The Greater and Lesser Yahweh Exodus 23:21

# The Greater and Lesser Yahweh  

## *Two Powers in Heaven (Shtei Rashuyot Ba-Shamayim)*  

During the Second Temple period, some Jewish texts introduced the idea of a second divine figure, either beside YHWH or beneath Him. This concept developed into the belief that there were multiple "powers in heaven" (*shtei rashuyot ba-shamayim*), a teaching later deemed heretical in rabbinic Judaism (Mishnah *Sanhedrin* 4:5 – Sefaria).  

In mystical and esoteric Jewish traditions, these two powers were sometimes referred to as the *Greater Yahweh* and the *Lesser Yahweh*. This distinction is found in Merkabah texts such as *3 Enoch*, where the angel Metatron is called "the Lesser YHWH" (3 Enoch 48B:1[44]; 48D:1[90]). Similarly, in Gnostic literature such as *Pistis Sophia* and the *Book of Jeu*, we encounter "Great Iao" and "Little Iao" (*Pistis Sophia*, chs. 7 [twice], 86, 140; *Book of Jeu*, ch. 50), possibly corresponding to these designations.  

## Two Yahwehs in the Bible  

The idea of two Yahwehs is suggested in passages where one Yahweh appears to speak or act on behalf of another Yahweh.  

### *The Angel of Yahweh in Exodus 23:20-21*  

> *"See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him."* (Exodus 23:20-21)  

This angel carries the divine Name and possesses authority to judge sin, suggesting an identity closely tied to Yahweh Himself.  

### *Yahweh Speaking to Yahweh in Exodus 24:1-2*  

> *"And to Moses He (Yahweh) said: 'Go up to Yahweh...'"* (Exodus 24:1)  

Here, Yahweh commands Moses to approach another Yahweh, reinforcing the idea of two Yahwehs.  

### *Elohim and El in Genesis 35:1*  

> *"Then Elohim said to Jacob, 'Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to El, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.'"*  

This passage differentiates between *Elohim* and *El*, suggesting a hierarchy within the divine realm.  

### *Yahweh Calling Upon Yahweh in Genesis 19:24*  

> *"Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven."*  

One Yahweh appears to act on behalf of another Yahweh, further supporting the concept of two Yahwehs.  

### *Amos 4:11 – The Lesser Yahweh and the Greater Yahweh*  

> *"I overthrew some of you, As Elohim overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a burning stick plucked from the burning; Yet you have not returned to me," Says Yahweh.*  

Here, the "I" (Yahweh) overthrows like *Elohim* overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. This implies a Yahweh distinct from Elohim.  

## Yahweh as the Head Angel  

Jewish angelology often presents Yahweh as manifesting through angelic figures. Genesis 18 describes Yahweh appearing to Abraham, yet the text states that three men (*Elohim*) stood before him. The lead figure in this group is later identified as Yahweh, suggesting an angelic Yahweh figure.  

## Second-Century Jewish Literature: *Metatron as the Lesser Yahweh*  

### *The Third Book of Enoch (3 Enoch 12:1-5)*  

Metatron, identified as Enoch after his transformation, is called the "Lesser YHWH":  

> *"And He called me THE LESSER YHWH in the presence of all His heavenly household; as it is written (Ex. 23:21): 'For my name is in him.'"* (*3 Enoch* 12:5)  

Metatron is thus depicted as a divine figure bearing the Name of Yahweh.  

### *3 Enoch 48C – Metatron’s Exaltation*  

> *"I made honor, majesty, and glory his garment; beauty, pride, and strength, his outer robe, and a kingly crown, 500 times 500 parasangs, his diadem. I bestowed on him some of my majesty, some of my magnificence, some of the splendor of my glory... and I called him by my name, 'The Lesser YHWH, Prince of the Divine Presence, knower of secrets.'”*  

This passage reflects the belief that Yahweh's authority could be delegated to a principal angelic figure.  

## The Logos as the Mediator and Energizer of Angels  

The Logos, as described by Philo of Alexandria, serves as the intermediary between God and creation. Philo attributes to the Logos the role of empowering and sustaining angelic beings.  

### *Logos as the Chief of Angels*  

> *“And even if there be not as yet any one who is worthy to be called a son of God, nevertheless let him labor earnestly to be adorned according to his first-born word [Logos], the eldest of his angels, as the great archangel of many names; for he is called the authority, and the name of God, and the Word, and man according to God's image, and he who sees Israel.”*  

— *On the Confusion of Tongues* 146  

### *The Logos as the Mediator of Divine Energy*  

> *“For God, as shepherd and king, governs (περιαντλεῖ) the universe in accordance with law and justice, setting over it His true Logos, His first-born son, who is to receive the charge of this sacred flock, as though he were the lieutenant of a great king.”*  

— *On the Husbandry* 51  

### *The Logos as the Source of Angelic Motion and Action*  

> *“This same Word [Logos] is continually a suppliant to the immortal God on behalf of the mortal race, which is exposed to affliction and misery; and is also the ambassador sent by the Ruler of all to the subject race.”*  

— *Who is the Heir of Divine Things?* 205  

### *The Logos as the Power Behind Angelic Visions*  

> *“For it was indispensable that the man devoted to God should make use of the ministrations of the divine Word [Logos], which is superior to all the angels, inasmuch as it has been called the eldest of all, the archangel with many names.”*  

— *On Dreams* 1.157  

Philo describes the Logos as the chief angel, the firstborn of God, who energizes and sustains the angels in their roles.  

## The Demiurge and the Logos  

According to Heracleon’s commentary on John 1:3:  

> *“All things were made through Him," means that it was the Word who caused the Craftsman (Demiurge) to make the world, that is it was not the Word ‘from whom’ or ‘by whom,’ but the one ‘through whom (all things were made).’”*  

This suggests that the Demiurge, often equated with the *Elohim*, operates under the influence of the Logos.  

### *Elohim as the Demiurge*  

Ptolemy, a Valentinian teacher, explains that the Law was given through angels (*Elohim*), aligning with Acts 7:53, Galatians 3:19, and Hebrews 2:2. This suggests that the *Elohim*, as intermediaries, function as the Demiurge—divine agents governing the material world.  

### *Conclusion: The Logos and the Lesser Yahweh*  

While *3 Enoch* attributes the title of *Lesser YHWH* to Metatron, the broader tradition suggests that this role aligns more closely with the Logos. The Logos serves as the intermediary power, energizing the angelic host and directing the Demiurge in shaping the cosmos. This perspective bridges Jewish angelology with early Christian thought, positioning the Logos as the ultimate mediator between the divine and the created world.

https://youtu.be/Kab_farFCOA

Waves and particles

Waves and particles.‭ A ‬claim has been‭ made ‬in‭ ‬the‭ ‬scientific world that gravity wavers have been detected from‭ ‬stars‭ ‬(black holes‭) ‬that are said to have‭ c‬ollided I billion years ago (Times 12/2).‭


The detectors were laser beam instruments placed‭ 2000‬ miles apart in the USA,‭ which detected these minute oscillatio‬ns,‭ ‬and interpreted them as gravity waves‭ ‬proving‭ ‬Einstein's Relativity‭ Theory, that gravity is caused by ‬space-time bending around celestial bodies‭ ‬(stars,‭ ‬planets‭)‬.‭

An‭ ‬alternative‭ ‬theory of gravity which is being attempted to be proved by the Hadron Collider ‭ ‬is that gravity is caused‭ by particles of energy called gravitons. If so, this would prove Newton’s theory of‬gravity,‭ ‬that‭ ‬gravity is emitted by all matter, ie. gravity is a property of matter, an attractive‭ force that holds everything in place in the universe, through ‬mutual attraction,‭ ‬and is little different‭ ‬than‭ ‬photons which are the particles/waves of light‭ transmitted ‬through the ether or space from stars,‭ the difference being ‬that gravitons are‭ massless.

‭COMMENT; Obviously if two stars collide all‭ ‬kinds of as‭ ‬particles‭ ‬and waves will be emitted over long distances through the cosmos.‭ ‬All‭ ‬are simply forms‭ ‬of‭ ‬energy or Spirit which emanates from Yahweh, the great focal centre of the Cosmos and‭ ‬source of all energy.‭ ‬All these‭ particles and waves (photons, gravitons, bosuns,, neutrinos, antimatter etc. are simply diverse manifestations of spirit which is everywhere in the cosmos, all pervading and proves the scripture (Psa 139). The wave particle duality of matter has long been known an is in fact a profound mystery b‬oth at the quantum physics level and the astrological level, showing indeed that it is the spirit‭ power ‬of Deity which cannot be readily understood by mortal man. In fact there are laws of physics operating in the Cosmos that man knows‭ nothing about, although he is frantically trying to find out and exploit for his own corrupt and vain purposes, as he did with atom power (e=mc2).

Yahweh created Evil Isaiah 45:7

Yahweh is Satan by making Evil

God is present everywhere and at the same time God also has unlimited power so there cannot be an opposing power in the universe there is the idea that the good things in life come from God and the bad things from the Devil or Satan.

But this is not what the bible teaches "I am Yahweh, and there is none else, there is no God beside me...I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil (N.I.V. "disaster"): I Yahweh do all these things" (Is.45:5-7,22).

God creates peace and He creates evil, or disaster. God is the author, the creator of "evil" in this sense. In this sense there is a difference between "evil" and sin, which is man's fault; it entered the world as a result of man, not God (Rom.5:12).

God create evil] i.e. not moral evil, but physical evil, calamity. Cf. Amos 3:6, “shall evil befall a city and Jehovah hath not done it?”

Moral evil proceeds from the will of man, physical evil from the will of God, who sends it as the punishment of sin

Sin and evil are as cause and effect. God is the author of evil, but not of sin; for the evil is the punishment of sin. "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I, Yahweh, do all these things." (Isa. 45:7) "Shall there be evil in a city, and Yahweh has not done it?" (Amos 3:6) The evil then to which man is subjected is Yahweh's doing. War, famine, pestilence, flood, earthquake, disease, and death, are the terrible evils which God inflicts upon mankind for their transgressions. Nations cannot go to war when they please, any more than they can shake the earth at their will and pleasure; neither can they preserve peace, when He proclaims war. Evil is the artillery with which He combats the enemies of His law, and of His the holy ones; consequently, there will be neither peace nor blessedness for the nations, until sin is put down, His people avenged, and truth and righteousness be established in the earth

Because the word 'satan' just means an adversary, a good person, even God Himself, can be termed a 'satan'. In essence there is nothing necessarily sinful about the word itself. The sinful implications which the word 'satan' has are partly due to the fact that our own sinful nature is our biggest 'satan' or adversary, and also due to the fact that the word satan is a personification of human nature the use of the word in the language of the world refers to something associated with sin.

God Himself can be a satan to us by means of bringing trials into our lives, or by standing in the way of a wrong course of action we may be embarking on. But the fact that God can be called a 'satan' does not mean that He Himself is sinful.

The books of Samuel and Chronicles are parallel accounts of the same incidents, as the four gospels are records of the same events but using different language. 2 Sam.24:1 records: "Yahweh...moved David against Israel" in order to make him take a number of Israel.

The parallel account in 1 Chron.21:1 says that "Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David" to take the number. In one passage God does the provoking, in the other Satan does it. The only conclusion is that God acted as a 'satan' or adversary to David. He did the same to Job by bringing trials into his life, so that Job said about God: "With thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me" (Job 30:21); 'You are acting as a satan against me', was what Job was basically saying.

At the end of the book, Job's friends comforted him over "all the evil that Yahweh had brought upon him" (Job 42:11 cp. 19:21; 8:4). Thus God is the source of "evil" in the sense of being the ultimate permitter of the problems that we have in our lives.

1 Chr 21:1 - Satan stood up against Israel and enticed David to number the people. David told Joab and the leaders of the nation 'Get out there and count Israel from Beersheba to Dan and give me the total.'

Nothing wrong on the face of it, though it should be pointed out that since the verse itself offers no clue to the adversary’s identity “he” might have been any individual or thing opposed (adverse) to David's well-being. The translators had to have used some other source than 1 Chronicles to deduce David’s satan was their old friend “Satan the Devil.” The second occurrence is found in 1 Samuel. You can convince yourself the events are the same by comparing the people, place, and result in each.

2 Sam 24:1 - The wrath of Yahweh was again kindled against Israel and He (KJV margin: satan,
“the adversary”) set David against them, saying: 'Go number Israel.'

So who’s in charge here? Does this mean everywhere Yahweh appears it could be Satan? Or does it mean everywhere Satan appears it could be Yahweh? No wonder false-Christians are waffling. They assume Satan was originally one of Yahweh’s angels who revolted against the ”Heavenly Host.” They assume he lost and was booted out of Paradise. To top it off, they also assume Satan had no more to do afterward but seduce weak, dim-witted humans to sin. What's wrong with the idea is there’s no verse in the Bible saying the Elohim (angels) ever rejected the Deity’s supremacy. And what should be apparent to all is there’s no evidence anywhere to prove human beings need any help opposing God’s will.