the members should have the same care for one another regardless of viewpoints on issues that don’t really matter.  (1 Corinthians 12:22, 1 Corinthians 12:25) “For knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Corinthians 8:1) Having knowledge alone without love is not enough to care for one another. If a believer “has the gift of prophecy, faith to move mountains, and gives everything to the poor but has no love, it profits nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3) True love like Jesus’ love suffers long and is kind, does not seek its own and is not provoked. Love meets the weaker brother where they are and suffers loss for the sake of others. (1 Corinthians 13:4) This is why the one who chooses to love his brother or sister who he can see with his eyes, also loves the one true God he has not visibly seen. (1 Peter 1:8)

2) What is the attitude Paul tells believers to take when it comes to serving the one true God in a society of many gods?
The city of Corinth was a major trading center attracting various people from across the empire. Along with the influx of people, gods from different cultures took root in the city. The temple of Aphrodite sat on top of the city filled with the beckoning call of a thousand prostitutes; while the Isthmus games honored the god Poseidon. The cult of Isis had an emphasis on gaining wisdom, and the cult of Mithras was enthralled with mysteries. As part of the Roman empire, the worship of Caesar as Lord was required by every citizen and subject. In a culture saturated with so many elohim, Paul declares, “Yet for us, there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:6) For Paul, who preached the gospel mainly to the Gentiles, turning to the one true God (Elohim) from idols was a frequent topic among churches. Often, Paul told Gentile believers of Elohim coming in the form of human flesh to reconcile the world back to Himself. By trusting in the one true Elohim, Gentile believers would be rescued from the bondage of serving the many false elohim of the kingdom of darkness. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (Colossians 1:13) The Greek word “true” in relation to the one “true” God is “alethinos”, meaning real, ideal, genuine. God Himself fulfills the very meaning of His name. He is the “true” God sharply contrasting all other false gods”. (Strong 228) God has declared, “For the Lord your God, is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God.” (Deuteronomy 10:17) There is no comparison between the Almighty Elohim and the cluster of gods dominating the Greek society. Only the true God is eternal and everlasting; His kingdom resides as a seed inside of every one of His children. Those kingdom seeds would then go on to grow and uproot the culture and gods of the Roman empire.

3) What was Paul trying to convey in verse 6?
The apostle Paul needed to lay a new foundation of thought when it came to the worship of the one true God. Previously, in their ignorance, the Gentile believers worshipped idols made with their own hands of silver, gold, and wood. Whenever disaster struck or provision was needed, supplication was made to various gods at family altars and temples in the midst of the city. False gods were in every layer of society, entertainment, family, and business. Anything the human heart could want, there was a god promising to give it, but the Elohim of Israel was altogether different. The Almighty was not a god who was far off, detached from His worshippers in a temple accessible only through blood and offerings. The kingdom of the Almighty was now with His children, inside their hearts and minds. (Luke 17:21) God was with them in their sufferings and every part of life’s journey. (Philippians 3:10) To pivot to a form of worship that no longer had sacrifices and offerings as a barrier was revolutionary. Now, God could be accessed because He, not us, paid the price for reconciliation. Just like Christ and the Father were one before time began, now every believer is one with Christ in God. Now, no longer are there varying degrees of differentiation between slave or free, Jew or Gentile, but all are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) For in Christ we live, move and have our being. Christ Jesus is the vine and the Church are His branches. (John 15:5) This holy vine, born of incorruptible seed, provides all things and is the very life-sustaining force of the Church.

Everyday Application

1) What are the results of having a knowledge of God versus loving God? (verse 1)
One of the most familiar phrases uttered today is “my truth”. The concept is, although my truth may differ from your truth, both truths are equally valid. Under this view, all truths are valid and no correction is necessary because a single standard for “truth” does not exist. What happens in a community of believers that each holds onto their own version of the truth? In Paul’s day, there was division because of personal choices coming under scrutiny by other believers, the same conflict continues today. For example, some Christians practice yoga simply for its physical benefits alone. To them, it’s simply a low impact exercise that’s easy on the joints. For other believers, the postures themselves are prayer poses dedicated to the worship of Hindu deities. At one point, I was faced with this very dilemma of what to do about an exercise I loved. A child asked me if it was ok to do yoga because their parents said it was worshipping Hindu gods. I could have told them “my truth”, that the stretches were nothing and the Hindu gods are nothing. (1 Corinthians 8:4) I weighed my words carefully because I could see that my liberty to exercise how I wanted, would cause harm to the spiritual conscience of a child. (1 Corinthians 8:7) In the eyes of the child, the exercise was a thing offered to an idol. At this point, do I choose knowledge, or do I choose to love? I chose knowledge, and after a while I came to see the conflict I helped create for this child. If this was ok to do, what else is ok to do? I finally decided to walk in love, for I couldn’t let my truth wound the child’s conscience and thereby sin against Christ.

2) What is the attitude Paul tells believers to take when it comes to serving the one true God in a society of many gods?
At the time of this writing, the entire world has been upended because of an unseen virus. Everything society has raised up to be pursued and worshipped has come crashing down. The idols of centuries ago have simply changed form and are still being worshipped in these modern times. Money, sports, education, fame, and social media influence, our culture’s idols, have been taken away as a result of the virus. For some, well actually, for most people, what was once a sure thing and a safe place is now gone, and for many, fear has come in its stead. Yet this one truth holds firm. The same God who covered the children of Israel during the plagues is the same God who will cover His church. The one true God is the all-sufficient one, El Shaddai is His name. The psalmist David said, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (El Shaddai).” (Psalm 91:1) When all the works of your hands have been removed, trust in Christ for He is a sure foundation, our chief cornerstone! The Word of God says, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” (Matthew 7:4-27) Watching everything fall away into sinking sand may be terrifying, but as the sand falls away the solid rock of Christ Jesus appears under your feet to sustain and keep you. God is still in control! In Haggai, God says, “And I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Hosts.” (Haggai 2:7) Although you see everything around you shaking, God is able to keep you from falling. Because He lives, you live, do not fear!

3) What was Paul trying to convey in verse 6?
These uncertain times have placed us all in an unexpected place of stillness, and so we return to the beginning for answers. In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1) It is in that space of the beginning we find Christ waiting for us to invite Him into our everyday lives once again. The Holy God who has made all things, reminds us that everything we need is found in Him alone. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Despite the tribulations we are walking in right now, be of good cheer, for the Word is near you, in your mouth and your heart. (Romans 10:8) God is near you, and in you, for you are His beloved child if you have surrendered your whole heart to Him. In times of suffering, He promised to be with us all the more, for His grace is sufficient for us. Paul said, “that is why for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10) We, as believers, are strong because we are hidden in Christ, the all-sufficient one, El Shaddai.

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Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

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He Day 1 Elohim

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 1:1-2
1 Corinthians 8:1-6
Colossians 2:1-15
Matthew 28:18-20

He, Day 1

“In the beginning, [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.”

In the first sentence of Scripture, we are introduced to our Author and Creator with the Bible’s most common name for God, “Elohim.” We are told God was present in the very beginning, before anything else existed and, from Himself, created all we know, see, touch, and feel today.

Let me share a little context for our discussion of this foundational name of God, “Elohim”.

  1. “Elohim” is actually the plural form of the word “Eloah.”
  2. In Hebrew, Eloah/Elohim means “god/gods” and is used throughout Scripture to not only name our One True God, but also to refer to the other spiritual beings or gods of other religions.

So why would Genesis 1:1 use Elohim instead of Eloah? And why would the writers of the Scriptures use Elohim to refer to God, instead of a more specific and personal name like the one revealed to Moses in Exodus 3, “Yahweh”?

The use of Elohim in Genesis 1:1 is intentional. By using Elohim, the author is already revealing to us the concept of the Holy Trinity. Three divine, unique persons: the Father (Creator, Sustainer), the Son (Redeemer), and the Holy Spirit (Advocate) in one divine God. The Elohim Trinity was present from before the beginning of time at the creation of the universe. From the beginning of the world’s existence, the great and mighty power of Elohim is being revealed.

Scripture uses the word ‘elohim’ as a title for other gods and spiritual beings, too. Not only did followers of the One True God use Elohim to refer to God, but it was the common Hebrew word for discussion of the gods of other religions, whose worship caused people to turn away from their mighty Creator Elohim.

Therefore, Scripture repeatedly emphasizes how our Elohim is different and set apart from other elohim.

“For the Lord your God is the God of gods [Elohim of elohim] and Lord of lords,
the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God,
showing no partiality and taking no bribe.” (Deuteronomy 10:17)

“Give thanks to the God of gods [Elohim of elohim].
His faithful love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:2)

The God of these Scripture verses is mighty, the Elohim above all other elohim! The Spirit-inspired authors of Scripture made the distinction that even though there were countless other gods and idols, false as they were, our Elohim was sovereign above them all. He alone is the God whom we serve and worship.

His might is proved to us through Elohim’s greatest act of power, the salvation of His people through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

 “[. . .] ‘there is no God but one.’
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth
—as there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’ —
yet for us there is one God, the Father.
All things are from him, and we exist for him.
And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ.
All things are through him, and we exist through him.” (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)

 “And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh,
he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses.
He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us,
and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.” (Colossians 2:13-15)

Paul reminds us even though other so-called elohim seek our attention and worship, rule with authority on earth, and attempt to pull us away from our Creator, we are subject to one Elohim and one Elohim only. We are subject to the Elohim who created us, sustains us, and gave us Jesus. 

I don’t know about you, but I am constantly bombarded with distractions seeking to pull my attention from the Elohim of elohim. They come in the form of never-ending household chores and errands, the pull of TV and social media, and sometimes even my relationships with others can become more important than my relationship with Elohim.

While none of these are inherently bad, they easily become idols and false elohim when I prioritize them above my mighty Elohim. 

Jesus came to once and for all end the power of sin, death, the devil, and all false elohim forever. He took on our sin and the wrath of God on our behalf through His death, and the power of all other authorities was broken when He defeated death itself! Now all authority on heaven and earth belongs to our mighty Elohim alone!

We have the gift to serve our Elohim and be witness to His mighty power through Jesus to all the ends of the earth!
All praise be to the Elohim of elohim! 

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