8.02.2011

Angel of the LORD: Part Two






Two Yahweh’s = Two God’s:

Before we look closer at this Biblical character we should learn from the mistakes of others. The debate over this phrase has led some to really suggest that there is more than one Yahweh. This flies in the face of Biblical monotheism. The fact that there is only one True God, or only One Yahweh, seems to escape our Trinitarian friends. Trinitarian apologist Robert Morey capitulates to polytheism in one of his most recent books. Notice this quote on Genesis 16:
“The Unitarian may be tempted to say that verse 11 proves that the man talking to her was not Yahweh and, thus, we are not confronted with two Yahwehs. But in verse 13, Hagar leaves no doubt as to the identity of the Messenger who is talking with her. In verse 13, Hagar calls upon the name of Yahweh. But is it the Yahweh referred to in verse 11, or the Yahweh who is standing there talking with her? Which Yahweh is it?”(6)
Here Morey suggests the Unitarian is tempted to say “we are not confronted with two Yahwehs.” This is obviously the view that Morey holds and one he feel Unitarians challenge. What is this belief? The one that there is more than one Yahweh. We will discuss monotheism later in this dicussion but If this is not enough trinitiarans also say that each of these Yahweh’s are separate or distinct persons. Each complete with mind and center of consciousness. Each possessing unique attributes and not the same as the other

Clearly, Trinitarians want to say that there are truly three Yahweh’s. This is not Biblical monotheism and despite any reasonable exegesis we do not find more than one divine person who can rightly be called Yahweh. No exegete rightfully conflates person from being in order to introduce additional personalities. God suffers no multiple personality disorder. Walther Eichrodt, from Basel University, noted the following about the one God of Deut. 6:4). Eichrodt notices that Yahweh's oneness is not only in reference to His being but also in His personality.
"Linguistically, it is certainly possible to support the rendering "Yahweh our God is one single Yahweh"; that is to say, he is not a God who can be split up into various divinities or powers, like the Baals of Tyre, of Hazor and or Schechem, etc., but one who unites himself as a single person everything which Israel thought of as appertaining to God."(7)
Ezekiel 33:24 records, “Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.’ (ESV) In this text, the word "one" is echad and is used to refer to Abraham as one man or one person. Occasionally echad is used to modify a collective noun (e.g. “one bunch”; “one pair”; “one herd”) but its actual meaning never changes. It still means “one” and only “one.” Any plurality is found in the collective noun, not in the word echad. Compare the following translations of Deuteronomy 6:4. Remember, “LORD” is representative of the Hebrew word for Yahweh. It is obvious that there can only be one.

NRSV | Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.
ESV | “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
NASB95 | “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!
NKJV | “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
NIV84 | Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
NET | Listen, Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!
NAB | “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!
1901 ASV | Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah:

The Bible from Covenant to Covenant never teaches that there is more than one Yahweh or even that God is more than one person. The functions of the angel of the Lord are similar and possibly pre-figure the ministry of Jesus. They do not however prove that Jesus is the second divine person of three who are all called God.

NOTES:

6) Morey, R. A. (1996). The Trinity : Evidence and Issues (142). Iowa Falls, IA.: World Pub.

7) Eichrodt, Walther. Theology of the Old Testament. Translated by J.A. Baker. Philadelphia : Westminster Press, 1961.

2 comments:

Jeffrey said...

Good teaching , keep bringing on the revelation for the Glory of God and His Kingdom in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Savior and King.

RESTORATIONFELLOWSHIP.ORG said...

Great material. There is only one YHVH. So then Jesus was not a Trinitarian. Jesus quoted the Shema and approved it. You are absolutely right. There is a only one YHVH.
Morey expresses polytheism (He says there are 2 YHVHs) without meaning to!
Anthony Buzzard, MA (Oxon) MA Th.
Hon PhD (degrees merely for info)

Adversus Trinitas

"...unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins." (John 8:24 ESV)