Early in my study of Theology I sat under an inspiring prophesor, Dr Bragg, who amplified further the etymology of the name Elohim, that we considered in our last visit.
He said, “it seems the name came from two meanings of the word Eloah. One has the meaning to reverence or worship or adore. According to this meaning God is placed before us
from the very beginning as the only true object of our worship. As our Creator He has the right to demand our allegiance.
“The other meaning…is ‘to swear as an oath.’ This gives us the Trinity as engaged in an eternal covenant. This is the covenant keeping God. It shows that with an oath the three members of the Holy Trinity, back from an eternity, entered into a covenant as regards the creation and redemption of man. We read of Christ as constituted a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek by an oath. We read of the ‘blood of the everlasting covenant.’ We read that Christ was the lamb slain before the foundation of the world. So the full meaning would seem to be the Trinity as the only object of man’s adoration and worship in covenant for man’s redemption. In it various forms this name for God is used some 2,600 times in the Old Testament.”
This explanation reminds me of the statement in the Westminster Confession: “The chief aim of man is to worship God and enjoy Him forever.” This is why I’m taking you on this journey of trying to understand better how the Bible reveals God to us through His various names.
