Table of Contents |  Preface |  Summary |  Endorsement

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Acknowledgements
Dedication
Foreword
Preface
Chapter 1	Introduction				1
		The Statement of Purpose			1
		The Need for the Study			6
		Scriptural and Theological Basis			11
		Limitations of the Research Project			14
		Organization of Study			14
			Names of God		14
			Theophany		15
			Shema		15
			Plural Terms		16
			Holy Spirit		16
			Messiah is Divine		17
			Summary and Conclusion		17
Chapter 2	Names of God				19
		El			20
		Elim			22
		Elah			23
		Eloah			24
		Elohim			25
			Arguments Against a Literal Understanding of Elohim		27
			Arguments For a Literal Understanding of Elohim		30
		Dual Plurality			40
		Adhonai			45
		Yahweh			46
			Two Yahweh’s in the Tanakh		47
				Genesis 19:24	47
				Zechariah 2:8-9	49
				Hosea 1:1-7	49
				Isaiah 44:6	50
Chapter 3	Theophany				51
		Theophany - The Angel of Yahweh			52
			The Angel of Yahweh		53
			Yahweh is Distinct from the Angel of the LORD		57
		Shechinah			59
Chapter 4	Shema				67
		Judaism			67
		Christianity			70
			Usages of Echad		73
			Comments by Christian Authors on Echad		75
			Echad not seen as Compound Unity		75
			Echad seen as Compound Unity		79
		Yachid			82
		Author’s Position on Echad			84
Chapter 5	Plural Descriptions				87
		Pronouns			87
			Genesis 1:26-27		88
			Genesis 3:22		91
			Genesis 11:7		92
			Isaiah 6:8		95
		Opposition to Plural Pronouns			95
		Plural Verbs used with Elohim			104
			Genesis 20:13		104
			Genesis 35:7		105
			2 Samuel 7:23		106
			Psalm 58:11		107
		Other Plural Descriptions			107
			Deuteronomy 5:23		107
			Deuteronomy 10:17		108
			Joshua 24:19		108
			Ecclesiastics 12:1		109
			Psalm 149:2		110
			Isaiah 54:4-5		110
			Isaiah 50:1-6		111
			Zechariah 11:4-14		112
		Tri-unity in Isaiah			114
			Isaiah 48:12-16		114
			Isaiah 61:1		117
			Isaiah 63:7-14		118
Chapter 6	Holy Spirit in the Tanakh				119
		The Difficulties with the Term “Spirit”			119
			The Use of the Term “Spirit”		121
		Personality and Work of the Holy Spirit in the Tanakh			123
			Holy Spirit is a Person		123
		Holy Spirit in Creation			126
		Holy Spirit is Distinct from the Father and Son			129
		Holy Spirit’s Coming Upon and Indwelling			130
		Ministry to Individuals in the Tanakh			132
			Bezaleel		132
			Unnamed Tailor		132
			70 Elders		133
			Balaam		133
			Joshua		134
			Othniel		134
			Gideon		135
			Jephthah		136
			Samson		137
			Saul		138
			David and Saul		140
			David		140
			Micah		141
			Isaiah		141
			Ezekiel		142
		Inspiration of the Scriptures			144
		Methods of Revelation			149
		OT and NT Comparisons of the Holy Spirit			150
			Psalm 110:1 & Matthew 22:42-43		150
			Psalm 41:9 & Acts 1:16		150
			Isaiah 6:9-10 & Acts 28:25-27		151
			Psalm 95:9-11 & Hebrews 3:7-11		151
			Jeremiah 31:33 & Hebrews 10:15-16		152
		New Covenant			152
Chapter 7	Messiah Divine?				155
		Olam-sl*w)u			156
		Ad-Du			161
	First Coming Messianic References				161
	Messiah is Divine				163
		1 Chronicles 17 & 2 Samuel 7			164
		Isaiah 9:6-7			166
		Micah 5:2			171
		Jeremiah 23:5-6			175
		Psalm 110:1			179
		Daniel 9:24-27			183
		Isaiah 7-12			193
		Isaiah 50:1, 4-9			194
		Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12			195
		Zechariah 11:12-14, 12:10, 13:7			196
Chapter 8	Summary				207
Appendices					215
	How to become one with G-d				215
	References to Echad in the Torah				229
	The Word: Verbal Plenary Inspiration				239
	The Drift Away from the Bible				250
Bibliography					263
Author Index					277
Proper Names and Places Index					281
Scripture Index					285
Subject Index					295

Preface

Words from the Author

I love the Jewish people and am deeply grieved by the atrocities that the “Christian” Church has committed against the Jewish people over the centuries, I intentionally set out to investigate what the Hebrew Scriptures say about the primary issue that separates Judaism from Christianity--an absolute monotheistic perspective of God that discredits the Christian perspective of God as indivisibly One and a plurality, or more specifically, a tri-unity.

Though I was well aware that the Jewish people have as little historical and theological incentive to personally investigate the Christian “Jesus” as Christians lack clear perception that God’s program for reaching the world is through the Jewish people. Judaism completely rejects with every ounce of strength the whole idea that God is a plurality, and that Messiah could be God. I also knew that few Christians appreciate the evangelistic possibilities if God’s Oneness and plurality (tri-unity) could be proven from the Hebrew Scriptures alone--without the aid of the New Testament. Therefore, I engaged in a two-year thesis study of the primary question, “Does the Old Testament clearly teach both monotheism and plurality or is that combination found only in the New Testament? This volume is an extension of that intensely researched answer.

I have become completely convinced that the Old Testament clearly presents God as both a monotheistic God and a plurality of three persons. Although the smallness of any human mind is incapable of logically explaining this Tri-unity, I have discovered that in the Hebrew Scriptures God presents Himself as “One” God who is plural.

I passionately desire that the Jewish people--the most blessed nation on earth, the nation with some of the world’s greatest intellects, the nation whose people consistently rise to the top in almost every field of endeavor--collectively and individually appropriate that giftedness by carefully considering the Hebrew Scriptures as God wrote them--simply as Hashem Who longs to reveal Himself.

I was dismayed by a related but unexpected additional insight--that even many evangelical Christians do not want to see the Tri-unity of God in the Hebrew Scriptures--that they perform biblical and secular “gymnastics” which is based on humanistic higher criticism with the Scriptures to discount the verbal plenary aspects of Inspiration. I discovered that many popular Christian commentaries ineffectively handle Scriptures related to the nature of God, especially the Trinity in the Hebrew Scriptures.

I acknowledge my limitations as a Hebrew scholar. But with contemporary Hebrew helps and available computer technologies, I am not a novice with the Scriptures. So I am deeply passionate that this book will encourage fundamental Bible believers to maintain their faith before it slips away in response to the pressures of Christian marketing that moves Christian “fluff” and error into the hearts and minds of believers. Steadfast believers need to turn the trend by countering that trend with solid Bible teaching and doctrine that encourages believers to hold firmly to the Scriptures and to walk in them.

Still, beyond that concern for Christian believers is my most intense prayer--that this study may challenge Jewish people to study the claims of Hashem Himself. He is, after all, God.

Summary

Many Christian scholars down play the significance of the Tri-unity of God in the Hebrew Scriptures. Judaism rejects the Tri-unity and the incarnation of God as completely incompatible with Jewish belief. Did the Church create the Trinity out of the New Testament, or was God a tri-unity all throughout the Old Testament and Judaism missed it? Judaism, with every ounce of strength, completely rejects the whole idea that God is a plurality, and that the Messiah could be God. The issue of this book is: Can the plurality or tri-unity of God be clearly proven from the Hebrew Scriptures alone, thus substantiating the fact that the promised Messiah is God and that God is one, yet a plurality?  pgs 300

Endorsements

This is an excellent work on the Tri-unity of God which will help every Christian understand the theological perspective of the Jewish people and become more effective in witness. This book uncovers the large body of evidence that God has given to us in the Hebrew Scriptures regarding the nature of His Person. An exceptionally well-informed and useful study!

Les Lofquist Executive Director of IFCA Int’l

It is impossible to do Jewish ministries using only the New Testament. One must have an excellent knowledge of the Old Testament in the Tri-unity of God, Messianic prophecies of the First Coming of the Messiah and be able to answer Jewish objections on issues such as the virgin birth, and the God/Man concept among other issues while using only the Old Testament. After all, when the Apostles proclaimed the Messiahship of Jesus from "the Scriptures," it meant from the Old Testament since the New Testament had not yet been written. This work by John Metzger is an excellent presentation on the Tri-unity of God, including many of the First Coming prophecies which will give the reader not only expertise in Messianic prophecy, but also on how they correlate with the other areas of biblical doctrine in the New Testament as well. This work is highly recommended.

Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum Founder & Director of Ariel Ministries

John Metzger makes his case and proves his point in a thoroughly convincing and scriptural manner. The treatment of the indivisibility and the plurality of God and the Hebrew names of God in this study are all convincing. We agree with the author that God has given ample evidences of His unity as well as His plurality. God is one God, and yet there is a Tri-unity. The distinctions he makes between biblical and rabbinical Judaism are most helpful. The importance of this critical study cannot be separated from the eternal destiny of Jewish souls. John Metzger enlarges on this thought by saying, "One cannot separate the salvation that was provided in Messiah from his or her belief in the oneness, unity of God and the plurality of God." It isn’t difficult to commend John Metzger for a thorough treatise and an excellent text book.

President Peter Teague President of Lancaster Bible College

In reading John Metzger’s book, "I was delighted and fascinated with what I found in it. He has produced a very careful, exegetical study of not only the names of God and the plural description of God, but also he has given a strong case for the tri-unity of God in the Old Testament. Pastors and laypersons will find enormous help in discussions such as the angel of the Lord, the meaning of the great Shema given in Deuteronomy 6:4, and a great discussion on the precise meaning of the phrase ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one.’ This is a much needed tool to correct and inform the dialogue between Christians and Jewish people as well as for Christians to understand better their own doctrine of the Trinity. This work should bring great blessing to the body of Christ everywhere."

Dr. Walter Kaiser President of Gordon-Cromwell Seminary