Nehemia Gordon recently post my question on his FB page and he suggested that I share it here :

Nehemia posted: One of the listeners sent me a rather thought-provoking comment. I did not know how to respond, so I thought I would share it with you guys and ask for feedback:

“Nehemia, I listened to your show with Keith and Jono and let me ask this question: Are some people who tend to align themselves with Judaism (especially anti & counter missionaries, etc.), while wanting to be the true light to the Nations actually INDIRECTLY (and I believe mostly unintentionally) CONTRIBUTING to this false Godhead doctrine of some Christians? How?? Well, have you ever considered what kind of consequences it has on the Christians when they are shown only the passages like Isaiah 45 while at the same time not sharing with them that there are many other passages in the “Tanakh” where MEN are called by the title “savior – moshia” and by the title “god – elohim”? Let me share my personal experience with this. When I was searching for who my God was, I came across the verses where Yeshua was called by the title “God”. And then I was shown over and over by the anti-missionaries the passages like Isaiah 45 that there is “no other God” which was also true. So I consequently concluded that Yeshua had to be somehow God Himself because I could not see any other feasible way to reconcile these scriptures together!! It was only after I took some Hebrew classes that I saw that Yeshua was not the only man called by the titles “savior” and “god” in the bible. Having that understanding, I realized that the “NT” writers never believed Yeshua to be the Most High God YHVH. I wonder how many more Christians searching for the one true God fell for the false doctrine of Godhead just because of this. And I wonder how many more Christians would choose to follow the one true God YHVH IF the titles “GOD / elohim” and “SAVIOR – מוֹשִֽׁיעַ ” were FULLY explained in the CONTEXT by ALL believers who follow His Torah.” -Peter Brown, Charleston, South Carolina

So here is my small personal study on the title “god – elohim”:

I was used to understand that the word “Elohim” can refer either to the one true God YHVH or to false gods. In other words I understood the word had only two categories. However, as I kept searching through the scriptures I noticed there is a distinct, third category and that is “appointed gods”, servants of the one true God YHVH who were appointed and act with certain authority given from YHVH. The reason I was not aware of it before is due to Jewish, Christian translations rendering these “elohim” passages as “leaders”, “judges”, “mighty ones”, etc. So who falls into this category of “appointed gods” and what scriptures support this interpretation?

Judges as “appointed gods”:

Exodus 22:8 “If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house shall appear before the judge (in Hebrew “haelohim” literally “before the god”), to determine whether he laid his hands on his neighbor’s property. … the case of both parties shall come before the judge (haelohim; before the god); he whom the judge (in Hebrew: elohim, god) condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.”

Exodus 21:6. “his master shall bring him to the judge (haelohim, to the god), and he shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, …”

Leaders as “appointed gods”:

Exodus 4:16 “And he (Aaron) will speak for you (Moshe) to the people, and it will be that he (Aaron) will be your speaker, and you (Moshe) will be his god (elohim, god). – Notice that God YHVH just gave Moses certain authority and appointed him “elohim”.

Exodus 7:1 Then YHVH said to Moses, “See, I make you god (elohim) to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. — Notice that God YHVH gave Moses the authority to be the appointed god over the most powerful leader on the earth.

Angels as “appointed gods”:

Exodus 22:19 “Whoever brings offerings to gods (elohim) other than to YHVH must be destroyed.” — According to Rambam, “elohim” in this verse refers to angels, for it is a capital offence to worship any force or combination of forces, even the forces of Hashem. (Chumash p.161)

Psalm 82:1 A song of Asaph. God (Elohim) stands in the congregation of God (El); in the midst of angels (elohim, in the midst of gods) He will judge.

Psalm 82:6 I said, “You are gods (elohim), and all of you are Sons of the Most High.” — Notice that the angels are called gods and the Sons of the Most High God YHVH.

2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age (hasatan – the angel accuser) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of God.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was god.

The scripture explains to us that our Father YHVH is the God of these “appointed gods”

Deuteronomy 10:17 “For YHVH your God He is the God (Elohe) of gods (haelohim) …”

How do we distinguish between the “appointed gods” and the one true God YHVH?

Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” – We shouldn’t even need any scriptures for this common sense understanding that all authority and all appointments come from the one true God YHVH. Therefore you will know whomever was given the title “elohim, god” and states to be appointed and given authority you will know he or she acts as an “appointed god* on behalf of the one true God YHVH.

What category does Yeshua belong to? Yeshua told us himself:

John 12:49 “For I (Yeshua) have not spoken on my own authority but the Father who sent me gave me a command what I should say and what I should speak.”

Matthew 28:18 “And Yeshua came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” — with this authority the Messiah was made the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords however the scripture also explains to us that this authority does not include the Highest King, the one true God YHVH:

Daniel 7:13 “I saw in the visions of the night, and behold with the clouds of the heaven, one like a son of man (the Messiah) was coming, and he (the Messiah) came up to the Ancient of Days (to God YHVH) and was brought before Him. 14. And He (YHVH) gave him (to the Messiah) dominion and glory and a kingdom, and all peoples, nations, and tongues shall serve him (the Messiah); his dominion is an eternal dominion, which will not be removed, and his (the Messiah’s) kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.”
Now compare Daniel with the first century scriptures: 1 Cor 15:27 For He (YHVH) “has put everything under his (Messiah’s) feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him (under Messiah), it is clear that this does not include God (YHVH) Himself, who put everything under Messiah.”

Yeshua taught us himself that he was given an authority from our Father YHVH and that way Yeshua is explaining us in the scriptures that he is appointed god/elohim because the one true God YHVH can NOT be given an authority nor can He be appointed because YHVH is the El Elyon, He is the most High God.

In conclusion, to put it all together when Isaiah 44:6 states there is no other God besides Yehováh it means there is only one true God and that is YHVH. And when Deut 10:17 says that Yehováh is “God of gods” it means that Yehováh is the God of all the appointed gods. The word “Elohim” is a title which can refer either to the one true God YHVH, or to the false gods or to the appointed gods such as human leaders, judges, and angels who were given the title “elohim”. When I one day came to this understanding I simply repented. I concluded that I did not know and I did not understand this before. I was happy that God YHVH gave me the explanation through His written Word to a question I have been searching with all my heart and all my soul for a long time. I’d like to praise our Father Yehovah for giving me a understanding which I am able to share and explain from His written scriptures to other believers. If I made any mistake or I am missing anything please do let me know as I am always searching for any scriptures that could enhance my current understanding. Shalom!

Disclaimer: Notice that any capital letters or any text in parentheses are mine emphases as the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek writings do NOT have them. Also I recommend you to be like Bereans and examine the Scriptures every day to see if what I wrote is true. (Acts 17:11). Shalom!