Elohim appears 35 times in the Old Testament as the Hebrew term for God and is used to depict both his creative act as well as His sober control over human affairs.
On eight separate occasions, Scripture records instances when God appeared physically – evidence that He is an awesome deity capable of taking human form.
1. In the Old Testament
God is mentioned more than 7000 times in the Old Testament alone; with YHWH appearing over 6400 times alone! This gives an indication of just how frequently He appears throughout scripture.
Elohim is the primary way that God is referenced in the Old Testament, used over 4000 times and having various meanings including “mighty one,” “almighty,” or even “almighty and supreme”. Additionally, Jesus emphasized how both love and wrath coexist within its pages (Luke 24:27).
Another of God’s names in the Old Testament that is frequently employed is Adonai, used primarily in covenantal context. Israel used this word when they prostrated themselves before King David (Lamentations 2:10-11) or during royal exultations such as when King Jehoshaphat exclaimed “O Lord of all kingdoms of the world, you sit upon a throne above cherubim; your glory covers earth and heaven alike!”
Names used to refer to God serve to highlight his complexity as an entity. When experienced by patriarchs they called Him El-Shaddai while when revealed as Yahweh by Moses it signaled He was active within His people, slowly unveiling His character plan for their benefit.
As the Israelites grew and matured, they gained greater insight into their Creator. Beyond using various titles for Him, they also named locations after His attributes; Abraham for instance named his place where God provided for him Yahweh-Jireh which means “the Lord Will Provide.” This served as a constant reminder that no matter what difficulty or challenge may come their way, their Creator would always remain faithful and provide for them.
2. In the New Testament
The New Testament contains many different words and phrases to describe God. Most focus on His works; others speak more specifically of his nature. For instance, Scripture depicts Him as both loving Father and savior of His people from their sins; as an all-powerful, sovereign King ruling over all creation. These traits often used as ways of differentiating Him from other spiritual powers or fallen angels.
Kurios (Lord or God), is used throughout the New Testament. This term corresponds with Yahweh from the Old Testament. Additionally, various titles associated with Jesus Christ may also be found here such as Immanuel which refers to His being present at His birth and Alpha and Omega which signifies his status as both originator and culminator of creation.
In addition, the New Testament (NT) includes descriptions of God’s attributes, including His wrath. According to biblical teachings, God is righteous and rightly punishes those who do evil, while rewarding good acts while punishing wrong ones.
It reveals how God creates, maintains, and judges our world. Furthermore, the New Testament tells the tale of how God sent Jesus Christ to earth to save his people from their sins; also how He communicates Himself through Holy Spirit revelation to followers as well as speaking of plans for future growth and visions of hope for mankind. This New Testament also details how Old Testament laws and covenants have been fulfilled through Christ, particularly Moses’ Law which details how He rewards or punishes people based on their actions. It also shows us how God’s kingdom lies not here on Earth but instead in heaven where He reigns supreme. According to Scripture, angels and Satan both acknowledge his authority; only Satan has defied it and is subject to eternal damnation.
3. In the Psalms
Psalms offer us an insight into the spiritual life of ancient Israelites and early Christians. Written to both praise God and warn against evil, psalms often speak of His power and grandeur while speaking of love, justice, wrath, mercy and deliverance from evil – often using names from both Testaments while some may carry different connotations than other names in the Old Testament.
Named Adonai in Hebrew, God stands as the ultimate master and judge over all creation. Psalm 145 emphasizes His providential care for people and nations – He supplies everything (Psalm 145:15-16).
Psalmists commonly used the name El to symbolize God, who they saw as strong, unneeding of aid or being overthrown by anything or anyone. Psalmists praised and sang praises to Him for protecting and delivering them from wicked people while asking that he send help for weak or oppressed individuals.
Psalms were originally written as prayers addressed directly to God and meant for worship purposes, yet many still read them and use them religiously today. Many praise His holiness and righteousness while some contain pleas for revenge against those who have hurt or killed His people – so the psalmist hopes God will punish those responsible. Additionally, it should be remembered that originally these were used in worship services as well as being used religiously today.
The New Testament bears witness to Jesus citing Psalm 82 to disprove any accusations of blasphemy from those who claimed He claimed He was God, as evidenced by their unbeliever accusers. Jesus explained how “gods” refers to those to whom the word of God came. This verse illustrates clearly that Psalms should be used both for worship and instruction purposes – reminding us to worship our Creator fully with all our hearts and minds!
4. In the Gospels
The Gospels, especially John’s Gospel, emphasize God’s unconditional love for humanity. God is depicted as a loving Father who sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for us and welcome us into his righteous family; yet also merciful and truthful when it comes to judgment of sin while providing forgiveness when needed. Ultimately, the Bible tells of an all-powerful creator God who created the universe from nothing through his Word and then saved humanity through death and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ.
God’s omnipotence can also be seen through the Laws of Moses. Sinai contains an entire section called the “Holiness Code,” with rules regarding holy clothing, tabernacle usage and Sabbath practice – revealing his separation from profaneness while calling His people to be holy.
Jesus revealed His omnipotence through the Gospels when He declared Himself the “I Am,” or Lord God (John 8:28). This statement came just prior to enactment of the Ten Commandments and shows that only He has authority over stipulations found in Law of Moses as well as their change throughout time and space.
Gospel accounts reveal that God of the Bible has an intimate relationship with those chosen to follow him–known as His elect (Ephesians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 2:15-16). While Israel as a covenant community was selected by Yahweh to become his people and remain loyal, Gospel demonstrates that God made a wider selection via Christ.
God’s omnipotence is also highlighted in the Gospels when Jesus states that his kingdom “is not of this world” (John 18:36). Jesus stands above angels, priests, and all other manifestations of Him that exist today; He was greater even than angels or priests! Neither do the Old Testament or Gospels attempt to prove God exists; instead they declare that He does and that He speaks through Jesus himself – 64 times in total and 120 in just the Fourth Gospel alone! Abba is his title!
