Pastor’s message for the month of November
“God, the Supreme One”
(Gen. 1: 1)
What is the oldest Name given for God?
When I was 17 years old, my best friend nicknamed me “Huck.” This was due to a scar I had obtained on my nose. His logic was that my scar was now part of my identity…dogs are known for their noses…and a famous dog is Huckleberry hound. So, when I moved to Florida around the same time, I “adopted” the name and people began referring to me with this name. In fact, I am still referred to as “Huck” by many of those same people! You might be able to relate. We all have had names or nicknames. Sometimes, those names are so old that only a few people know them. Or maybe only your family knows them. Or maybe it is so old that only you have memory of the name.
The oldest Name for God is “Elohim.” In fact, this is the Name given to God in the very first verse of the Bible, Gen. 1: 1. The word means “Supreme One.” Thus, Gen. 1:1 more accurately reads as, “In the beginning, when the Supreme One created…”. Furthermore, the word is a plural noun, which might seem odd to us since we worship God as a Monotheistic Divine Being. However, this is because our current culture does not use plurals in the same way as ancient people did. In the ancient world, they would often use a “Royal Plural” to refer to someone or some being who is in power. The use of such a royal plural was to elevate and emphasize the Person and Status of the Being. As such, when the ancient Hebrews referred to God as “Elohim,” they were claiming that God was the Supreme Being over all other beings. This helps us understand
Gen. 1:1, for we are told that God (Elohim) created. That is, God, as the Supreme Being, holds creative power over all of existence, in both the physical and spiritual dimensions of life.
Beloved, as we enter into November, all of us are preparing, in one way or another, for Thanksgiving. As we do so, we must remember God as Elohim. We must remember that God created. Doing so will help prepare our hearts and minds as we begin to “give thanks” during the season of Thanksgiving. For we are reminded that God is the Supreme One, worthy of our thanks and praise. As the Supreme One, Elohim is worthy of our reverence, worship, honor, and deference. For God is the Supreme Being over all other beings and place and positions of honor and power. Moreover, Elohim created all that there is. This implies that all that which is good and blessing in your life ultimately finds its source in God, our Elohim.
Therefore, this Thanksgiving season, take time to worship Elohim, the Supreme One. This Thanksgiving season, take time to thank Elohim, the Supreme One.
Dear Elohim, this November, I worship You. This November, I thank You.
Amen.
