Just Who is This Mighty One of Yisrael?
Is He Only the Almighty One of Yisrael?
When we speak of AmYHWH, are we included even if we have no Yisraeli blood flowing through our veins?

The letters from right to left are:

Hebrew	Letter name	Pronunciation
י	YOD	"Y"
ה	(pronounced "hey")	"H" (or sometimes silent)
ו	Vav or Waw	"V" / "W" or placeholder for "O"/"U"
ה	He	"H" or silent

the ancient Jewish name for God. It occurs 5410 times in the Bible:

YHWH is our Creator, our Sustainer, our Protector, our Director. He kills and makes alive. He give rain in due season and gives food and shalom to all who are dedicated and obedient. You may say, "Okay, then where did he come from, who made Him? We will deal with that question before continuing on. We will look at the TaNaKh to see what He says about Himself.

He IS our Creator. All was darkness and confusion until He breathed, not only life, but also light into His creation. Even a tiny light shines clearly and strongly in the absence of illumination but here we speak of the LIGHT so how much more would  the blackness be penetrated. It is so very important to realize that without YHWH, all is darkness. We may have eyes to see, but in darkness, we are blind.

Bereshit (Gen) 1:1-3

1 In the beginning Elohiym (the Mighty One) created the heavens and the earth.
2 And the earth was an empty, confusing nothingness, without light and darkness covered the very the face of the deep. And the Breath, the Mind of the Mighty One moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And He said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Bereshit (Gen) 4:3-5
3 And in process of time it happened that sons of YHWH's original humans had two sons:
The eldest Qayin, called Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to YHWH.
4 And Hevel called Abel,  brought of the firstlings of his flock, as well as the fat of it. And YHWH had respect to Hevel and to his offering:
5 But to Qayin and to his offering He had no respect. And Qayin was very angry and his countenance fell.

Here we see the darkness absorbing the light in the relating of the first murder and that upon a brother. After YHWH had ended His creating, He looked, and it was good.

Mankind did not remain good for long and next we read:

Bereshit (Gen) 6:5-8
5 And YHWH saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented YHWH that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at His heart.
7 And YHWH said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, the creeping thing and the fowl of the air; for it grieved Me that I have made them in the first place.
8 But Noach (whose name means 'Rest') found favor in the eyes of YHWH.

We know the story of the building of the ark to rescue the beasts, birds and fish from a great flood. And only eight human beings boarded the ark.

YHWH showed great anger and His wrath played out in the destroying of all humans, save eight. However, we see He is merciful, faithful and just to protect the obedient and punish or destroy the rebellious.

Bereshit (Gen) 12:1-4

1 Now YHWH had said to Abram, Get out of your country, away from your relatives and from your father's house, unto a land that I will show you:
2 And I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as YHWH had spoken to him; and Lot (Abrams nephew) went with him: and Abram was seventy five years old when he departed out of Haran.
Through Abram, whose name was changed to Abraham, we all have an opportunity to become AmYHWH, His people.

We could never do justice to a description of the Almighty One but we may share some of His attributes and some of the names he has given to Himself.

He is 'Righteous, Truthful, Faithful, Merciful, Kind, Loving, Guiding, Protecting' the I Am, Self-Existent...

YHWH Elohiym, who is the Father of the Fathers of Yisrael. He is the Mighty One of Abraham, Yitschaq (Isaac), and Jacob/Israel (Shemot (Exo) 3:13-15) Other forms of YHWH may be found: YHWH Yireh (Bereshit (Gen) 22:14, "He sees"), YHWH Rophekah (Shemot (Exo) 15:26, "He heals"), YHWH Nissi (Shemot (Exo) 17:15, "My Banner"), YHWH Meqaddishkem (Shemot (Exo) 31:13, "He makes you holy"), YHWH Shalom (Mishpatiym (Jud) 6:24, "YHWH is peace"), YHWH Tseba’oth (Shemuel Alef (1 Sam) 1:3, "YHWH of hosts or armies"), YHWH Tsidqenuh (YermeYahu (Jer) 23:6, "YHWH is our righteousness"), YHWH Shammah (Yequizkiel (Eze) 48:35, "He is there"), YHWH Elyon (Tehillim (Psa) 7:17, "He is most high"), YHWH Ro‘iy, (Tehillim (Psa) 23:1, "He is my shepherd"), just to name a few..

The entire book of Yechizkiel (Eze) may be understood as a prophecy that shows that the Creator does not name Himself in an empty manner: "I am YHWH" is affirmed repeatedly throughout the book.

Combinations of terms with El or Elohiym are also quite frequent in the Tanakh, Bereshit . (Gen) 14:18-22 possesses a play on the names for the Almighty One and claims that El Elyown (El Most High) as the begetter (Qoneh) of the heavens and the earth is the one who is Abram’s Shield or Protector. El Shaddai (Mighty One of Provision, Bereshit (Gen) 17:1) was known commonly among the ancestors of Yisrael (Shemot (Exo) 6:3), long before the great I-AM had given Moshe the name YHWH with which Moshe could confront Paroh in Mitzrayim (Egypt).

Using the term 'El' in certain combinations can refer to angels, mighty heroes or men, as well as The Almighty One. El Olam (Mighty One of Forever, Bereshit (Gen) 21:33) bears the interaction of the Mighty One’s eternity with created time. El Rachum (Mighty One of Compassion, Shemot (Exo) 34:6) signifies the way the Mighty One is in the conception of Yisrael, even when they do not realize who he truly is. El Emunah (Mighty One of Faithfulness, D'variym (Deu) 32:4) refers to the Almighty One whom Yisrael can trust with her future.

As you may notice, it is not an easy question, nor can we find easy answers. The best way to know who He is would be to read His instruction found in Torah and then make up your mind to obey what you find there. Be like Abram (Abraham), when YHWH says go, prove you faithfulness by getting on your feet and going.

TOC