Page 64 - Countering Trinitarian Arguments With Historical Reference

Who’s Who in the Bible an illustrated Biographical Dictionary 1994, Under The Name of God Page 126 tells us: “In both Hebrew (elohim) and Greek (theos), the words for God are basic terms that can be used for Pagan gods [this was their original use] as well as for the God of Israel. Although the Hebrew term is plural, implying majesty or comprehensiveness, it is used with singular verbs. The singular Hebrew term for God (el) is much less commonly used, perhaps because EL was the Chief Canaanite god.” Elohim (The Gods or mighty ones) is the plural form of the Pagan Canaanite EL. Note that the Arabic term “Allah” AL or EL comes from this same Pagan Canaanite term also.
The Holman Bible Handbook 1992, Page 141, tells us: “Elohim, the usual designation for God, is the Creator, the God of all gods, the transcendent one.” It also tells us that Elohim like Adonai, (Jehovah), “Lord” and “God” are all substitutions for the real Name of God in Hebrew. “Out of extreme reverence for Yahweh’s [EHYEH’s] name (Exodus 20:7), the Jews read Adonai (or Elohim) wherever the Hebrew Text had YHWH. English Bibles likewise represent the four consonants YHWH by “LORD” or “GOD” in large and small caps.”
Hastings Dictionary of the Bible Revised Edition on page 334 tells us this about El and Elohim. “On the other hand we find El as the name of a particular deity, and that on Canaanite soil in the Ugaritic literature, were El occupies a senior and venerable position, among the gods [the Elohim].” Under Elohim we find: “Elohim, the ordinary Hebrew word for God. For derivation see above under El.” The origin or source of the terms Elohim and El is from the pagan Canaanite religious system. Elohim came from the pagan “EL” a false pagan god. Pagans were using the terms EL and Elohim for a thousand years before the man that became Abraham ever left the city of Ur in Babylon.
The Bible Almanac 1980, Edited by James I. Packer, A.M., D.Phil., Merrill C. Tenney, A.M., Ph.D., and William White, Jr., Th.M., Ph.D. tells us this on page 108 under Categories of the Gods. “Each ancient religious system had a chief god who was more powerful than the rest. For the Egyptians, this might be Re, Horus, or Osiris; for the Sumerians and Akkadians, it might be Enlil, Enki/Ea, or Marduk; for the Canaanites, it would be EL; and for the Greeks, Zeus. In most instances, the pagans built temples and recited liturgies in honor of these high gods. Usually the king presided over this worship, acting, as the god’s representative in a ritual meal, marriage, or combat. This was the official religion. The temple was the home of the god, and the priests were his domestic staff. Every day it was the duty of the staff of the temple to attend to the god’s ‘bodily needs’ according to a fixed routine. But the god was not merely the house-holder of the temple, he was also lord and master of his people, and as such entitled to offerings and tributes of many kinds...”
The New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology on page 74 under The Legends of Ras Shamrah tells us this: “At the head of the [Pagan] pantheon stood EL, the great god who from remote [ancient] times was honored among all the western Semites. He governed the entire land of Canaan.” One who would say that the one True God’s name is EL (Allah) or the Elohim has not really done any real in-depth research. This is like calling Him Zeus. Israel did not obey the one True God and completely cleanse the land of the entire
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