Isaiah 46:9 - Remember the former things of old: for I am God (EL, Strong's #430), and there is none else; [I am] God, and there is none like me; -- American Standard Version.
There is indeed none who have the same likeness of being the "one God" from whom are all. (1 Corinthians 8:6) Not even Jesus is like God in this sense, because God has made Jesus to be the "one Lord" THROUGH whom are all. As designating the "one God" from whom are all, forms of EL in the Bible obviously take on the meaning of Supreme Mighty One. There is only one who is the Supreme Mighty One, and that one is the God and Father of Jesus.
Isaiah 46:9 contain two forms of EL that are rendered as "God" in most (but not all) translations. Nevertheless, forms of EL (Strong's #410, 430, etc) are used in the Bible in other than designating the Supreme Mighty One or false gods. We should remember the basic meaning of the Hebrew word EL is might, power, strength. As such it is used in other ways without speaking of either the Almighty God or false gods. For instance, when Laban spoke of the EL (Strong's 410) in his hand (Genesis 31:29), was he speaking of the Supreme Being in his hand, or simply the might, strength in this hand? He certainly was not speaking of the false god of his hand. Was Laban being henotheistic in referring to the EL of his hand? Most translators do not rend EL in Genesis 31:29 as either "God" or "god", but usually with words such as "power", "might", or "strength". This falls back to the basic means of forms of EL. There is definitely nothing in Isaiah 43:10 or anywhere else in the entire Bible that presents Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as being more than one person or as being three persons. Should we believe that when Laban spoke of the EL (god, might, strength -- Strong's #410) in his hand (Genesis 31:29) that he was speaking of having the Almighty God Jehovah in his hand, or that he was speaking of having a false god in his hand? Indeed, I do not know of any translation that renders EL in Genesis 31:29 as either "god" or "God", since, in English, we would not normally use the English word "god" when speaking of the might or power in one's hand.
The King James Version (KJV) renders forms of EL as "power" in Genesis 31:29; Nehemiah 5:5 and Proverbs 3:27. In these verses the Hebrew word EL is definitely not referring to the Supreme Mighty One nor to false gods. The KJV renders forms of EL as "might", "mighty" or "mighty one" in the following verses: Deuteronomy 28:32; Psalms 29:1; 82:1; 89:6; Ezekiel 31:11. A form of EL is rendered in the KJV as "strong" in Ezekiel 32:21. In view of this, one should understand that forms of EL and THEOS may be used of Jesus to designate him as "mighty" or "a mighty one" without designating Jesus as being the Almighty God, Jehovah.
Strong's gives several numbers to variations of the Hebrew world EL (Strong's 410). One of the destinations is that of what is often transliterated as ELOHIM; Strong classifies many forms of EL under the general classification as ELOHIM, giving it a separated number, that is, Hebrew #430. ELOHIM is actually a plural form of another of Strong's classifications of forms of the EL, which he gives the number of 433. ELOHIM (Strong's 430) is plural in form, but is most often used as plural intensive, that is, it is used as though it were singular but with a superior or superlative application. Thus, ELOHIM is based on ELOAH (Strong's #433), which is turn is a form of EL (Strong's #410).
However, are forms of ELOHIM always used only of Jehovah and false gods? An examination of its usage in the Old Testament reveals that it's usage is not exclusive to Jehovah and false gods. Briefly, the Moses was made ELOHIM (a mightier one, or a superior mighty one) to Pharoah. (Exodus 7:1) Some translation add the word "as" before "God" in Exodus 7:1; other add "like" so as to render it as "like God". Actually, there is nothing in the Hebrew to designate that it should be rendered "as God" or "like God". ELOHIM in Exodus 7:1 is indefinite; it does not have a definite article, thus it could be rendered as "a god", as it is in the King James Version. We believe the best rendering of ELOHIM in Exodus 7:1 would be "a mighty one", or, to signify the superior usage of the plural intensive application, it could be rendered as "a mightier one", "stronger", etc. Regardless of how it is rendered in English, the same general application would apply to scriptures wherein the forms EL or THEOS are applied to Messiah, who is not the "one God" from whom are all, but rather the "one Lord" through whom are all. (1 Corinthians 8:6) Jesus is a mighty one, but much greater than the might and power that Jehovah gave to Moses. Thus, for instance, the application theos to the Logos in John 1:1 could be rendered as 'god", "a god", "mighty", or "a mighty one", without any of the English renderings designating Jesus as being God Almighty or a false god.
There are other instance in the Bible in which ELOHIM is used with speaking of God Almighty or false gods. I recommend that one pray to God and take the time to study the information we have presented in our studies:
Aside From Jehovah, There is No God
The Hebraic Usage of the Titles for "God"
True God Versus False God = False Dichotomy
"I am" in Isaiah 46:9
Some endeavor to emphasize "I am" in this verse, obviously in an attempt to make it appear that Jesus was claiming to be "God' who is spoken of in in this verse. Usually they use John 8:58 and some other places in the New Testament where Jesus is quoted as using "Ego Eimi", which is often translated as "I am". Actually, the Hebrew text does not have the verb for "am" in this verse. Additionally, there is no verb form "there is" in the Hebrew text. Both of these verb forms have to be added by translators. Literally rendered it would read ""God other and no God I for of old the former things remember like me and none." In other words, this verse in the Hebrew contains no verbs at all. Unlike English, Hebrew sentences do not require verbs. In this verse (as in is often true in many verses throughout the Bible), which verbs are meant and where they are to be placed has to be determined by the English translators. But many wish to connect this with the usage of the verb often transliterated as EHJEH, or EHYEH as found in the Hebrew text at Exodus 3:14. The reality is that Isaiah 46:9 does not have the verb as found in Exodus 3:14.
See our links to Studies Related to Ehjeh and "I am"
References:
Some of these links give opinions of scholars and often the opinions are stated as fact; we do not necessarily agree with all opinions given.
Biblehub Interlinear for Isaiah 46:9
Various translations of Isaiah 46:9
Biblestudytools
Bible dot com
Bible Hub
Biblehub Hebrew analysis of Isaiah 46:9
Strong's #410 definitions and opinions given by different scholars
Strong's #430 definitions and opinions given by different scholars
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