Dear Friends in Faith,
No, I'm not asking who would win in a Father-Son arm wrestling match...but, it is my understanding that the LDS Church teaches that Jehovah and Elohim are separate individuals, namely, God the Son and God the Father, respectively. Is this true?
If so, how do Mormons interpret verses such as Isaiah 43:10-11? "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord [Jehovah or Yahweh], 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 [Elohim] formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour."
In the King James OT, I am told that "the Lord" translates Jehovah [or Yahweh as it is more probably pronounced] and "God" translates Elohim. Thus, the above Scipture citation would seem to suggest that Yahweh and Elohim are the same entity. Indeed, Elohim, I have been taught, is just the generic Hebrew word for God or "the Divinities," so it would only make sense for the Israelites to say, "Yahweh is Elohim alone," just as a modern English speaker might say, "The Lord is the only God." Indeed, this is said explicitly in Deuteronomy 4:35, "Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord [Jehovah or Yahweh] he is God [Elohim]; there is none else beside him."
Therefore, how would a Mormon respond?
Sincerely in Christ,
Geoffrey