2001-5-10 10:36:00
In the Hebrew God uses four basic titles in referring to himself. The most popular is ELOHIYM. This is simply translated as God in most Bibles, but, as we have said, it actually refers to one great universal Spirit whose body is the universe, or to any member of that body who is manifesting that One Spirit. A member of the ELOHIYM may use the pronoun "we" or "us" in referring to himself and other members. For example: "The man is become as one of US..." (Gen 3:22) When referring to the ELOHIYM as a whole and speaking on its behalf the speaker may say: "I."
The second title for God is EL or AL. This Hebrew word sometimes refers to a member of the ELOHIYM, sometimes to a strong mortal man and sometimes used as an adjective translated as "mighty" or "strong". It is fitting to call a member of the ELOHIYM "EL" because all of them are mighty and strong in fulfilling the will of God. When a pronoun is used with EL it is always the singular "I" for it is referring to an individual member of the ELOHIYM.
The word ELOHIYM is thought to be derived from the two words. The first is EL which means "mighty" or "strong." Some scholars believe the second half comes from ALLAH which is not a Hebrew word which means "to covenant." Thus a possible meaning for this word could be "strong covenant." This is a good possibility since the God of the Old Testament was a God of covenants.
A third common title for God is SHADDAY ELOHIYM which is usually translated as "Almighty God" or "God Almighty." In the mentioning of this name God indicates that he is indeed a "becoming" or evolving God, as we mentioned earlier, for as the consciousness of men evolves so does the name of God: "And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them." (Exodus 6:3)
The translation of SHADDAY into Almighty is not that accurate. Translators have rendered it such because it is the most complementary translation that scholarship could allow and most believers are prone to complement God whenever possible. The word more literally means "Devastator" or "Destroyer." The meaning "Almighty" is only implied in the fact that SHADDAY tells us that the ELOHIYM has complete power to destroy all that stands in their way. After all God did destroy the world with a flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, the Pharaoh and his armies, and the Canaanites. The destruction that comes from God always paves the way for the spiritual progress of mankind.
The fourth and last common Hebrew title for God is YeHOVAH. This is often used alone, but frequently used with ELOHIYM. YeHOVAH is translated either as Jehovah or as LORD. When it is translated as LORD in the Old Testament capital letters are always used. When Lower case letter are used as in Lord then the translation was derived from another Hebrew word. When Jehovah is used with ELOHIYM then it is translated as LORD God.
When Moses asked the name of God he was told: "I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God (YeHAVAH ELOHIYM) of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever (Hebrew: 'as far as you can see ahead'), and this is my memorial unto all generations." (Exodus 3:14-15)
Before this age God revealed himself as SHADDAY ELOHIYM, but now he said he wanted to be called YeHOVAH ELOHIYM. In declaring this name change he used the root meaning of Jehovah for Jehovah is derived from HAYAH which was here translated as "I AM." In other words, he revealed to Moses the essence of his being which is "I AM THAT I AM" which is (as previously mentioned) more correctly rendered "I AM BECOMING THAT WHICH I DECIDE TO BECOME."
We could add a fifth name here which was presented in the New Testament which we have also proven to be the name of God the Father and that is Christ. This name means "anointed." Jesus was the chief representative of the Christ and the name of Jesus Christ means "anointed to deliver."
We can see that the true nature of God is HAVAH which is "becoming" or "evolving." We can thus trace the evolution of God in the consciousness of man by his names.
The oldest form of God is probably EL which means "mighty" or "strong." Then we have ELOHIYM which means "strong covenant." Next we have SHADDAY ELOHIYM which could mean "Mighty Destroyer." Then God tells us he is Jehovah which is "eternal" or "self existent." He often calls himself Jehovah Elohiym which implies the meaning: "a member of the body of God who is becoming what he wants to become." Finally we have Jesus Christ who is "anointed to deliver."
The key thought behind all of this is that the name of God is always connected with that which is the highest reality in the mind of man. Because of this, God is not through giving us new names for in the New Age he will be known by yet another name [See Rev 3:12.] and his disciples will also have a new name. [See Isa 62:2.]
The religions of the world are very mistaken in thinking that God is perfect and when God makes a creation that it will and must remain in its original state of perfection (at least in the worlds of form). God is "I AM BECOMING" or evolving and even his name changes periodically. The only name he can give us that will always be true is that "I am becoming that which I decide to become." Our best choice is to move along with that decision for he must evolve through his creations, entities such as you and I.
We are told that God "fills heaven and earth" and that "in him we live and move and have our being," but have we ever stopped to consider that all things that are filled with the Spirit of God are in a state of "becoming," evolution, or change? The whole universe is in a state of becoming what it is becoming, as well as man, and even the tiny atoms. Everything, even God is in a state of flux for without change and new experience life would not be worth living, even for God.
Has anyone ever stopped to consider why God created all there is? If he has no need for change and is perfect the way the religions teach then why did he create a universe for himself to embody which changes daily?
Men say that God has no needs because he is perfect. Where do they get that idea? Certainly not from the Bible. Why did God create us if he does not need us? If he does need us then why does he need us?
"God created us to worship him," says the believer. But common sense tells us the answer has to be much deeper than that. The believer thinks that God is higher than man as man is higher than the slugs. What man is there among us who would like to spend all eternity being surrounded and praised by millions of slugs? Similarly, God has to be more intelligent than the man who wants to be praised by slugs. Surely he wants more out of man and other creatures than a praise to sooth his ego.
If God fills the universe then we are like cells in his body. What do we want from the cells in our body? Do we want them to praise us fearfully because we create, feed, and nourish them? No! We want our cells to become healthy and happy and cooperate with us in the vitality of the whole body so we can become who and what we want to become. Without the cooperation of the cells we have no power of "becoming." The power of becoming is the power of God and the One Universal Spirit, the God that fills all things needs us to achieve salvation so we can add to the quality of his life just as healthy cells add to the quality of a human being's life. Thus the purpose of God, man, and all life forms are one: To follow the process of becoming so the God who fills all things can become and experience all there is. Thus he knows all things there is to know and there is nothing new for him to know unless he "becomes" and creates "all things new" (Rev 21:5). Then God and his creations have new circumstances, new forms, and new worlds to conquer.
God said: "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the days of old. Behold, I will do a NEW thing; now it shall spring forth...." (Isa 43:18-19)
God continually makes "new covenants" and says: "I create NEW heavens and a NEW earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come to mind." (Isa 65:17) He creates the city of the New Jerusalem and commands us to sing a "new song."
Men say that God knows everything there is and has no new challenges facing him, that he has everything all figured out. They think that all he wants us for is to teach us a lesson so we will always praise him and he probably doesn't even need that. But put yourself in the position of the God that man has created. If you were in a situation where there was nothing new to learn or experience what would there be left for you to live for? Nothing. If a life form were to ever reach that state it would undoubtedly self destruct. In fact the main motive for suicide is that the person has nothing new to look forward to and a suicide can often be prevented by giving the person even a small thing to look forward to.
Alas. The religious world worships a God who has no reason to live.
Sad.
On the contrary, God tells us that he continually makes "ALL THINGS NEW!" When new things are made that creates new experiences to enjoy and both men and God are that they might have joy. When there are new experiences on the horizon then there is new knowledge to be gained and life is in a state of becoming, or evolving, and is then worth living. This state of rejuvenation through newness is necessary for all life, even God.
Each man and woman live through a life experience that is unique to themselves. Because man is "the temple of God" (1 Cor 3:16) and his Spirit dwells in us, then God shares our life experience. It is our duty then to experience our full potential of livingness for this only enhances the "becoming" of God. He is indeed the beginning and the end of all things. Keep in mind that the end is always different, or changed, from the beginning. Thus when God calls himself the beginning and the end he is restating his affirmation to Moses that he is "becoming" or that he is in a constant state of change. We could say that God is change. Without change there would be no God and no life. There would indeed be nothing.
The scriptures that speak of the unchangeableness of God deal with God's covenants and promises toward man. It is merely a way of stating that we can depend on God to deal with man by creating "becoming" or change the way he said he would. God can be depended upon to fulfill his will, but that will ALWAYS involves change. The underlying purpose of God is to "make all things NEW." (Rev 21:5)
Let us go with the flow and discover the kingdom of God within wherein we feel the Spirit of the One Great Life gently speak to us:
"Go forth and explore, experience, teach, and then serve by pulling your brethren up to where you are. And when you are done do it again, but this time in a new time, place and circumstance, and in so doing let your soul feel a greater joy than it has ever felt before."
-- End Of Part Twenty --
Copyright 2001 by J.J. Dewey, All Rights Reserved