Elohim Series

Hello I Love You Let Me Tell You My Name

Elohim – Genesis 1

Intro: Last week we began a series on the names of God entitled, Hello I Love You… To understand who God is and what He has done for us. To understand His name is to understand His person, purpose, and plan.

Review: We looked at why we need to know God’s name and the significance of it. We need to know His name b/c He commands us to know it, b/c we’re compelled to praise it, and b/c we’re challenged to trust in it.

Verse: O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth. Ps. 8:1

Verses: I will praise you forever for what you have done: in your name I will hope for your name is good. Ps. 52:9

Verse: The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Note: Incredible verses commanding, compelling, and challenging us to trust in the name and person of our God.

Review: The reason God gave us His name is to REVEAL His person, to RELATE to His creation, and to RELEASE His promises.

Point: God wants us to know Him, to be known by Him, and to make Him known.

Trans: This AM we want to turn our attention to the first name of God found in Scripture. Interestingly enough, it’s found in the first verse of the Bible.

Text: Genesis 1:1-4

Insert: The name used in this text is the name – Elohim – meaning eternal creator.

The most frequently used name for God in the O.T. used more than 2500x in the Bible and 32x in the 1st chapter of Genesis.

Note: Scholars believe Elohim is the plural form of El. The peculiar thing about this name is that it is the only name used for God that is plural. I agree w/ most theologians that the plurality points to the triune nature of God – from the beginning God was 3 in 1 and eternal in nature. Scripture supports:

Verse: In the beginning was the Word, the Word was w/ God and the Word was God. Jn 1:1

Verse: For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. Col. 1:16

Trans: It’s interesting to me that from the start, God wants to declare His name and make it clear that He is the creator and sustainer of life.

I Elohim and ETERNITY In the beginning God…

Note: What is the significance of this statement? Simple! God has always been, and always will be and He is true to His nature and personhood. God IS!

Note: What is He? He is holy, all-powerful, all knowing, all-seeing.

E Eternal

L Loving

O Omni-everything

H Holy

I Immutable

M Majestic

Insert: When getting into a discussion w/ others about creation, I often hear, “Well, where did God come from? The Bible clearly says, “He’s always been.”

Idea: Unlike the evolutionist, who has to come up w/ where the first atom came from, I don’t have to make up a opinion, I simply have to believe what God said – “In the beginning I was already present and accounted for.”

Note: Genesis 1:1 is a simple declaration that Elohim has always existed – He IS!

Story: Several years ago at a PK event, E.V. Hill got to throwing down on this idea. His sermon was based on two words, “God is!” B/c God is… (this) He repeated the phrase over and over – soft and loud – almost daring anyone to deny it. He kept on until 25,000 men were chanting – God is!

Insert: Let me ask – If God IS… What’s the significance? It means everything! If God is, then bad can be made good, sin can be atoned, and chaos can be brought to order. If God is, then there is hope for the hopeless, and help for the helpless. If God is, then everything in life has meaning and purpose. All life is precious and sacred. But if God isn’t, then we’ve got a mess.

Story: Boy who prayed, “Dear God, take care of my daddy and mommy, my sister and brother, my kitty and doggy. Oh, and God, please take care of yourself, b/c if anything happens to you, then we’re all going to be in a big mess.

Note: In Elohim God declares that He is – He’s always been and always will be.

II Elohim and CREATION God created…

Note: What did Elohim claim to do? He claimed to create! That ought to settle it.

Word: Bara – the eternal God created something from nothing. We’re here by design and divine providence, not by chance. Elohim is the sovereign creator who existed prior to creation and who spoke creation into existence.