THE CURIOUS BELIEVERS

Recently, I came across a series of posts from a pastor whom I really respect. His opinion was very interesting because it was the first time I had encountered it. It appears that the view is not only new (at least to me), but also quite alarming. And now, let us take time to discuss the ideas presented in this view. There are three main points found in the posts: El Elyon is the real name of the Most High God. El Elyon is different from Yahweh. Yahweh is just one of the sons of God who was placed in charge of Israel. The Father whom Jesus was calling on was El Elyon, not Yahweh. As a result, El Elyon is actually the Father of the believers. UNDERSTANDING EL ELYON El Elyon is usually translated as “God Most High” in our Bibles. The word “El” may carry the idea of “to be strong” or “to be in front of” as a leader. The word “Elyon” shows El’s supremacy as a being. Since every deity had a concept of power and position, this is a generic title and could refer either to the true God or even...

  No, this isn’t Marcionism —the idea that the God of the NT and the God of the OT are two different beings. Nor is it polytheism , which claims that there is more than one God. Today, let’s explore a less popular view that appears to be biblically supported (and interesting!). So before you judge this article just by its title, grab a cup of coffee and let’s begin, because this is going to be a long one. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD In many OT stories, we encounter a very special figure who acts and speaks as if He is the Lord/Yahweh Himself. This being is known as “The Angel of the Lord” or malak YHWH . The word malak , usually translated “angel,” literally means “messenger.” But when we examine the texts, we can see that He is not just another spiritual being on the same level as angels. In other words, He is not just an angel, but the Angel. He is the Messenger of Yahweh, appearing as a man (note: not a winged being), regarded as God Himself yet also distinct from God. In other word...

When Moses asked what the name of the God who was sending him was, God answered that He was to be called YHWH , which we often translate as “I Am Who I Am” (Ex. 3:14–15). The Hebrew Bible or Old Testament was originally written without vowels, and so God’s Divine Name given to Moses was, at first, made up of just four consonants: y-h-w-h . This is what we now often call the Tetragrammaton (“four-letter word”). Some Bible translations use Yahweh in rendering this Name of God, while others prefer Jehovah . Some sects or groups have become accustomed to saying Yahweh , while others are even willing to debate just to prove that Jehovah is the proper name of God. So, which one is correct? Actually, I don’t know either. And in truth, no one today really knows how YHWH was actually pronounced by the ancient Israelites (though there are speculations). Nonetheless, both Yahweh and Jehovah have proven useful in pronouncing the Divine Name. YAHWEH During the time of the Divided Kingdom (92...