“God” From Concise Bible Dictionary:
The names by which God makes Himself known are various.
1. El, “the strong or mighty one.” It is often used of God, especially in Job and the Psalms (Job 5:8; Psa. 22:1, etc.); and of the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 9:6. It is also used for the false gods (Psa. 81:9; Dan. 11:36); and is translated “mighty” (Psa. 29:1; Psa. 82:1).
2. Eloah (Elah Chaldee), Elohim. The names most commonly used for God the Creator, the One with whom man has to do, the supreme Deity (Gen. 1:1-31). (Running all through the Old Testament to Malachi 3:18.) These words are also applied to God’s representatives, such as angels and judges (Ex. 22:28; Psa. 82:6); and also to false gods (Lev. 19:4). Elohim (which is plural, called the plural of majesty or excellency) is the word of most frequent occurrence. When it is distinctly used for the one true God the article is often added.
3. Jehovah. This is a name of relationship with men, especially with Israel, taken by God in time. It is derived from havah, “to exist,” and may be expanded into “who is, who was, and is to come.” God thus reveals Himself in time as the ever-existing One: that is, in Himself eternally, He is always the same (compare Heb. 1:12). The above “relationship” may be seen in the change from Elohim, the Creator, in Genesis 1, to Jehovah Elohim in Genesis 2, when man was brought into relationship with God. Again in Genesis 7:16 Elohim ordered Noah to make the ark but Jehovah shut him in. Unfortunately the name Jehovah is seldom employed in the AV. It is generally represented by LORD (sometimes GOD) printed in small capitals. In four places the AV has preserved the name Jehovah, namely, Ex. 6:3; Psa. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; Isa. 26:4.
There is a contraction of Jehovah into Jah, also translated in the AV by LORD, except in Psalm 68:4, where Israel is exhorted to sing unto God, and “extol Him by His name JAH.” Jah signifies the absolute supremacy of the self-existing One; whereas Jehovah was the name made known to Israel, and on which they could count. “God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM” (Ex. 3:14), where the word is Ehyeh, which is from the same root as Jehovah, the Eternal existing One; He that was, and is, and the coming One.
4. Shaddai, “the Almighty,” is another name of God, and is often so translated, especially in Job, without any other name attached (Job 6:4, 14; Psa. 68:14, etc). At times it is associated with one of the above words, and was the name by which He was especially known to the Patriarchs, as El Shaddai, God Almighty (Ex. 6:3): which passage does not mean that the Patriarchs had not heard of the name of Jehovah, but that it was not the especial name for them.
5. Elyon, “the Most High,” is another name of God, which stands alone, as in Deuteronomy 32:8 and 2 Samuel 24:14; and in Daniel 4:17-34 (from a kindred word); or it has one of the above words added and is then “the most high God” (Gen. 14:20); or “the LORD most high” (Psa. 7:17). It is not confined to Israel, for He is “the Most High over all the earth” (Psa. 83:18).
6-7. Adon and Adonai, and the plural Adonim, are all translated “Lord”; they occur frequently, and are found in some of the following compounds:
Adon Jehovah (Ex. 23:17), the Lord God.
Adon Jehovah Elohim (Isa. 51:22), thy Lord, the LORD, and thy God.
Adon Jehovah Sabaoth (Isa. 19:4), the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
Adonai Elohim (Psa. 86:12), O Lord my God (compare Dan. 9:3,9,15).
Adona Jehovah (Deut. 9:26), O Lord GOD (occurs frequently).
Adonai Jehovah Sabaoth (Jer. 2:19), the Lord GOD of hosts.
El Elohim (Gen. 33:20), El-elohe (Israel); (Gen. 46:3), God, the God (of thy father).
El Elohim Jehovah (Josh. 22:22), the LORD God of gods.
El Shaddai (Gen. 28:3, etc.), God Almighty.
Jah Jehovah (Isa. 26:4), the LORD JEHOVAH.
Jehovah Adon (Neh. 10:29), the LORD our Lord.
Jehovah Adonai (Psa. 68:20), GOD the Lord.
Jehovah El (Psa. 31:5), O LORD God.
Jehovah Elohim (Gen. 9:26, etc.), the LORD God.
Jehovah Elohim Sabaoth Adonai (Amos 5:16), the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord.
Jehovah Jehovah El (Ex. 34:6), the LORD, the LORD God.
Jehovah Sabaoth (Jer. 46:18), the LORD of hosts.
Jehovah Sabaoth Elohim (Jer. 27:4, etc.), the LORD of hosts, the God (of Israel).
For titles in combination with Jehovah, see JEHOVAH.
The true pronunciation of Jehovah is declared to be lost: the Jews when reading the Old Testament never utter it (from a constrained interpretation of Leviticus 24:16), but say, “the name,” “the great and terrible name,” and the like.
In the New Testament the word Θεός is constantly translated God; and Κύριος is the word commonly rendered Lord. In the Old Testament the latter is used by the LXX as the translation of Jehovah, so in the New Testament it often represents Jehovah, and is then mostly, if not always, without the article, as in Matthew 1:20,22,24. The Lord is also called “the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8, etc.); and there are a few compound names as in the Old Testament:
God Almighty (Rev. 16:14; Rev. 19:15).
Lord Almighty (2 Cor. 6:18).
Lord God Almighty (Rev. 4:8; Rev. 11:17; Rev. 15:3; Rev. 16:7; Rev. 21:22).
Lord of Sabaoth (Rom. 9:29; James 5:4).
The characteristic name of God in the New Testament in relationship with His saints is that of FATHER: it was used anticipatively in the Lord’s intercourse with His disciples, but made a reality after His resurrection, when He sent the message: “I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17).
THE TRINITY. In reference to this term the Father is God (Phil. 2:11; 1 Thess. 1:1, etc.). The Lord Jesus is God (Isa. 9:6; Matt. 1:23; John 1:1; Rom. 9:5; Phil. 2:6; Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:8). The Holy Spirit is God: “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2). Ananias lied to “the Holy Ghost,” “unto God”; and Sapphira unto the “Spirit of the Lord” (Acts 5:3-4, 9); “Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11; 1 Cor. 3:16, etc). That there are three divine Persons (if we may so express it) is plain from scripture. The Father sent the Son, and He came to earth. The Father sent the Holy Spirit, and the Lord Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, and He came from heaven. He is a divine Person, of which there are many proofs (see HOLY SPIRIT). There is but one God.
Scripture reveals what God is in Himself, “God is love” used absolutely (1 John 4:8); and “God is light” used relatively, in opposition to darkness (1 John 1:5); and Christ is the expression of both in a Man. The principal of God’s attributes and characteristics as revealed in scripture are—
1. His Eternity (Hab. 1:12; Rom. 1:20).
2. Invisibility (Col. 1:15).
3. Immortality (Psa. 90:2; 1 Tim. 1:17).
4. Omnipotence (Job 24:1; Matt. 19:26; only Potentate. 1 Tim. 6:15).
5. Omnipresence (Psa. 139:7-10; Jer. 23:23-24).
6. Omniscience (1 Chron. 28:9; Isa. 42:8-9; Rom. 8:29-30; Heb. 4:13).
7. Incorruptibility (Rom. 1:23; James 1:13).
8. Immutability (Mal. 3:6; James 1:17).
9. Wisdom (Psa. 104:24; Rom. 11:33-36).
10. Holiness (Psa. 47:8; Psa. 99:3, 5; Rev. 4:8).
11. Justice (Psa. 89:14; 2 Tim. 4:8).
12. Grace and mercy (Psa. 136; 2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 2:4).
13. Longsuffering (Ex. 34:6; Rom. 9:22).
14. Faithfulness (Psa. 36:5; Heb. 10:23).
God’s eternal power and divinity may be known in creation (Rom. 1:20); but He has revealed Himself in the person of Christ, the Son, the eternal Word. God has been pleased also to reveal Himself in His written word. His purposes, His ways, and what He has done for sinful man, all demand universal reverence, adoration, and worship.
“Angels” From Concise Bible Dictionary:
The Hebrew word malac and Greek word, ἄγγελος, signify “messenger.”
1. It is used for the mystic representation of the divine presence, as in Genesis 31:11-13. “The angel of God” spake unto Jacob saying, “I am the God of Bethel.” “The angel of Jehovah” spake to Hagar and said, “I will multiply thy seed exceedingly that it shall not be numbered for multitude” (Gen. 16:7-11). “The angel of Jehovah” spake to Abraham saying, “By myself have I sworn” (Gen. 22:11, 15-16). Three “men” drew near to Abraham’s tent. One said Sarah should have a son: at which Sarah laughed, and Jehovah said, “Wherefore did Sarah laugh?” Two of the three left, and were called “angels” at the gate of Sodom, while Jehovah, the third, talked with Abraham (Gen. 18:1-33; compare also Ex. 3:2, 6-15; Num. 22:22-35). Jacob, in blessing the sons of Joseph, said, “The Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the lads” (Gen. 48:16). It is generally believed that it was the second person in the Trinity who appeared as a man in the Old Testament It is no doubt the same who is called “the mighty angel” in Revelation 10:1-3.
2. The intelligent spiritual beings who are constantly referred to in scripture as God’s messengers both as carrying good tidings and as executors of God’s judgments. We know little of their nature: “of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire” (Heb. 1:7); and man is described as being a little inferior to the angels (Psalm 8:5; Heb. 2:7). There are apparently gradations in rank among them, described as principalities and powers, of which Christ as Man is now the head (Col. 2:10). Twice we meet with “archangel:” an archangel’s voice will accompany the rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:16); and Michael the “archangel” contended with Satan about the body of Moses (Jude 9). He with his angels will fight with the dragon and his angels and cast them out of heaven (Rev. 12:7-8). Gabriel is the only other name of an angel revealed to us: he appeared to Daniel, to Zacharias, and to Mary; he said that he stood in the presence of God (Dan. 8:16; Dan. 9:21; Luke 1:19,26).
Though we are unconscious of the presence of angels we know that they are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14; compare Psa. 34:7); and we read also that they ministered to the Lord when He was here (Matt. 4:11; Mark 1:13; Luke 22:43). There are “myriads” of these angels (Matt. 26:53; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11); and they are described as “mighty,” “holy,” “elect” (2 Thess. 1:7; Mark 8:38; 1 Tim. 5:21): they do not marry (Mark 12:25). We are not told when they were created, but doubtless they are referred to as “the sons of God” who shouted for joy when God created the earth (Job 38:4-7).
The law was given by their ministry (Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19; Psa. 68:17); and they had to do with proclaiming the birth of the Savior (Luke 2:8-14); and they attended at the resurrection (Matt. 28:2; John 20:12). Angels are not the depositaries of the revelation and counsels of God. They desire to look into the things testified by the Spirit of Christ in the prophets, and now reported by the apostles in the power of the same Spirit (1 Peter 1:12). The world to come is not to be put in subjection to them, but to man in the person of the Son of man (Heb. 2:5-8); and the saints will judge angels (1 Cor. 6:3). It is therefore only a false humility that would teach the worshipping of angels (Col. 2:18). When John fell down to worship the angel in the Revelation, being overpowered by reason of the stupendous things revealed, he was on two occasions restrained from worshipping his “fellow servant” (Rev. 19:10; 22:9).
In Psalm 8:5 the word is elohim, “God”; the name of God being given to the angels as His representatives (compare Psalm 82:6). In Psalm 68:17 it is shinan, “repetition”; reading “even thousands upon thousands.” In Psalm 78:25 it is abbir, “mighty” (“every one did eat the bread of the mighty,” margin).
3. FALLEN ANGELS. 1. We read of angels who “kept not their first estate,” but left their own habitation, and are kept in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day (Jude 6). God spared not the angels who sinned (2 Peter 2:4). The nature of their sin may be referred to in Genesis 6:2. Their punishment and that of Sodom and Gomorrah is held up as a warning against fleshly indulgence, and despising government (2 Peter 2:10; Jude 6-8). 2. Besides the above which are kept in chains we read of angels connected with Satan. The great dragon and his angels will be subdued by Michael and his angels, and be cast out of heaven (Rev. 12:9). The lake of fire, or Gehenna, has been specially prepared for the devil and his angels, though, alas, man will also be cast therein (Matt. 25:41). Abaddon or Apollyon is the name of the angel of “the bottomless pit” (Rev. 9:11), that is, the “abyss,” not hell, which, as seen above, is the place of punishment. Isaiah 14:12-16 and Ezekiel 28:14-19 may throw some light on the fall of Satan, but whether the fall of those called his “angels” was brought about by the same cause and at the same time is not revealed. Scripture is quite clear that all of them will be overcome and eternally punished.
4. The term “angel” is used metaphorically for a mystical representative. When Peter was delivered from prison, and knocked at the door, those who had been praying for his release said, “It is his angel” (Acts 12:15). They supposed Peter was still in prison, and that the one at the door was his representative, his spirit personified, perhaps with very vague ideas of what they really meant. In Revelation 2-3, the addresses to the seven churches are made to the angel of each. It signifies the spirit and character of the assembly personified in its mystical representative, each one differing from the others, according to the state of the assembly. The messages, though addressed to churches existing at the time, no doubt set forth the state of the church in its varied phases ever since apostolic times down to its entire rejection as the responsible witness for Christ at the close of the dispensation.