In the beginning God
In the beginning God {‘elohiym} created the heaven and the earth.
A young Israeli student knocked on our door last night trying to sell paintings. He noticed the sign we have on the front of our house near the entrance, the word ELOHIM. He asked if this was our family name to which I advised him no but it is the name of the Lord God Whom we worship. When he pointed to the sign, he did not say the name! I asked him if it was not appropriate for him to say “God’s” name, to which he nodded.
I was aware of this previously that devout Jews would never, could never, mention God’s name, as it was too holy, sacred and unthinkable for a mere man to utter God’s holy name. They just say..the name. When writing letters they will simply put…G…d or ‘the name’. As I chatted to this young man briefly, how quickly in my own mind was I too made aware of the absolute reverence, respect and holy obeisance to God’s name and character for Who He indeed is – Almighty God!
I believe we the church today could learn from this young man’s absolute reverence of the true and living God Who indeed is holy and worthy of all praise. Sadly many times God is approached with arrogance and irreverence. But on the other side of this, how wonderful is it that God’s Word, because of the grace and redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary, invites us to call the Holy God – “Our Heavenly Father”. Or even more intimately as the Apostle Paul teaches us, “Abba Father”!
May you always remember, like Moses, that when we approach God, we are standing on HOLY GROUND and may God bless His people Israel!