The Revelation of
the Godhead in
the OT
What does the OT reveal
about God’s nature?
Is there a place for a trinity?
3 False Linguistic Arguments
Gen. 1:26, "And God said, Let us
make man in our image."
False Argument # 1
Why is there a plural pronoun for God?
1. Note the Bible uses singular pronouns for God 1000s of
times.
2. Next verse uses the singular to show how God fulfilled
verse 26: "So God created man in his own image" (Gen. 1:27).
3. Must reconcile plural in 1:26 with singular in 1:27 & 2:7.
It cannot mean 2 or more persons, but what
does it mean?
1. Jews traditionally interpret it to mean
God talked to angels at creation.
q
God talked to angels & requested
their opinions in formulating His plans
before (I Kings 22:19-22).
q
We know the Angels were Present during
man’s creation (Job 38:4-7).
2. Majestic plural or
Royal “We”
In formal speaking & writing a person can
refer to himself in the plural, especially if
the speaker is of royalty.
• Biblical examples:
1. Daniel told the King, "We will tell the
interpretation thereof before the king" even
though Daniel alone gave the interpretation (Dan. 2:36).
2. King Artaxerxes alternated referred to himself in the singular
& plural. He wrote, "The letter which ye sent unto
us hath been plainly read before me" (Ezra
4:18). But also called himself "I" in one place (Ezra 7:13) but
"we" in another place (7:24).
3. Speaking of Future Son in
prophetic foreknowledge
• God's foreknowledge of the future arrival of the
Son, much like prophetic passages in the Psalms.
1. Calls things that are not as though they were
(Rom. 4:17).
2. A day is as a 1000 years to Him (II Pet. 3:8).
3. His plan - the Word - existed from the beginning in
the mind of God (Jn. 1:1).
4. Lamb was Slain before the foundation of the world
(I Pet. 1:19-20; Rev. 13:8).
5. Rom. 5:14 says Adam was a figure of Him who was
to come, Jesus Christ.
Fun Admissions
• Gen. 1:26 let us make the occurrence
of “us" has been understood as a plurality
in the godhead: the Father, the Son, & the
Holy Spirit. This understanding would have
been unknown to the authors of the
OT… A simpler explanation is that “us” reflects an
announcement by the single God of Israel to a group
in His presence - the heavenly hosts (Ps. 82; 89:5-8).
• Micheal S. Heiser
Gen. 1:1, “In the beginning God
created the heaven & the earth.”
False Argument # 2
• Scofield reference notes: “The Trinity is
latent in Elohim. As meaning primarily the
Strong One it is fitly used in the first chapter of
Genesis.”
• Dr. Helene Russell, “In the first verse of the Bible we
have a reference to God as PLURAL & God as
FEMININE.”
Uni-plural Nouns
• There are several uni-plural nouns or
quantitative plural nouns in Hebrew.
• Heaven
• Face
• Presence
• A uni-plural noun means one or more than one
(such as deer or sheep).
• But a uni-plural noun means “one” exclusively
when used with singular verbs or
modifiers
•(Such as: “I saw some deer.” or “…I saw some
sheep.”)
Eloah & Elohim: “God”, “god”, & “gods”
• Eloah, the singular form of Elohim, appears 54 times
& is used in reference to the true God & to false gods.
• Eloah is from the Hebrew El, which appears 226 times.
• El signifies strength & power.
• The “im” ending on a Hebrew word (as in Elohim)
makes the word “plural”, like putting an “s” on the end
of many English words.
• But, unlike English, the “plural” form of a Hebrew word may
not signify more than one.
• Though the Hebrew uni-plural can refer to more than 1
the Hebrew also uses uni-plural forms when only 1
subject is in view.
• To indicate intensity (something like the “est” ending in
English), fullness, something that flows, or multiplicity of
attributes.
Elohim - God
• 2,346 times Elohim is used as one &
700 times used in a plural way.
• Scofield reference Bible says Gen 1:1 “…
shows the trinity in the 1st verse of the
Bible” even when the language clearly shows
it does not!
• Gen. 1:1, “In the beginning God
(elohim) created (bara – singular
modifier) the heavens & the earth.”
• It uses 3rd person singular
masculine verb = one.
• Whenever Elohim refers to 1 true God, it
ALWAYS has singular verbs.
• Whenever Elohim refers to more than 1 false
god, it is ALWAYS accompanied by plural
verbs.
• Grammatically, when Elohim refers to 1
true God, the inspired use of singular
verbs demands Elohim refer to 1 God
only, although the word is “uni-plural”.
• If the reason Elohim is used of the true God is
to indicate He is more than one, plural verbs
would have to be used.
Is Elohim ever used with plural verbs?
• In Ex. 32:4, where Elohim is used
of a plurality of false gods, the
verb “brought... up out” is 3rd
person common Plural.
• Plural verb demands Elohim be referring
to more than 1 false god.
• The golden calf represented the gods of the
Egyptians.
• In Deut. 4:28 a series of 3rd person
masculine Plural verbs, “see,” “hear,” “eat,”
& “smell,” are used to describe the
inabilities of false gods (Elohim).
• Shows if the intention of Elohim is to
indicate more than 1, plural verbs
will be used.
• If the intention of Elohim is to indicate
1 only, singular verbs are used.
Some NT Contributions
• When the inspired Greek NT quotes an OT
reference where Elohim is used of the 1 true God, the
Greek theos (God) is ALWAYS singular!
• (See where Heb. 1:8-9 quotes Ps. 45:6-7.)
• When NT quotes an OT reference where Elohim refers to
multiple people or false gods, it is ALWAYS the
plural form of theos is used.
• (See Ps. 82:6; Jn. 10:34-35 & Ex. 32:1; Acts 7:40.)
• Why? Greek language doesn’t use “plurals” the same
as Hebrew.
• That is, to indicate intensity, fullness, & plurality
of Attributes.
God’s Word Settles the Issue
• Since both the Hebrew & Greek are inspired, if Elohim
was used to indicate God is more than 1,
the Greek NT would use the plural form of the noun! It
Doesn’t!!!
• The fact that the Greek NT uses the singular theos
where the Hebrew scriptures use the uni-plural Elohim
of the true God settles any question as to the
singularity of the true God.
• In Ps. 45:6, Elohim is used of the Messiah alone!
• There is only one Messiah, but the uni-plural
noun is used to indicate His immeasurable majesty!!!
False Argument # 3
Deut. 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The
LORD our God is one LORD:”
• The word "one" means one in unity as
well as one in number.
• Jimmy Swaggart, “Why do
you people insist that one means
one?”
Echad – “one”
• Deut. 6:4 “one” is echad & is used 903
times in OT.
• 881 times it means a single,
solitary, one.
• The rest can mean one cluster, one
flesh, but never 3 persons.
Biblical examples: “Echad - one” used in
the sense of absolute Numerical
oneness:
1. A list of Canaanite kings each
designated by the word Echad (Josh.
12:9-24);
2. The prophet Micaiah (I Kings 22:8);
3. Abraham (Ezek. 33:24);
4. A list of gates each designated by
Echad (Ezek. 48:31-34);
5. The angel Michael (Dan. 10:13).
Deut. 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The
LORD our God is one LORD:”
• It’s… “Hear, O Israel Yahweh our
God is one Yahweh:”
• Not… “Hear, O Israel Yahweh our
God is one Substance:”
It’s not “yesh -­‐ ‫ ”יֵׁש‬ !!! It’s the NAME of GOD!!!
Washing our LISTENING!!!
declarations of God in Isaiah
• "Before me there was no God formed, neither shall
there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; &
beside me there is no saviour" (Is. 43:10-11).
• "I am the first, & I am the last; & beside me
there is no God" (Is. 44:6).
• "Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I
know not any" (Is. 44:8).
• "I am the LORD that maketh all things; that
stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth
abroad the earth by myself" (Is. 44:24).
• "There is none beside me. I am the LORD &
there is none else" (Is. 45:6).
Washing our LISTENING!!!
declarations of God in Isaiah
• "There is no God else beside me; a just God & a
Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me,
& be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am
God, & there is none else" (Is. 45:21-22).
• "Remember the former things of old: for I am God,
& there is none else; I am God, & there is none
like me" (Is. 46:9).
• "I will not give my glory unto another" (Is. 48:11;
see also Is. 42:8).
• "O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest
between the cherubims, thou art the God, even
thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou
hast made heaven & earth" (Is. 37:16).
How many times does
the OT say God is one?
• 2,346 verses using Elohim to refer to God
always with singular modifiers indicating it
is always one.
• About 1000 references direct &
indirect to His absolute oneness (“the
faithful one”, “the holy One”, etc.).
• On a scale what does the evidence clearly
show the Scriptures teach?
Weighing the Evidence Let’s look at the possibility of God as one &
God as a trinity in the OT.
How many times does the OT refer to God being a
trinity?
None!!!
How many verses are there that people infer a
trinity into text?
Gen. 1:26, Gen. 3:22, Gen. 11:17, & Is. 48:16.
Not persons in trinity, but angels & language
of intensification.
1. C.L. Seow, A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew (Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1987), 19.
2. Page H. Kelley, Biblical Hebrew: An Introductory Grammar (Grand
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1992), 32.
3. Ethelyn Simon, et. al., The First Hebrew Primer for Adults, 2nd ed.
(Oakland, CA: KS Publishing Company, 1983), 48.
What do we need?
• Professor of OT at Eastern Theological
Seminary said, “You will not find an
overt statement of the Trinity in the OT.”
• “Schema… echad.”
• We need a boldness to come over us in
regards to this message.
• Do not be intimidated or afraid!