9. YHVH our ELOHIM, YHVH, ECHAD

Jesus claimed to be YHVH ELOHIM

Jesus revealed that He was YHVH ELOHIM when He imitated the greatest commandment, saying “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).  “YHVH our ELOHIM (I), YHVH (the Father), ECHAD (are one)” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

When the Jews took up stones against Him, Jesus said: “does it not say in your law I said you are gods?” (John 10:31-34).

The Meaning of YHVH our ELOHIM, YHVH, ECHAD

To understand the meaning of YHVH our ELOHIM, YHVH, ECHAD, we need to go back to Deuteronomy Chapter 4, where God commanded the Children of Israel not to worship Angels. This presented a huge problem, because the Angel of God, who appeared to Jacob in his dream at Bethel, was Jacob’s God. The God of Israel.

But Moses’ words of comfort came in Deuteronomy 6:4:

“Hear O Israel (Jacob): YHVH our ELOHIM, YHVH, ECHAD (are one),  (therefore) you shall love YHVH your ELOHIM will all your heart, all your soul and all your strength.”

Moses explained that the most High God, YHVH, and His Messenger, YHVH their ELOHIM, were ECHAD, meaning they came together as one.

We can understand the meaning of the Hebrew word ECHAD from the first four uses of the word “ECHAD,” in Genesis 1:5; 1:9; 2:24; and 11:6:

  • the morning and evening (ECHAD) one day;
  • gathered into (ECHAD) one place;
  • they shall become (ECHAD) one flesh;
  • they are (ECHAD) one people.

Two Gods with One Name

Because the invisible God and His Messenger shared the name of YHVH, it was very easy for the Israelites to understand that these two Gods, must come together as one unit.

The understanding of these two YHVHs as “one unit” allowed the Israelites to call their God: “Father,” “Almighty” and “Most High.”

Eventually, the Messenger stopped appearing, and the invisible God, and His image became almost indistinguishable, since they shared the name of YHVH, and even the name: YHVH of the ARMIES (of the Angels)!

The Relationship of Christ and God revealed in the Prophets

But, the relationship of the two YHVHs could still be seen in the words of the prophets.

The most famous of these prophecies is the Psalm of David, quoted by Jesus and Peter.

“YHVH said unto my Lord,
Sit thou at my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Psalm 110:1

Isaiah saw the YHVH of Hosts who said to him “who shall go for Us.” (Isaiah 6:8). The “Us” was explained in Isaiah 48:16 as “the Lord God and His Spirit sent Me.” The Targum translates this as: “the Lord God, and His Word sent me.”

The Targum of Isaiah 43:10 says:

“You are My witnesses, says YHVH,
and My servant, the Messiah, in whom is My delight.”

In this verse, there are two speakers identified, YHVH, and His servant, the Messiah.

The most famous verse that identifies Christ as the Word, is Isaiah 44:6

“Thus says YHVH (He WILL BE), the King of Israel,
and Redeemer, YHVH (He WILL BE) of Hosts,
‘I am the First, and I am the Last.’”

“The King of the Jews” was the name Pilate put above the cross, for “the Redeemer.”

Jesus told the Jews they will know He is “I AM,” (the promised “He WILL BE”) when they saw Him on the cross, “when you lift up the Son of Man, you will know that I AM” (John 8:28).

Isaiah 44 is actually divided into three parts. The first part, verse 2, begins: “Thus says He who made you in the womb” (The Father).  The second part, verse 6, begins “thus says your Redeemer” (Christ). The third part, verse 24 reads: “thus says your Redeemer, AND He who formed you in the womb.  ‘I, am YHVH, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone (by My Word – Targum).’”