Please scroll down for:
" The Yahweh our Elohim is one Yahweh"
Strong Tower
Habitable Planet Discoveries
Earth's moon wandered off axis billions of years ago
'Be Armed' Satan Tempts Jesus-Luke 4
The POWER OF I AM
" The Yahweh our Elohim is one Yahweh" Deuteronomy 6:4
This verse is used to prove God is not a Trinity, but that He is just "one" God. To anti trinitarians this verse is the gold standard in disproving the trinity.
First note three times God's Name is used-a trinity of Names.
Elohim or God is plural.The word we will focus on is "one" and in Hebrew it is echad.
The root of this word in unity and is translated as unity,unify,united,union,uniform,altogether,same,unison and is ,at times, used as the number one,one as a collective noun,etc.
When an English speaking person sees "one" they think it's the number one or a solitary one unless context shows otherwise.
Let's start in Genesis-the Book of beginnings - in Hebrew wherever echad is used for the first time.
Genesis 1:3-5
We are informed God made light and dark day and night and in verse 4 He 'separated' them as two segments of time each day and night are 12 hours total of 24 hours we have a full 24 divided into two time periods or cycles of time 'day and night.' In verse 5 "So the evening and the morning were the first day. "The word "first "is echad. Here it is used collectively for a 'day and a night'- 'light and dark' which God had "divided." So we can see echad can be used to describe two separate periods of time. A full day and night and like Elohim God (pl.) has the 'same nature,' but is 'divisible, ‘but is really 'one' (echad) whole, but distinct 12 hour day/night time period.
1:9 "And God said let all of the waters be gathered into one place..." "One" is echad. The waters were not all in 'one place' (a massive portion of the waters in Gen.1:2 "deep" tehome means raging waters were above the earth as God 'divided' those water masses into two separate masses in verses 6-8) was as it clearly states and now they are commanded to be brought together into one (echad) place on earth called seas.
Since this is plural it can be seen as a prediction the earth would be divided up into continents thus forming oceans whereas in verse 9 the waters were brought into one place or land mass and formed one sea. This ancient Biblical concept is something that is a fairly recent discovery! Gen.10:25
It stands again echad here is two masses becoming 'one' a collective noun.
Genesis 2:24
It says a man and his wife in marriage, "...will become one flesh." They 'unite'(echad) in a partnership as "one" (echad ) flesh. A collective noun.
Commenting on Deuteronomy 6:4 (after 70 AD) Rabbi Simon Ben Jochai (not a Christian) says, “We have said in many places, that this daily form of prayer is one of those passages concerning the Unity, which is taught in scriptures....the three Names...which together make one Unity. But how can these three Names be one? Are they verily one because we can them one? How three can be one can only be known through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, and in fact, with closed eyes...these Names are...but One unity, three Substantive Beings which are one...They form an invisible unity."
Commentary on the Pentateuch .Venice Ed. 50 - 267
This verse is used by Unitarians and cults as well as liberal theologians to prove that God or Elohim is "one" or a solitary number one thus disproving the doctrine of the Trinity. Some teach this verse is employed to prove that God or Elohim is unique as "one" as echad can mean unique.
Whenever there is a controversy I examine both sides and it seems many times the truth is in between or the moderate view.
Let's note that God's Name is used three times-a 'trinity of names- in this verse. The seraphim before the throne of Yahweh exclaim "Holy" three times over and over.Isa.6:1-10.
John refers to seeing the Lord Jesus in His preincarnate form seated on this throne "full of His glory." Jn.12:41 ; cf verses Jn.12: 37-40 which parallel Isa. 6:8-10. Isaiah has Yahweh (singular) saying to him , "...who will go for Us?"* A little known narrative in which Yahweh Elohim or Lord God uses "we";and "us"several times is in Isaiah 41:22,23;26 where Yahweh Elohim or God puts idols and their adherents on trial as it were.
Genesis 1:26,27 Elohim says, 'Let "Us" create man in "Our" image after "Our" likeness.' See
l Thess.5:23;cf Heb.4:12 so man is a'trinity.' He created man in His image-not angels; so He was not speaking to angels. There were no other beings then except angels. One rabbi states Elohim was 'speaking to the universe,' hence, the "us" and "our"! God does not 'consult' or have to 'inform' anyone when He creates. Isa.40:13,14; 41:28
When He initiates a 'plan' He does 'consult'or asks 'questions' for which He already knows the answer to show us how He plans and imitates. Job 1-2; 15:8; Ps.82:1 ; 89:5-7; Jer.23:18; Kings 22:19-23 God shows the prophet how he is dealing with Ahab in the heavenly realm. These conseltations are not dealing with creation, of course.
Also, the plural pronoun "Us" is used by and of God in Genesis 3:22 ;11:7.
Genesis 1:1 says "Elohim created the heavens and the earth." One Hebrew student translates God or Elohim Gen.1:1 literally as "these-are-God' i.e. God or Elohim is more than one. It is a plural word. When you have a plural in Hebrew most of the time it can be three or more. Another plural in Hebrew is dual and means two or more. I have traced El in Elohim to the Heb./Chald.words 'these or those.'
Going back to our key verse we see that Elohim is a plural word. Yahweh used twice is the Lord's personal Name and is singular.
After this background we shall now focus on our key word in Deuteromy 6:4 saying God is "one."
This is the Hebrew word Echad. It's primary root meaning is unify; unity and united.
Here is a list of the ways in which Echad may be translated according to context and tenor of Scripture.
When attacked either spiritually or by people or both; then rush into the Lords power and shelter symbolized as an impregnable Tower by prayer and faith claiming His spiritually fortified Tower of safety and protection. This is not an act of defeat,but the Hebrew says you are 'exalted' by taking refuge in His invisible all powerful Tower.
This Tower is always open for shelter by all believers, but it is up to them to 'rush' into it when attacks manifest.
This is all based on all that His Name stands for, which is as Jesus declared, "All power and authority has been given to Me in Heaven and earth."
And while you are rushing to the Tower of the Lord or Yahweh "put on the whole armor of God."
Habitable Planet Discoveries
As per our past articles on the solar system we see that according to ll Peter 3:1-7 all of the universe in Genesis 1:1 was a "cosmos" (v.6 "the world" Gen.1:1 -"cosmos-but was "destroyed by water" Gen.1:2 "deep"tehome Heb.- massive raging waters)or as we have in Greek; well ordered and arranged;beautiful, harmonious,perfect etc.This certainly can not describe Gen.1:2! We get our word cosmetics from the Gk.word cosmos.
So we know that all of the planets were 'beautiful and perfect'(cosmos as per Peter ) as yes,'habitable' as we find in these latest planetary discoveries! There were some planets that after all of the water mass evaporated still retained some degree of proper climate and 'habitability.'
The popular notion that God started with the pagan assertion of an unorganized mass and raging waters -a chaos instead of a cosmos -to create the heavens and earth is not in accord with the original languages of scriptures.All that God 'created' bara Heb.is spoken into existance in a moment of time.It is perfect and it comes from a perfect mind.As Paul say He framed the worlds.Heb.1:2-3 b
Heb.11:3 Or as it says in the the Amplified Bible; "By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed [fashioned,put in order,and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word [Jesus Jn.1:2-3 author's comment] of God,so that what we see was not made from things which were visible [this proves God did not begin with a 'shapeless mass and waters' ("that which was visible"as some theologians say- authors comment]." Lockman
Article to reference - Scientist Discover Three Potential Habitable Planets
Earth's moon wandered off axis billions of years ago
We have done articles about the cataclysmic water mass that erupted in the universe in the ancient past. Genesis 1:2
"But the earth became a waste and a desolation." 'Darkness (no sun then water overwhelmed it) was on the surface of the deep." Deep is tehome Heb. or 'massive universal (context) raging, turbulent windblown waters.' Peter tells us the universe "that then was"...( Gen.1:1:2) "being massively flooded with massive amounts water was destroyed." ll Peter 3 4-7
So we calculate the moon must have been forcibly removed from its orbit (by the water mass described in the Bible in the ancient past) as it stabilizes our earth by its orbit and gravitational field as we find in the posted linked article in Science Daily. They know of two other moons that experienced a similar fate. In time planets will be included. It is easier to determine a moon's past station as it orbits a planet. Certain 'details' given in the article link are suppositions like the age of the moon.
Water in moon rocks provides clues and questions about lunar history Note traces of water found in moon rocks. This fits out flood scenario. A recent review of hundreds of chemical analyses of Moon rocks indicates that the amount of water in the Moon's ..
Water on the moon: It's been there all along More evidence of water when the moon was younger. God created a perfect universe Genesis 1:1 along with planets stars and moons. But the massive flood of water destroyed everything. When God 'restored' the earth in seven days He left the universe to recover from the flooding so there is evidence of damaged surfaces, interiors, etc. Science is slowly finding that all of these bodies was not as they are today, but have changed from when they first were created.
Again, the Bible is correct! You can read the right side columns, but know that many things- as in our posted article here -to age, and when events transpired, etc. are suppositions by scientists who change their estimates and postulates as more information is discovered.
Water on the moon: It's been there all along Traces of water have been detected within the crystalline structure of mineral samples from the lunar highland u...
'Be Armed'
Satan Tempts Jesus -Luke 4
We learn by observing here as the Son of God
confronts the devil.
Satan approaches Jesus when He is weak and hungry. When we, as was Jesus are
not filled and led with the Spirit the devil can have an opportunity to test us
and cause us to falter and fall in any given situation. Be aware of your spiritual
condition and if you are strong in the Spirit and not 'weak and hungry' as it
were. Praying always in the Spirit as Jude says.
With each direct test by satan - three of them -Jesus, even though He was a
master dialectician and debater directly quoted an appropriate scripture for
each test. No debate, no explanation, no reasoning, He just quoted the powerful
word of God that is "living and sharper than any two edged sword."
"My word will not return to Me void, but it will accomplish
the exact purpose it was sent to do" says the Lord Almighty.
Using human reasoning with demons is of no use. Follow the Lord Jesus by
quoting the word. It will also build you up in the Lord. Know the word then it
will know and remember you as it is actuated by the Spirit. There is nothing
the word can't do.
James says "resist the devil and he will run from you." You 'resist'
through the word.
Now what happened with Jesus in this case? There is good news and bad news
here. It says after the word of God barrage, the devil left Him. That's the
good news. The bad news is it says in Greek satan left after he finished the '
cycle' of testing, but it was left until another time!
Satan doesn't quit, but neither do we!
Remember the Trinity is with and in you so be courageous. Have faith hope and
love and you will enjoy life with a legion of victories!
The POWER OF I AM
Moses approached the burning thorn bush. He sees the "Angel of Yahweh" in the middle of this thorn bush The word Angel here means Word or Messenger not an angel of God. This is Christ The Word or Logos of John1:1 in a theophany or preincarnate appearance. In verse 4 "And Yahweh saw that he turned aside to see ,and God or Elohim ( pl.) called to him from the middle of the throne bush ,and said Moses! Moses!
Note the Angel or Messenger Who is the Son is in the middle of the flaming bush and it says that Yahweh sees Moses and that it was God that called out to him from the middle of the bush! This shows that the Son was recognized as God or Yahweh!
As they are conversing Moses says what is your name? God says "I AM THAT I AM...you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you." Exodus 1-15
Hundreds of years later this same Messenger that spoke to Moses from the burning bush is now in the flesh as a man and Jesus is standing before the Jewish leaders and tells them He is "I AM !" He says, "...Before Abraham was born I AM..." He was claiming to be God or Yahweh!
Then they take up large stones (Gk.) to kill him! John 8:58;9
Later when some 1,000 soldiers with weapons came to seize him in the garden Jesus stepped forth and "...said I AM..." they immediately were forced to go backwards and then were plunged to the ground on their backs with tremendous force! Jn.18:6
We translate, "When therefore He said to them I AM they were quickly hurled backwards and with great force thrust to the ground on their backs." Gk.
Jesus showed the world and us as believers that He was the I AM and that no one- not even 1,000 hardened soldiers with weapons -could take Him by force unless He approved of it.
You can use the Name of I AM in any difficulty, circumstance or challenge, including protection, and the Power of His Name will manifest then or in time!