We need not venture far from Genesis 1:1, where the plural form for God is used in the original Hebrew until we encounter other mysterious uses of the plural. The word “Elohim” is “Gods”, plural. Yet, it is translated in English “God”, singular. Trinitarians are persuaded this very first verse of the Bible indicates a plurality of persons in the Deity. It could be more easily dismissed if it were not for multiple other expressions. In Genesis 1:26, we encounter, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” Some have tried to insert angels here, thinking they aided God in the creation of man, but such is utterly without warrant. Nowhere in Scripture are angels, themselves created beings, endowed with any creative ability. In addition to the plural “us“ being used, the plural “Elohim” is again employed in the same verse. “Elohim”, plural, said, “Let us” (another plural) “make man is our” (another plural) “image“. It appears the plurality of persons in the Godhead is simply inescapable. And how many times is the Hebrew plural “Elohim” used when the word “God” appears? 2570 times, to be precise. That ought to tell us something, and, in the use of “Elohim”, the plural for God, it is accompanied with the singular form of verbs and adjectives, such as, “In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth.” “God” is plural, that is, “Elohim”, but “created” is singular. Dozens of other instances are the same. There are places where the singular pronoun is used with the plural “Elohim”, as in “I am Elohim, and there is no Elohim beside Me.” Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 45, verses 5 and 22. We already referenced Genesis 1:26, “and let us make man in our image”, and following in 3:22, it speaks of man as becoming one of us.
Remember the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11? God says, “Let us go down and confound their language.” In Genesis 35, Jacob builds an altar at Bethel and calls it “El Bethel”, the God of the house of God, “because there the ‘Elohim’ revealed themselves to him.” Did you get that? What shall we say to these and enumerable other instances? Only carelessness or ignorance can simply dismiss them as having no significance. Of course, those with no understanding or appreciation of the Bible and its divine origin have no grasp of what the inspiration of the Scriptures entail, but, for Christians who do, we must accord these references to a plurality of persons in the Godhead with great seriousness, while also maintaining the concept of there being but one God.
Most of the example considered are in the very first book of the Bible, and the first one is in the very first verse. It strongly suggests God is revealing something very special and important at the very outset.
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