The very first verse in the Bible ascribes the creation of the universe to God. His Being is stated, but no explanation as to His Godhead given. From the very first this was manifested in the mighty act of creation. We read, " The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD." (Rom. 1: 20).
In the light of the development of doctrine in the Scriptures we recognize that the Three Persons of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Spirit—were included in the name, God, in Gen. 1:11In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1). This we will proceed to show.
It may not be widely known among English-speaking people, unacquainted with the Hebrew language, that the name of God in Gen. 1:1,1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) and throughout that Chapter, is in the PLURAL number. That may be apparent to even a careful English reader when he comes to Gen. 1:2626And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26) and reads,
" Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness."
This is still more remarkable when we learn that the Hebrew language contained THREE numbers:-
SINGULAR = one only. DUAL = two only. PLURAL = three at the least, or more.
We thus see how very striking it is that the name, God, in Gen. 1:1,1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) and throughout that Chapter, is always in the plural.
And further in Gen. 1:1 The word, God (plural) is followed by a singular verb. Surely Moses could not have written such words except under the direct inspiration of the Spirit of God. The plural noun followed by a singular verb preserves the thought of the UNITY of the Godhead
- Father, Son and Holy Spirit—one God—a plural Unity.
We thus see that in the very first verse of the Bible, originally written by Moses in the desert of Sinai on tablets of clay, was enshrined the truth of the Holy Trinity, unfolded more and more progressively in the Old Testament, and taught in all its fullness in the New Testament.
There is one specially illuminating Scripture, confirming this. We read,
" Hear O Israel: The LORD [Hebrew, Jehovah, singular] our God [Hebrew, Elohim, plural] is one LORD " [Hebrew, Jehovah, singular]. (Deut. 6:44Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: (Deuteronomy 6:4))
Here in the very assertion that there is one God, care is taken to show that the UNITY of the. Godhead embraces Three Persons—One in substance, power, will, wisdom, knowledge and counsel. No mind of man, however, acute, can fathom this mystery. We know the truth of it from revelation alone.
The fullest and most detailed intimation in the Old Testament of the Three Persons of the Godhead comes from the inspired pen of the prophet Isaiah.. We read, " Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there AM I: and now the Lord GOD, and His Spirit, hath SENT Me." (Isa. 48: 16).
The One, who speaks, presents Himself in two ways. First as the I AM, the assertion of Deity; and secondly as THE SENT ONE. There are Three Persons seen here acting in fullest harmony. " The Lord GOD and His Spirit, hath sent Me."