See for more themes.
| Q8: SOP & Scripture understanding of "Eloah" HYPOTHESIS: Does the Hebrew word "Eloah" refer to the "Father" ? INTRODUCTION: In an earlier study we looked at whether "Shadday" was a member of GOD. Now we shall compare how hard or easy is it for Scripture and SOP to prove "Eloah" is a member of GOD. When one studies the 28 fundamental doctrines of the SDA church, they list the doctrine of "GOD, the Father" as an important doctrinal creed. However the texts the church uses to prove this doctrine is lacking. They do not even acknowledge an Old Testament text for the Father. In other words the only texts the SDA church uses for texts are English translations, not the Hebrew words themselves. This is a very sad state of affairs. These are the texts the Church uses to prove "God, the Father":- Gen 1:1, Duet 4:35, Ps 110:1, John 3:16, John 14:9, 1 Cor 15:28, 1 Tim 1:17, 1 John 4:8 and Rev 4:11; Sadly, all these texts do not reference "Elohiym""Ab" or "God the Father". However, these texts prove "God the Father":- These above texts prove the Father is the power for the breath of life, that we pray to our Father, that our Father is in heaven, and that in the last days a religion will come to replace our heavenly Father with an earthly father god. How sad that our Church does not even acknowledge the Hebrew Scriptures, but trusts implicitly the English translators only.
Notice what SOP says about "God our Father":-
God cannot be compared with the things His hands have made. These are mere earthly things, suffering under the curse of God because of the sins of man. The Father cannot be described by the things of earth. The Father is all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and is invisible to mortal sight. {FLB 39
Since we know GOD is not of material or things from earth, and is invisible to mortal sight, it becomes obvious GOD reveals his powers through earth objects so humans can understand GOD darkly. For example GOD created mankind in their image.
An image is something that looks like something else. It is a simile. But similes are not the same thing, only something like it, a representation or symbol of it.
The problem is if one cannot study Scripture using Hebrew words, how can one study Scripture in English? Will our Scripture studies make sense to other Christians? Can our studies be confirmed with SOP ? Or is this all so difficult that nothing is clear, but all speculation?
In that case we have only proved Scripture and SOP are meaningless and not worthy of serious study because there is no harmony between them or other people.
The Author feels the real problems lie with humans reading and interpreting words, rather than Scripture and SOP comments. One thing is clear, GOD and all things pertaining to GOD in Scripture is a deep mystery and things can become complex and baffling.
Such complexities I feel keep us humble and wondering. You will always find difficulties in Scripture context and translations...you cannot expect to find everything presented clearly...we see Scripture darkly too at times... not that Scripture is dark, but it
is our experience and our child like faith with GOD that limits our own wisdom and experience with Scripture.
So for example, if the Godhead is not referenced as "eloah" and "shadday" as "heavenly parents" which is a simile of "earthly parents", why does SOP make the term "heavenly parent" for a "heavenly Father" without commenting upon the other?
Was SOP keeping quiet for a reason, considering the history of our Church? Even Jesus speaking to His disciples said there is more I could reveal, but you cannot bear it now.
Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
(KJV)
Perhaps Scripture has much more to reveal to "child like members of faith", but we cannot bear them now?
METHOD: The Author will use this parallel study, which all of us hold dearly, that the heavenly Father is clearly known, to show from our theory of faith, with Scripture and SOP evidence, that things are not so clear.
DISCUSSION: The presentation of Scripture and SOP with comments are below:
(1) "Eloah" ..
In the oldest book of the Scriptures:
GOD presents to Job
Job 40:1 Moreover the LORD "YHWH" answered Job, and said,
2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty "Shadday" instruct him?
he that reproveth God "Eloah", let him answer
In the last book of the Scriptures:
GOD presents to John
Re 21:22 And I saw no temple therein:
for the Lord "YHWH" God "Elohiym" Almighty "Shadday"
and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Notice the "term" "eloah" is missing the last book of the Scriptures.
"Elohiym" be used as a "title" as well as identifying the first person of the Godhead.
Please spend time with the "names of GOD" or read this summary presentation below:
(2) The "names" for God ..
This small Hebrew word, just two letters, means "strong authority".
Our church scholars might not know this because Ancient Hebrew pictographs is a very recent science.
These Ancient pictographs are hidden in modern Hebrew, because when the Jews were taken to Babylon, they changed their Ancient Hebrew script into the square Aramaic script, known as modern Hebrew script.
See every occurence of this word if you want to study "Strong Authority" in hundreds of verses.
The concept "el" refers to a singular one of "strong authority" as this first Scripture reference to "el" shows:-
Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority".
The term "Most High" tells you this is a single "Most High", thus the "Most High El" refers to the Most High Strong Authority, who in Scripture is our Heavenly Father.
Now notice if we add letters to this term:-
The modern Hebrew letters are shown, left to right, with Ancient Hebrew pictograph meanings placed over the top. This word is "Eloah", again spelled incorrectly, but we show it to you because this is a common spelling. The word is translated as 'father god'
and refers to pagan father gods, or our Heavenly Father.
The tent peg pictograph shows us that our Father in heaven is secure, stable and strong enough to hold up our universe.
See every occurence of this word if you want to study "Eloah" in hundreds of verses.
Notice our heavenly Father "flows", the pictograph of flowing water suggests our heavenly Father's power flows.
This is what making "elohiym" plural really means, the heavenly power of love via our Heavenly Father, flows.
(3) How the NT uses "terms" ..
Now notice how Scripture uses the term "elohiym" and "eloah":-
De 32:17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to "eloah" "The Father"; to gods "elohiym" "The Family of GOD" whom they knew not,
1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to "elohiym" "The Family of GOD":
Notice in this example, the term "eloah" is not quoted in the NT, only the word "elohiym" is. Why is that ?
The older Hebrew "eloah" was forgotten, so they used more well known Hebrew. Perhaps.
The word "elohiym" means "eloah-whose power flows", so can be a reference to "eloah" and "elohiym", so perhaps the Holy Spirit saw it better to simplify the concepts of GOD
in the New Testament? Perhaps.
Notice how SOP treats the term "eloah" and "elohiym":
Deuteronomy 32:16-22. "They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God "eloah" "the Father"; to gods "elohiym" "family of god" whom they knew not, to new gods, that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities, and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains." {4bSG 71.3}
We here read the warnings which God "elohiym" gave to ancient Israel. It was not his good pleasure that they should wander so long in the wilderness, and he would have brought them immediately to the promised land, if they had submitted, and loved to be led by him; and because they so often grieved him in the desert, he sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest, save two, who wholly followed him. God "elohiym" required his people to trust in him alone. He did not wish them to receive help of those who did not serve him. " {4bSG 72.1}
Notice in this example, SOP uses the term "elohiym" to refer only to the Father, and ignores the term "eloah", as do the NT writers.
He [Jesus] pointed . . . to the Ruler of the universe, under the new name, "Our Father." {FLB 38.3}
Notice in this example, SOP gives us a clue, for "eloah" is an old name, and "ab" is the new name for the Father.
In the NT the term used all the time is "ab" the Hebrew word for "Father", the "strong (one in the ) home".
The Author places the older term "eloah" in the OT as a direct match to "ab" in the NT, because they are two Hebrew words that mean "Father",
yet this is not a scholarly thing to do. However using child like faith, these two Hebrew words mean the same.
From a strict Hebrew point of view, the word "eloah" means "Father", while "ab" is the "Strong one in the home" could refer to the "Father" or "other strong ones in the home"?
Confused? Sometimes even Scripture is confusing...
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father "ab", The Prince of Peace.
Here Jesus is given the title of "everlasting father". How can this be?
Actually the Hebrew word "ab" means the "strong one in the home"...so all the New Testament references to "ab" are saying Jesus is referring to the "strong one in the heavenly home"...
But notice this Hebrew word is not "eloah".
What we notice in Revelation and the entire New Testament, is the name for the Father as "eloah" is completely missing, and instead we have a different Hebrew word "ab" instead.
In Revelation the reference for "Father" comes from Elohiym instead of "Eloah" alone.
Why does the NT use "ab" for "Father" rather than the OT "eloah" for "Father"?
There are in the OT over a thousand references to "ab", but almost all of them are to "earthly fathers".
Here are the few references to "a heavenly Father".
Mal 2:10 � Have we not all one father "ab"? hath not one "el" "strong authority" created us?
We have a single heavenly Father, who created us.
Da 11:38 But in his estate shall he honour the "eloah" "the Father" of forces: and a "eloah" "Father" whom his fathers "ab" knew not...
Daniel predicts a new "Father of Forces" a different god to our older pagan gods.
Da 11:37 Neither shall he regard the "elohiym""Family of GOD" of his fathers "ab", nor the desire of women, nor regard any "eloah" "Father": for he shall magnify himself above all.
A reference that Satan wanted to be like the Most High Father, and be worshipped as such.
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD"YHWH", thou art our father "ab";
Our heavenly Father YHWH...
Isa 63:16 Doubtless thou art our father "ab", though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD "YHWH", art our father "ab", our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.
Our heavenly Father YHWH...
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty "el""strong Authority", The everlasting Father "ab", The Prince of Peace.
Jesus takes on the functioning of His Father's power, in other words, Jesus is an agency for His Father's flow of power.
Pr 6:20 � My son, keep thy father's "ab" commandment "mitsvah", and forsake not the law "torah" of thy mother "em":
A poetry simile...the ten commandments of the Heavenly Father, is a simile of the torah teachings of Scripture of the Heavenly Mother.
Please note, this is a poetry simile...we see things about GOD darkly...
Ps 89:26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father "ab", my "el""strong authority", and the rock "ysuwr" of my salvation "yashua".
Notice the Father is the foundation rock for salvation, a functional Name given to His Son.
(4) How the SOP uses "terms" ..
Now let's see how SOP shows uses "eloah".
Behold, happy is the man whom God "eloah""The Father" correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty "shadday" "Holy Spirit" : for he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. Job 5:17, 18. {HP 265.1}
Our heavenly Father does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men. He has His purpose in the whirlwind and in the storm, in the fire and in the flood. The Lord permits calamities to come to His people to save them from greater dangers. He desires everyone to examine his own heart closely and carefully, and then draw near to God "elohiym" , that God "elohiym" may draw near to him. {HP 265.2}
Notice SOP does identify "eloah" in the quoted Scripture as our heavenly Father. But SOP also references "elohiym" as "GOD" rather than our heavenly Father who draws near to us, instead all the members of the Godhead draw near to us.
Happy is the man whom God "eloah" "Father" correcteth. . . . He maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole." . . . To every stricken one, Jesus comes with the ministry of healing. The life of bereavement, pain, and suffering may be brightened by precious revealings of His presence.--Signs of the Times, Feb. 5, 1902. {RC 349.8}
Here some might say SOP is equating the Father with Jesus? What we have here is Jesus is an agency for His Father's power of ministry of healing.
This is also how the term "Shadday" meaning "almighty" in translations is sometimes used as well. The Holy Spirit is an agency for the Father's flow of power. Often we can find passages where the Father seems to equate with Shadday.
Such understanding is OK. SOP says the HOLY SPIRIT personifies Jesus' power for us. Likewise the HOLY SPIRIT also personifies the Father's powers in us.
"We should reverence God's word. For the printed volume we should show respect, never putting it to common uses, or handling it carelessly. And never should Scripture be quoted in a jest, or paraphrased to point a witty saying. "Every word of God "eloah" "Father" is pure;" "as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 12:6. {Ed 244.1}
Above all, let children be taught that true reverence is shown by obedience. God has commanded nothing that is unessential, and there is no other way of manifesting reverence so pleasing to Him as obedience to that which He has spoken. {Ed 244.2}
Notice how SOP deals with poorly translated Scripture passages...and yet the reader does not know this, and is not discouraged...SOP preserves our trust in Scriptures, and the correct use of every Hebrew word shown in English.
The word "elohiym" is termed "God" as the Scripture translation shows, but notice the term "eloah" is the Hebrew word for a member of GOD, the Father...and SOP makes this known with her use of He, a reference to the Father.
Exciting isn't it?? How SOP deals with our translations in child like trust, yet also gives us the correct Hebrew understanding as well...Amazing !
For further studies see Eloah (short study)
For further studies see Eloah (long study)
For further studies see Father Flint Rock
(5) summary ..
Now that the reader has a feel for how complex Scripture studies can be, it is no wonder many of us wish to read our Scriptures in English only,
thus leave all this confusion complexity alone. Fair enough.
The Author would agree with this summary also, except why do our churches make statements of doctrines, suggesting things are very clear and known?
For example the Holy Spirit is a "he", where SOP says "silence is golden". After all, there are no Church documents anywhere where this finding is even presented,
and there are no means where our Church theories of faith can even be challenged.
Let us not just be like the "unlearned" and accept whatever our Pastors and Scholars give us, let us not forget to read Scripture for ourselves.
We have assumed the Heavenly Father is well known in Scripture. Actually, there is more known about the Shadday and the Holy Spirit, than the Father and the Eloah.
We also assume our heavenly Father is masculine...but one only knows something masculine from something feminine...if only the term masculine existed we would not know what such a term meant...
Therefore GOD cannot be all masculine, whatever that terms means. And if you study Scripture looking for evidence that the heavenly Father is masculine, you will not find any unless you also find evidence that members of GOD are feminine,
in other words a contrasting term is necessary to define both terms. So there are no terms describing any member of the Godhead as "gender male" or "gender female", so why do we assume the Father as some well known picture in our mind?
We see GOD darkly...and Scripture only shows us similes based on earth pictures.
So here is the only Scripture that suggests contrasting functional roles of two members of the Godhead, at the same time doing a simile thing earthly parents do because of the Greek or Hebrew word for "born".
Lu 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Notice two members of the Godhead are involved in the mystery incarnation of Jesus, the Son of GOD, the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit.
This verse tells us these two members of the Godhead, have contrasting functional roles of love, one expresses maleness-love and the other femaleness-love.
This is as far as a simile picture on earth should go, because we GOD darkly... and what is interesting is there are TWO Hebrew words for love, not one. And these two Hebrew words do have personality differences that contrast one another.
For further studies see Two words of love
God bless our studies of Scripture, and SOP who makes reading Scripture in English easy, despite the "cloudy translations", we can still have a child like trust in Scripture, for every word is pure and true written in it's original language of Hebrew. Shalom
On the next webpage, we consider SOP and the theme of "confusing studies".
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