My Father’s Name Written by Elmer Towns (1991) Adapted by Ron Williams 10 of 12 (1-hr) classes Ridgecrest Baptist Church © 2007 Ron Williams

The 3 Primary Names of God

Our Perception of the Creator Ingenious Caring, willing to share with us Desires communication and adoration Righteous Visionary Eternal Timeless What would the world be like if He was anything less than He is?

Elohim Elohim or Strong Creator Elohim comes from EL meaning “strong one” and alah meaning “to wear or bind with an oath”. Elohim used 2500 times in the Bible to identify the Creator God It is the first name used for God in the OT (Gen 1:1) as well as in Rev 22:19 as the word “theos”. In other words, the Bible begins and ends with God.

Who is God? God is life God is a Person God is Spirit God is a self-existent Being God is a unity God is unchangeable God is unlimited in space and time

God is Life Read Joshua 3:10 and 1 Sam 17:26. How is God described? We should recognize that He is more than our creator. He is the : source of life nature of life essence of life force, power and energy that sustains life. without His power, nature itself would fall apart. He maintains life through his power.

God is a Person Other religions identfy their gods as a force or impersonal being. The Bible paints quite a different picture of our Strong Creator. He has intellect, emotion and will and therefore a personality. Name Biblical events where these were displayed. He has self-awareness and self-determination. His personality is reflected in us (we were made in His image). Read Gen 1:27.

God is a Person Gen 18:19; Exod 3:7. What trait is discussed. Jeremiah 51:15. What trait is discussed. Gen 6.6; Ps 103:8-13;Ps 7:11. These denote his sensibilities or emotions. Because He has will (he can make decisions and perform actions). He is free to act as he pleases. He is the only Being who is free. We can predict some of His actions because we were made in his image. No one can coerce Elohim’s actions or will

God is Spirit John 4:24. How did Jesus describe the Creator? Jesus tells us that Elohim: is a Spirit does not have a physical body he is real with personality and life does not require a physical body for existence he is invisible

God is Spirit Read Gen 32:30; Exod 34:5-8; Num 12:6-8; Isa 6:1). What do the characters say they did? In reality, they did not see God but only a reflection of Him. The 2nd commandments prohibits worship of idols. Read Exodus 20:4. One reason for this is He is spirit and therefore cannot be defined by any image. He demands that we worship him in His true nature (as a Spirit).

God is a Self-existent Being As described by one of His other names (Jehovah), he describes himself as being without end or eternal (El Olam). Read Gen 3: The name Jehovah comes from the verb “I am”. This passage can be interpreted as I am the self- existent God and that I exist by Myself and for Myself.

God is a Unity Read Deut 6:4. The Shema reveals that there can only be one all-powerful God. Why does this have to be true? He summarizes this Himself in Isa 44:6. What does this verse say about the futility of worshiping of any other god?

God is Unchangeable God is perfect and cannot become better. He is therefore immutable. His essence or being cannot change. Read Num 23:19 He cannot become corrupt, He cannot improve upon His creation, His work could not be improved He does not make mistakes! He can however, change His mind in how He responds to man. See 1 Sam 15:11. Simplified, this means obedience brings reward and disobedience brings punishment

God is Unlimited in Space and Time God created both time and space. Read Isa 57:15. See Ps 102:27. What did this tell you about God’s existence. Time is the measurement of events that appear in a sequence. God cannot be measured by time since He had no beginning. Space is the area where there is physical reality and being. The distance between objects. He is greater than space. Read Acts 17:24. He is the only Being who exists without limitations

God is Three-in-One Elohim is a plural word and is a foretaste of the Trinity. Read Gen 1:26; Gen 3:22. Who is involved in the action? Read Num 6: Note the trifold blessing. Read Isa 6:3 and Deut 6:4. Note the 3 fold discussion of the Godhead. Read Isa 54:5. Note Father, Spirit and Redeemer are discussed

God is Three-in-One The O.T. distinguishes between the Trinity. Read Zechariah 12:10. and Isaiah 48: 16. Terms describing the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are referred to in the text.

Application Cursing is prohibited. We are to seek God by His name We must know God to know ourselves Knowing God leads to eternal life