godofgods

Belgian Christadelphians

God of gods

God = powerful.

The Bible speaks concerning gods (and about that Jews and Christians agree about it). The word god is thus a title. The Hebrew word for god (El or Eloah) means: powerful. It is therefore not astonishing that rulers and judges were called gods. That means simply that they had got allocated large power. You could look at or consider as a strong alternative for king, lord, etc. This is indeed a Jewish fact. That authority had been of course limited, and kept/implies certainly no universal omnipotence.

In antiquity a lot of important persons were called gods, but also a lot of gods were adored, howbeit it were objects, nature phenomena or in fact ordinary people who had acquired a dominant position, but also that had a certain wisdom which they had displayed. For this reason in certain scopes or philosophical groups the gods were rejected and were labeled as people or figments of people their imagination. By the centuries gone many have looked for answers for the things which they could not understand and especially for the supernatural, by means of religion or reverted to the pure reason. After Gautama Buddha had seen a sick man, an old man and a dead man, he looked to enlightment, or giving meaning, in religion, but without belief in a personal god, whom one not necessary need so. Others have directed themselves to their church. and others such as the philosopher Epicurus (341-270 b.C.T.) found that gods are too far away to do any harm to us. In Greek and other mythologies a time in which gods and semi-gods meddled themselves with people, is described.

Beside the worship of the many gods who became classified according to a certain hierarchy, in former days one had and still now at certain groupings the worship of demonic powers. The Greek word “daimon” means god, god-driven initially, and then especially a lower god, a creature in-between (a middle-being), an angry spirit.

Also today we find that people have it concerning their gods. The god football has very a lot of gods and followers in this go very far in their worship (Maradonna, Pele, Cruijf, Zidane, Ronaldino, Puskas). Furthermore one finds people in the sport such as: Muhammed (Louisville lip) Ali, Lewis, Tyson, Michael Jordan, Eddy Merckx, Wayne Gretzky, Martina Navratilova and a lot of others. Also the show and theatre world are provided with a lot of favorite partisans , stars which are idolised by lay people (Nijinsky, Nureyev, Baryshnikov, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgeral, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Bush, Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, Cary Grant, Tom Cruise, George Clooney, and a lot of others). Some of these gods have raised themselves to gods; others are by those who serve them made to objects of worship. One of the most known idols of today Elvis Presley has got received even churches in different countries.

Thus we see that here on this earth there is been spoken concerning gods who are here on the ground, but there is also spoken concerning a god in or gods in the sky. If it proceeds about a particular god more people will set up more easily their prickles. It proves to be a god who calls more rancour than those earthly gods.

We know that an idol is nothing in the world and that there is no god then the Only One. Because there are many who are called gods, either in the sky or on the ground, such as gods as there are a lot of and a lot of lords, in reality there should be for us but one god, the Father, from whom all things are and we for him; and there is one lord, Jesus Christus, through whom all things are able to exist and through him we stand. “So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (1Co 8:4-6 NIV)

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of the hands of earthly people. A mouth has perhaps been possible to speak to them, but they could not utter one word. The pictures and statues received eyes but they can see nothing. Also for the ears they have, they do seem to have no use because they can lend the ear to nobody. Also there is no spirit in their mouth. Those who make those pictures or statues become exactly as their creations just dust at the end. “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” (Ps 135:15-18 NIV)

When there is been spoken there concerning god in absolute, universal sense, then there is in the bible naturally but one God, who stands outside scolds. His name is also made known to us: YHWH. (Yahweh or Jehovah) and this YHWH is one. No family or conglomerate of several persons, but one, only one, omnipotent, individual.

All other gods are creatures with restricted authority.

At the beginning of our ordinary chronology (Common Time) one of the first big Christian persecutors was invited for a high court in Athens. There he got to cope with epicurists and stoics who did not believe in a personal god. In his introducing observations this man Saulus, who had in the meantime converted himself and became called Paulus, said that he had seen in their city a furnace bridge with the heading to an unknown god (Greek: A·gno'stoi The'oi). It is interesting that according to some biologist Thomas H. Huxley (1825-1895) on this alluded he then considered the term agnostically. Huxley applied the word on those who believe that the eventual cause (God) and the essential being of the things are unknown or unknowable. But is the inventor really unknowable, such as many have demonstrated?

That, it has been honestly said, is a wrong application of Paul’s words; she goes beyond to Paul’s intention. Instead of saying that the inventor was unknowable, Paul said simply that he was unknown for those Athenians. Paul did not have as many scientific proofs for the existence of an inventor as we have in this time. Nevertheless doubted Paul not that there is a personal, intelligent designer to whom we are attracted because of his qualities we are able to feel. Mark what Paul said next:

“For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.” (Ac 17:23-26 NIV)

Between god and God there is a large difference and in that sense we can one also say that there are false gods and only one True God, by which everything has arisen or made possible.

Beside the gods with a lot of names is he that wishes that there would be people who know him as the only true God Elohim whose unique name Jehovah/Yahweh aims at distinguishing him of all other gods. He has announced Himself and has let His wonder actions be noticed by those that were faithful to Him but also to let it be noted down. In those writings He wished that His name also would be written down. For this reason that name stands so frequently in the Bible, especially in the part which has been written in the Hebrew. Through the years the defection has come and the capacitance against that one God who Himself distincted of the other gods. Later as well by the followers of Jesus’ apostles a grouping has arisen which wished itself to reconcile with the rulers and for this reason admitted to the pagan picture of three gods who would master the world. Because that picture of Three-Unity came blurring in Christianity and some preferred removing the name references to certain persons in the Holy Scriptures from the Book for a so called clarity. Many translators decided no longer to place the divine name in the Bible translations, as it were to sow no confusion, but on the contrary was it decided to darken the role of certain persons or to put them in another light. Thus it was made possible to give the title of God to Jesus. So the made it able to give ground for their Three-Unity or Trinitarian creeds. But in psalm 83:18 stands clearly that it is the One whose name is Jehovah who is the only highest. “That they may know that {1} thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth. {1) Or [thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art etc]}” (Ps 83:18 ASV)

“Declare ye, and {1} bring [it] forth; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath showed this from ancient time? who hath declared it of old? have not I, Jehovah? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none besides me. {1) Or [bring] them [near]}” (Isa 45:21 ASV)

The Elohim who declared everything of old is Jehovah/Yahweh to whom there is no other God besides Him. He is the only one who can give us answers and can offer us a life forever. It is therefore appropriate that we use God His personal name when we speak about him.

The name Jehovah is a form of a Hebrew verb which means ‘to become’ ‘that what is to be’. God name means thus ‘he causes to become’ or ‘I am that I am’ ‘I am the being’. Jehovah God identifies Him selves as a result, as the being himself that what is an sich. He makes himself manifest as He that causes everything and ensures that something can be there. He manifests himself as the big God who has an intention, a plan that today the day still not has been fully carried out. Not displeasing He always causes that His intentions are realised.

In 1 Timothy we find: our Rescuer, God, whose desire it is that all types of people are saved and reach a precise knowledge of the truth. Because there is one God and one mediator between God and the people, Christ Jesus, who has given himself as a corresponding ransom for all. Of this must be taken special notice and should the world be warned, because the ransom was to be testified in due time.

“who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle— I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.” (1Ti 2:4-7 NIV)

A lot of Christians testify of their belief quoting with Deuteronium 6:4: ... “Jehovah, our God, is one Jehovah”. And can do wonder people like the apostle Paul did for the Romans: “since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.” (Ro 3:30 NIV), plus: “Then concerning the eating of the things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol [is] nothing in [the] world, and that [there] is no other God except one. For though there are those who are called gods, whether in Heaven or in earth (as there are many gods and many lords), but [there is] to us [only] one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we by Him.” (1Co 8:4-6 MKJV)

Also Jesus knew his place compared with his Creator and his father:

“Jesus spoke these words and lifted up His eyes to Heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so that Your Son also may glorify You, even as You have given Him authority over all flesh so that He should give eternal life to all You have given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You upon the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now Father, glorify Me with Yourself with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (Joh 17:1-5 MKJV)

Jehovah is a God who requires exclusive devotion (Exodus 20:5). Moses reminded the Israeli that Jehovah, our God, is one Jehovah.(Deuteronomium 6:4). Jesus Christus repeated those words: “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Listen, Israel, YHWH your God is One,”. (Mr 12:29 MHM)

Those who accept the Bible as God’s word, thus adore no Trinity or three entity, existing from three persons or gods in one. The word Trinity comes as a matter of fact not even in the bible. The True God is one person, distinguished of Jesus Christ (John 14:28; 1 Corinthians 15:28). God His Holy Spirit is no person, but Jehovah's operative strength, His Power, His thinking and action, of which the Omnipotent serves Himself to accomplish His intentions. (Genesis 1:2; Acts 2:1 - 4, 32, 33; 2 Peter 1:20, 21).

“"You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” (Joh 14:28 NIV)

“When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” (1Co 15:28 NIV)

“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.” (Ge 1:2 NIV)

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Ac 2:1-4 NIV)

“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” (Ac 2:32-33 NIV)

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2Pe 1:20-21 NIV)

It is important that we realise that there is only one God. He is the God of the gods, the God who has made sky beings and earthly beings. It is important to serve Him and to have Him put on the first place. Those who want serve other gods, breaks the link with the one God.

To know more who is the true God who stands compared with those many gods and false gods or idols, you can examine best for yourself what the titles of God mean. Compare also the individual characters attributed to God with the individual characters attributed to Jesus and mark then clearly the differences between Jehovah/Yahweh and Yeshua/Jesus.

> Not sure there exist a god

+ > Idolatry or idol worship

> Reasons that Jesus was not God

> the Trinity - the truth

> Concerning gospelfaith

Additional reading:

1. Altered to fit a Trinity or Ishtar the fertility goddess

1. Is the Trinity a Biblical Doctrine? + What is the Trinity? + The Father is the Only True God > Restoration Light

1. Jesus son of God Six simple words. However, they are much more than simple words

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Belgische Christadelphians