​

Although the Ancient Near East (ANE) mindset was the belief in many gods, in reality, there were no other gods but Yahweh, the Hebrew God. All other gods were false gods, non-existent gods.
The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 says: Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.
5. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),
6. yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

These verses emphasizes the unity of God and the role of Jesus Christ in salvation. It acknowledges that while many people believe in various gods and lords, believers know there is only one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom they live. This verse also highlights the concept of "so-called gods" to acknowledge the existence of idols and the beliefs surrounding them, even though they are not real,

Other bible verse say the same thing.

Deuteronomy 4:35,39 there is none else beside him.
Deuteronomy 6:4 The LORD thy God is one LORD.
Samuel 7:22 neither is there any God beside thee,
Isaiah 44:6,8 I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

These are just four of 28 verses, stating that there is only one God.

Even though in the Hebrew Bible there are texts that refer to other gods, this is only using the word to recognize false gods that really don't exist.

The word “elohim”, is a single plural noun, and is said by some to refer to the one God, Yahweh, or a plurality of gods.

However, there being no other gods but Yahweh, the word “elohim” can only be God. If the word “elohim” is used in its plurality, it refers to a plurality of majesty. If elohim is used of angels, it can only refer to “sons of God”, (ben ha elohim), meaning created angels, or it refers to the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

If elohim is used, referring to angels, ie

Psalms 89:6: Which states, "For who in the heavens can compare to the Lord? Who among the angels (Elohim) is like the Lord?". This is a reference to “bene elohim”, “sons of God”.

In the first verse of the Bible: Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

“Barashyt bara elohim et shâmayim ve et erets”.

This elohim is singular because of the word “bara”, which means, “he created”.

Genesis 1:26 God said, let “us” make man in “our” image.

This Elohim is referring to the one God Almighty, in the plural sense.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

This must refer to the triune God, because of what we are told in John 1:3, that Jesus was the creator.

John 1:3 states, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made".
This verse emphasizes the role of the Word (Jesus) in creation, indicating that He is the agent through whom everything was created.

This elohim cannot refer to angels, because angels are created beings themselves and are created masculine.

Male and female were created in the image of God.

The ANE mindset had no comprehension of the Trinity or Jesus.

Moses the writer of the Torah was monotheistic, and could not have understood the concept of a Triune God.

It is possible that when Moses saw elohim in its plurality sense, he understood that it referred to the "plural of majesty" or "pluralis majestatis". This grammatical device is used to emphasize the divine's power and authority, rather than implying a plurality of gods.

The Apostle Paul explains this when writing in 2 Corinthians 3:13-18, Paul uses the imagery of a veil to explain how the Israelites, when reading the Law of Moses, were blinded to the true glory of God. When a person trusts in Christ, this veil is removed, and they can see and reflect the glory of God with an "unveiled face," becoming transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory.

Paul describes Moses as having a veil on his face, preventing the Israelites from seeing the "end of what was passing away" (referring to the Law of Moses). This veil represents a spiritual blindness, a hardening of the heart, that prevents people from understanding the true meaning and glory of God.

In essence, Paul's "veiled face" imagery highlights the contrast between spiritual blindness and spiritual illumination, and emphasizes the transformative power of faith in Christ to remove the veil and allow believers to experience and reflect God's glory.

​

Back to Index