The name Elohim occurs over 2,000 times in the Bible and could possibly be the most used name of God. In earlier posts, we have been studying the different names of God: God the provider, God the creator, and many more. These posts have helped to show different aspects of God's character through the different names given to Him. So what can the name Elohim tell us about God, other than meaning simply God?
To be honest with you, I had a very hard time finding something to share for the name Elohim. What could I possibly tell you about this name with such a general meaning? As I continued to study this name, I kept thinking to myself, "Why, Shyan, did you chose this name?!" As I continued to ponder the name Elohim, I really stared to wrestle with what it truly means to know God and all that He is. I think sometimes we can fall into a trap of defining and giving value to God based on the contexts in which we have come to know Him. Sometimes in different seasons of life, we really start to know one facet of God as healer, or provider, or our refuge, and so on, and we forget that God is all of these at once.
One example I can think of personally is in my prayer life. I have found that while I am in prayer, I have tried to appeal to the different facets of God based on what I might need from Him at that time or an aspect of my life where I can fully trust God; but I forget that He is sovereign over all parts of my life. I am not trying to say that understanding other names of God or calling on a specific name of God isn't important, but I hope to convey to you that all those names of God make Him who He is to us and that sometimes just calling on the name of God is enough.
The name Elohim is the name of God. Just like your name means all of you, with all your different characteristics. All aspects of God can be described in this name, Elohim.
There are so many aspects to this name, that for me, I am still trying to wrap my head around it all. But let me conclude with what have become the important aspects of the name Elohim to me.
1. In the first chapter of Genesis, we see the aspect of Elohim as creator. Everything that exists in this world was the act of a sovereign, loving, and knowable God. He existed before and is independent of the world. He knows all that He has created, and we can rest knowing that we were made perfect by Him.
2. Through Job, we can see that God gives endurance to those who are faithful to Him. We can trust in God through our trials in life knowing that He who created us will sustain us.
3. Isaiah 42:5 says "This is what God the Lord says - the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it." Through this verse we are reminded that God is the source of all life. Nothing exists in this world without Him knowing. He is over all, and we can continue to rest in that truth.
By Shyan Xiong
Vernon Hills Small Group Co-Leader
