Who is the God of the First Angel's Message?
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good tidings to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people; 7 and he saith with a great voice, Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.
So, who is this “God” to whom we should give glory and worship? According to the angel, it is the God who “made the heaven and the earth...” – the Creator. To find the identity of the Creator, let's start at the very beginning...
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God[elohiym] created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit[rûwach] of God[elohiym] moved upon the face of the waters.
Strong's Concordance definitions of Hebrew words:
elohiym
H430 אלהים 'ĕlôhı̂ym, el-o-heem' Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
rûwach
H7307 רוּחַ rûwach, roo'-akh; from H7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions):—air, anger, blast, breath, × cool, courage, mind, × quarter, × side, spirit(-ual), tempest, × vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).
So, in Gen 1:2, we have the breath/life of elohiym moving "upon the face of the waters". This understanding seems consistent with Gen 2:7 & Jn 20:22.
Genesis 1:26 And God[elohiym] said, Let us make man in our image, ...
So, who is this elohiym Creator God?
Genesis 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God[elohiym] made earth and heaven.
Exodus 20:11 for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
More of Jehovah as Creator: Psalm96:5; Psalm136:1,5,6,7,8,9; Isaiah37:16; Isaiah40:28; Isaiah42:5; Isaiah43:1,7,15; Isaiah45:7,11,12,18; Isaiah66:2; Jeremiah10:10,11,12; Nehemiah9:6; Amos4:13; Amos9:6
Ok... but who was Jehovah speaking to in Gen1:26, when He said "Let us..."?
After the earth was created, and the beasts upon it, the Father and Son carried out their purpose, which was designed before the fall of Satan, to make man in their own image. They had wrought together in the creation of the earth and every living thing upon it. And now God says to his Son, “Let us make man in our image...” -Ellen White, 1SP 24.2
But wait! The Bible says the Creator was Jehovah and Ellen says it was Christ's Father. Why?
Jehovah, our Father, and His Son Jesus Christ are alone to be exalted. The knowledge of God is eternal life to those who receive it. -Ellen White (Ms11-1898.11)
So, not only is Jehovah the Creator, but He is also Christ's Father. The following NT texts confirm His Father created all things through Christ, thereby linking Father's identity to Jehovah of the OT:
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
But what "God" is Paul referring to? In a letter to believers in Corinth, Paul makes this clear:
1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
The author of Hebrews agrees and adds clarity:
Hebrews 1:1-2 God... Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
John 1:3-4 (NLT) "God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created,* and his life brought light to everyone. *(1:3-4 Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything.)"
Notice that Paul claimed there is "but one God". Jesus agrees:
John 17:1-3 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, ... this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
We see here that Jesus identifies His Father as the "only true God" and says this is a matter of eternal life. He may have been making reference to Jerimiah:
Jeremiah 10:10 But Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King:... 11 ... The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens. 12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens.
Here we see Jehovah as the "true God", "living God" and Creator. In the "Revelation of Jesus Christ"(Rev1:1), Christ revealed the "living God" as the one who seals the 144,000:
Revelation 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand...
Does Christ further identify the "living God"? Yes:
Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Christ, through John further identified His Father as the "living God", since this is the God of the 144,000:
Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Luke further identifies the "living God" as the Creator:
Acts 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
Does Christ further-identify His Father as Jehovah?
Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.
Surely, Jesus could only be speaking of His Father, in light of Jn17:3, right? It is well-established that Jesus was here quoting Moses:
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah: 5 and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (see note at the end of this study concerning the word "one")
Jehovah and His OT prophets also agree that there is only one God - Jehovah:
Deuteronomy 4:35 Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest know that Jehovah he is God; there is none else besides him.
2 Samuel 7:22 Wherefore thou art great, O Jehovah God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
1 Kings 8:60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that Jehovah, he is God; there is none else.
2 Kings 19:15 And Hezekiah prayed before Jehovah, and said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, that sittest above the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
Nehemiah 9:6 Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
Isaiah 37:16 O Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, that sittest above the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
Isaiah 42:8 I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise unto graven images.
Isaiah 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour.
Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God. 7 ... 8 ... Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no Rock; I know not any.
Isaiah 45:5 I am Jehovah, and there is none else; besides me there is no God. ... there is none besides me: I am Jehovah, and there is none else.... 21 ... who hath declared it of old? have not I, Jehovah? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none besides me.
Isaiah 52:5 Now therefore, what do I here, saith Jehovah, seeing that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them do howl, saith Jehovah, and my name continually all the day is blasphemed. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak; behold, it is I.
Hosea 13:4 Yet I am Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt; and thou shalt know no god but me, and besides me there is no saviour.
Joel 2:27 And ye shall know that ... I am Jehovah your God, and there is none else; and my people shall never be put to shame.
Zechariah 14:9 And Jehovah shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall Jehovah be one, and his name one.
Ellen also agrees that Jehovah is the only God:
Make the word of the living God your lessonbook. If this had always been done, students lost to the cause of God would now be missionaries. Jehovah is the only true God, and HE is to be reverenced and worshiped." (E.White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol.6, p.166)
Notice her use of "the only true God", seemingly a quote from Jesus, identifying His Father (Jn 17:3). What shall we say then, who is the "God" of the 1st Angel's Message? To whom should we give glory and worship? How can it be any other than "Jehovah, our Father" -- Christ's Father?
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good tidings to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people; 7 and he saith with a great voice, Fear [Jehovah, the Father of Christ], and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.
Exodus 20:2 I am Jehovah thy God[elohiym], who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Here, we saw the 1st Angel's Message and the 1st Commandment both declaring Jehovah as the only elohiym to be worshiped. Ellen agrees:
Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent, uncreated One, Himself the Source and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme reverence and worship. Man is forbidden to give to any other object the first place in his affections or his service. Whatever we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere with the service due Him, of that do we make a god. -Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, 305.4
Does Ellen bring additional clarity to the identity of the Creator? Yes:
"Before the entrance of evil there was peace and joy throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with the Creator's will. Love for God was supreme, love for one another impartial. Christ the Word, the Only Begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,—one in nature, in character, and in purpose,—the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. By Christ the Father wrought in the creation of all heavenly beings. “By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, ... whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers” (Colossians 1:16); and to Christ, equally with the Father, all heaven gave allegiance." -Ellen G. White, GC 493.1
“The great Creator assembled the heavenly host, that he might in the presence of all the angels confer special honor upon his Son. The Son was seated on the throne with the Father, and the heavenly throng of holy angels was gathered around them. The Father then made known that it was ordained by himself that Christ should be equal with himself; so that wherever was the presence of his Son, it was as his own presence. His word was to be obeyed as readily as the word of the Father. His Son he had invested with authority to command the heavenly host. Especially was he to work in union with himself in the anticipated creation of the earth and every living thing that should exist upon it. His Son would carry out his will and his purposes, but would do nothing of himself alone. The Father's will would be fulfilled in him. Satan was jealous and envious of Jesus Christ. Yet when all the angels bowed to Jesus to acknowledge his supremacy and high authority and rightful rule, Satan bowed with them; but his heart was filled with envy and hatred.” (Ellen White, The Signs of the Times, January 9, 1879; also in Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, pages 18, 19)
"The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. The Son of God shared the Father's throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both. About the throne gathered the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng--'ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands' (Revelation 5:11.), the most exalted angels, as ministers and subjects, rejoicing in the light that fell upon them from the presence of the Deity. Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will. The Son of God had wrought the Father's will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; and to Him, as well as to God, their homage and allegiance were due." -EllenWhite, PP 36.2
"In the beginning the Father and the Son had rested upon the Sabbath after Their work of creation ... Heaven and earth will unite in praise, as 'from one Sabbath to another' (Isa. 66:23) the nations of the saved shall bow in joyful worship to God and the Lamb." -Ellen White, DA 769.2
Additional Note: There are some who claim that the Hebrew word "echad", translated "one" in Deut6:4, "means a oneness composed of a plurality." However, this is inconsistent with the OT use of this word, and with Ellen's writings identifying Jehovah as the Father of Christ. Surely Christ does NOT have a Father "composed of a plurality" of persons. To me, this seems obvious, given the quotes and texts presented in this study. But, for a deeper study of "echad", see: http://sidnash.org/t/echad.php