Names Of God-ELOHIM

As we kicked off our road game Bible studies, I couldn’t think of a better place to start than exploring the names of God. Did you know that Scripture contains over 900 names for God? Each one reveals something unique about His nature and character. The more we understand His names, the more intimately we come to know Him.

I challenged the guys to share the names of God they already knew. They listed several:

• Adonai – “Master”

• Jehovah – “I Am That I Am,” the English translation of Yahweh

• El Shaddai – “God Almighty”

• Abba – “Father”

• Jehovah Jireh – “The Lord My Provider”

• Jehovah Shalom – “The Lord Our Peace”

• Jehovah Rapha – “The Lord Who Heals”

• El Elyon – “God Most High”

And the list goes on. But we began with God’s introductory name in Genesis 1:1—Elohim.

Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.”

The Hebrew word Elohim means Strong One or Strong Creator God. It is the only name used for God from Genesis 1:1 to 2:4. That led to our key question for the night:

Why did God choose to introduce Himself as Elohim—the Strong Creator God?

1. God Is Transcendent

God exists apart from and above everything He created. He is not a tree, a river, or an animal. This distinction matters because many belief systems—like pantheism and animism—teach that God is creation. But our God is different. He created all things, yet He is not part of them. Our God stands alone, unique and holy.

2. God Exists Beyond Time

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning…” For there to be a beginning, God had to exist before it. He initiated time itself. That truth comforts us—God sees the entire picture. He knows the end from the beginning.

We read three supporting verses:

• Psalm 37:23 – “The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord.”

• Ephesians 2:10 – “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

• Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”

3. God Exists Beyond Space and Matter

Genesis 1:1 continues, “God created the heavens and the earth.” To create the universe, God had to exist outside of it. Think about how vast the cosmos is—billions of stars and galaxies—and our God spoke all of it into existence. He created space, matter, and time itself with His word.

That’s why He chose to reveal Himself first as Elohim—the Strong Creator God.

4. God Is Personal

Genesis 1:6–8 – “And God [Elohim] said, ‘Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.’ So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault ‘sky.’ And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.”

Notice the action words: God said. God made. God called.He spoke, created, and thought—demonstrating that He is personal and relational. Later, He communicates with Adam and Eve, who are made in His image.

We also see that God has emotions. After creating, He said, “It is good.” When He created humanity, He said, “It is very good” (Genesis 1:31).

These verses show us that our Creator isn’t a distant spirit floating somewhere in the cosmos. He is deeply involved with His creation—and He desires a personal relationship with us.

5. God is Triune

The Hebrew name Elohim is grammatically plural—a majestic plural—reflecting the divine majesty and the mysterious plurality within the one true God. In Genesis 1:2, we see the Spirit of God actively moving over the waters. Later, when Elohim creates humanity, He says, “Let Us make man in Our image.” John chapter one tells us that Jesus was there in the beginning with God (1 John 1:1-2). The Father, Son and Spirit were all present at the beginning of time. There is one God, eternally existing in three persons.

How can this be explained?

Our God is beyond full human description—an indescribable God. But perhaps the best way to illustrate this mystery is with a simple image: a pretzel. A pretzel has three distinct holes, yet all are formed from the same continuous piece of dough. Each hole is unique, but all are united by the same substance.

In the same way, the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father—but all share the same divine essence. One God, eternally existing in three Persons, perfectly unified in will, nature, and purpose.

Why the Name Elohim?

I believe God introduced Himself as Elohim to display His power. But beyond His power to create, I wanted our team to understand that our strong, mighty Elohim also restores what is broken.

Before time began, Scripture describes a heavenly rebellion—Satan, once the highest of angels, became prideful and desired God’s power. His rebellion resulted in his fall to earth. That background makes Genesis 1:2–3 even more powerful:

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

The Hebrew phrase tohu wa-bohu (תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ) means formless and void—a desolate wasteland. Yet, even in the midst of that darkness, Elohim was present, hovering over the chaos, ready to create life.

God brought order to disorder, light to darkness, and life to emptiness. That’s what our God does. He takes brokenness and makes it whole. He turns chaos into beauty.

I reminded our guys that this is why we need to know the name Elohim. Life can get messy, confusing, and chaotic—on the court and off it. But Elohim can take nothing and make it something. He can turn a mess into a miracle. If He can bring order to the universe, He can bring order to your life.

After we closed in prayer, arms locked, one of the new players pulled me aside and said, “I liked that.” He happened to be the same one who volunteered to close us in prayer. As a pastor, hearing those words was deeply encouraging.

As you go through your week, ask God how you can experience His power. Keep your focus on His strength, not your own limitations. When you invite God into your situation, the impossible becomes possible—on the court, on your job, in your family and in your life.

-Pastor Jeremy