YHWH, El Shaddai, El Elyon, and Jesus: One God, Not Distinct Entities Claims that treat YHWH, El Shaddai, El Elyon, and Jesus as distinct entities misread both the Old Testament’s use of divine titles and the New Testament’s consistent application of those titles to Jesus. The biblical data show a single God of Israel whose personal name is YHWH, who is described by multiple titles, and who is revealed in the New Testament as the same God who became incarnate in Jesus Christ. The Titles Belong to the One God of Israel In the Hebrew Bible the various names and titles are not separate deities but descriptive designations of the same covenant God. YHWH (the Tetragrammaton, often rendered “LORD”) is the personal, covenant name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14–15 (“I AM WHO I AM”). It occurs more than 6,800 times and emphasizes God’s self-existence and faithfulness. El Shaddai (“God Almighty” or “All-Sufficient One”) appears especially in the patriarchal narratives (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; Exodus 6:3). It stresses God’s power and sufficiency to fulfill covenant promises. El Elyon (“God Most High”) is used by Melchizedek and Abram in Genesis 14:18–22 and appears in parallel with YHWH in the Psalms (e.g., Psalm 7:17; 47:2). It highlights God’s supreme sovereignty. These titles function interchangeably with YHWH and Elohim. Genesis 14:22 equates El Elyon with YHWH. Exodus 6:3 links El Shaddai to the God who later reveals Himself as YHWH. Psalm 91:1 places “the Most High” and “the Almighty” in poetic parallelism. Nothing in the Old Testament presents them as distinct entities; they are alternative ways of referring to the one God who created the heavens and the earth, made covenant with Abraham, and redeemed Israel from Egypt. Old Testament Messianic Texts Assign Divine Titles to the Coming King Several passages give the future Messiah titles and attributes reserved for YHWH. Isaiah 9:6 declares that the child born to David’s line will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God (El Gibbor), Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The identical phrase El Gibbor is used of YHWH in Isaiah 10:21. While some Jewish interpreters have read the titles as describing God who acts through a human king (or as theophoric names), the Targum and other ancient sources treat the passage messianically, and the New Testament context of Matthew 4:14–16 links the surrounding chapter to Jesus. Isaiah 7:14 announces a son named Immanuel (“God with us”), which Matthew 1:23 applies directly to Jesus. Micah 5:2 describes the ruler from Bethlehem whose origins are “from of old, from everlasting,” language of eternity applied to YHWH elsewhere. Jeremiah 23:5–6 calls the righteous Branch “The LORD our Righteousness” (YHWH Tsidkenu). Zechariah 12:10 has YHWH say that people will look on “me whom they have pierced,” a text John 19:37 applies to the crucified Jesus. These are not statements about separate beings. They are prophecies that the Messiah participates in the identity and work of YHWH. Theophanies Identify the Visible God with the Pre-Incarnate Christ Repeated appearances of “the Angel of the LORD” and other visible manifestations of YHWH are best understood as Christophanies—appearances of the Son before the Incarnation. The figure is called God, speaks as YHWH, receives worship, and is distinguished from the Father (e.g., Genesis 19:24; Zechariah 1:12). Key examples include: Genesis 16:7–13 (Hagar names the angel “the God who sees”). Genesis 18 (YHWH appears to Abraham as one of three men). Genesis 32:24–30 (Jacob wrestles a man and says he has seen God face to face). Exodus 3 (the Angel in the burning bush declares “I AM” and “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”). Joshua 5:13–15 (the commander of the LORD’s army accepts worship on holy ground). John 1:18 and 6:46 state that no one has seen the Father. Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15) and the one who makes the Father known. The consistent early Christian reading (Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and many later writers) is that these theophanies are the Son. They are not appearances of a different god; they are appearances of YHWH the Son. The New Testament Directly Applies YHWH Texts to Jesus The strongest evidence is the New Testament’s practice of taking passages that originally speak of YHWH and applying them to Jesus. In the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), YHWH is already rendered Kyrios (“Lord”), and the New Testament writers continue that usage for Jesus. Prominent examples include: Isaiah 40:3 (“Prepare the way of the LORD/YHWH”) is applied to the ministry of John the Baptist preparing for Jesus (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23). Psalm 110:1 (“The LORD [YHWH] said to my Lord [Adonai]”) is cited repeatedly to show that the Messiah is greater than David and is exalted to YHWH’s right hand (Matthew 22:44; Acts 2:34–35; Hebrews 1:13). Hebrews 1:8–9 applies Psalm 45:6–7 (“Your throne, O God…”) to the Son. Hebrews 1:10–12 applies Psalm 102:25–27 (Creator language addressed to YHWH) to the Son. Hebrews 1:6 applies the command for angels to worship YHWH (Psalm 97:7 / Deuteronomy 32:43 LXX) to the Son. Philippians 2:10–11 applies Isaiah 45:23 (“to me every knee shall bow”) to Jesus. Romans 10:13 quotes Joel 2:32 (“everyone who calls on the name of the LORD/YHWH will be saved”) and identifies that Lord as Jesus. 1 Peter 2:3 alludes to Psalm 34:8 (“taste and see that the LORD is good”) of the Lord Jesus. 1 Peter 3:15 alludes to Isaiah 8:13 (“sanctify the LORD”) of Christ. John 12:41 states that Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus when he saw YHWH’s glory in Isaiah 6. Revelation 1:17 and 22:13 give Jesus the title “the First and the Last,” taken from Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12 of YHWH. Jesus’ absolute “I am” statements (especially John 8:58) echo both Exodus 3:14 and the “I am he” declarations of YHWH in Isaiah 40–48. Additional titles unique or nearly unique to YHWH—Savior (Isaiah 43:11), Good Shepherd (Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34), Rock (Deuteronomy 32), Lord of lords (Deuteronomy 10:17)—are likewise applied to Jesus. Conclusion YHWH, El Shaddai, and El Elyon are not distinct entities. They are the personal name and descriptive titles of the one true God of Israel. The Old Testament anticipates a Messiah who bears divine titles and attributes. The New Testament identifies that Messiah as Jesus and systematically applies the very texts and titles of YHWH to Him. The visible appearances of God in the Old Testament are appearances of the Son, who later became incarnate. The data therefore contradict any view that treats YHWH, El Shaddai, El Elyon, and Jesus as separate beings. They support the historic Christian confession that the one God who revealed Himself as YHWH, El Shaddai, and El Elyon is the same God who took on flesh in Jesus Christ—the eternal Son who shares the divine identity, receives the worship due YHWH, and is the full revelation of the Father.