Hebrew Words for Living God:
Living God (Elohim khayyim) in the Hebrew text of 1 Samuel 17:26
’Elohim khayyim
Strong’s Concordance numbers: 430, 2416
Bible references: Deut. 5:26; 1 Sam. 17:26, 36; Jer. 10:10; 23:36
David used this name of God when he spoke about facing Goliath:
Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. (1 Samuel 17:26 KJV)
The Message Bible uses another name of God: God-alive
Living God (Elohim khai) in the Hebrew text of 2 Kings 19:4
’Elohim khai
Strong’s Concordance numbers: 430, 2416
Bible references: 2 Kings 19:4, 16; Isa. 37:4, 17
’El khai
Living God (El khai) in the Hebrew text of Joshua 3:10
Strong’s Concordance numbers: 410, 2416
Bible references: Josh. 3:10; Pss. 42:2; 84:2; Hos. 1:10
How lovely are Your dwelling places,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2)
Aramaic Words for Living God:
Living God (Elaha khayya) in the Aramaic text of Daniel 6:20
’Elaha’ khayya’
Strong’s Concordance numbers: 426, 2417
Bible references: Dan. 6:20; 26
Greek Words for Living God:
Living God in the Greek text of Romans 9:26
Theos zōn
Strong’s Concordance numbers: 2316, 2198
Bible references: Matt. 26:63; Acts 14:15; Rom. 9:26; 2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Tim. 3:15; 4:10; Heb. 3:12; 9:14; 10:31; 12:22; Rev. 7:2. Romans 9:26 quotes Hosea 1:10.
Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31)
Some similar names for God are Living and true God (1 Thess. 1:9), Living One (Luke 24:5; Rev. 1:18), and Living Father (John 6:57). The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of the Living God (2 Cor. 3:3). One of the names of Jesus (Yeshua‘) is Son of the Living God (Matt. 16:16; John 6:69 Amp, KJV).
Balance of Power
(A devotional)
The traditional courtroom oath is spoken with a Bible in one hand: “I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help me God.” The Bible is recognized as the highest standard of truth and justice; taking the oath while holding the Bible invokes God as a witness to the words. Now, when God swears an oath to do something, since there is no higher authority, He swears by Himself.1 But what words does God use? Paul tells us that God says, “As I live.”2 That oath, in various forms, is found sixty five times, so the words must be significant. Even Moses noticed:
See now that I, I am He,
And there is no god besides Me;
It is I who put to death and give life.
I have wounded and it is I who heal,
And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.
Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven,
And say, as I live forever,
If I sharpen My flashing sword,
And My hand takes hold on justice,
I will render vengeance on My adversaries,
And I will repay those who hate Me. (Deuteronomy 32:39-41)
Earlier in his farewell speech, Moses had called God the Most High, here Moses re-emphasizes that no other being approaches God in authority, righteousness, and power. In fact, all the idols and gods of the world are nothing more than puny demons controlled by Satan.3 The message is quite clear: the Most High controls life and death, sickness and health, and metes out vengeance on His enemies. The single unique quality of God is the fact that He is alive forever; every other so-called god is limited in life, and therefore power.
So, why is evil still at work in the world? Two reasons: First, a defeated Satan and his demons continue to fight their last stand while God prepares their final destruction. Second, much of the power of demons is in their propaganda. When they blind our eyes to the truth, they hold us spellbound in their lies. The message of Moses, Jesus, and Paul exposes those lies and replaces them with the truth of God’s eternal sovereignty. The Living God is the one who can forever say, “I am He,” and who swears to punish His enemies and avenge His people.
Who will we believe? The forces of evil that claim the upper hand in an apparently deteriorating word? Or the Living God, who has calmly and clearly sworn His plans and demonstrated His power by raising His Son Jesus from the dead?
