“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…” Genesis 1:26
One name for God in the Hebrew is “Elohim.” The name means “ruler, judge, creator, mighty one, God.” The first reference is Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heaven and the earth.” What is interesting about Elohim is that it is the plural form of the Hebrew word Eloah, meaning God. Many have seen Elohim as a description of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit); however, Elohim is often used grammatically as a singular noun. Therefore, Hebrew grammar allows for this plural form to mean “He is the Power (singular) over powers (plural), or roughly “God of gods.”
In Genesis 1:26, God (Elohim) creates the first man and woman and says, “Let them have dominion.” God gave authority to His children, wanting us care for the earth and one another. Of course, the authority we have is not our own; it is delegated. We aren’t deity like God is, but we were intended to represent Him with the power and resources He gave us. God is Elohim, a Ruler of rulers, a God of gods.
Jesus referred to our position as rulers, or gods, in this life. In John 10:34, Jesus answered Jews who were questioning His authority by saying, “Is it not written in your law…’You are gods?’” It was like Jesus was saying, “Don’t you know YOU have authority to rule on the earth?” In John 10:34, Jesus was quoting Psalm 82. In both Psalm 82:1 and 82:6 we see the word elohim used for God and for the children of God.
Psalm 82:1 “God (Elohim) stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods (elohim).”
Psalm 82:6 “I said, ‘You are gods (elohim), and all of you are children of the Most High.”
When you read the full chapter of Psalm 82, we see how God wants His men and women to rule in strength and justice, and He asks them to defend and liberate the weak. God is the God of gods, the Ruler of rulers, and He likes it that way. He designed for us to do life together with Him. It is a responsibility we should not take lightly, but to lean on the Father to give us all we need to do what He wants for us to do. His power will work in us and through us to accomplish great things!
Application: Remember that you are not the source of your own strength and authority. God Himself, the true Elohim, backs you up.