The English translations of el and elohim, as used in the Old Testament, can be used to refer to any mighty power in general. Similarly, the English word god  most commonly used to translate these terms can refer to a pagan deity or even  idols. Many Christians learn as children that the word godrefers to the Most High when the first letter is capitalized, i.e., God. This method does help a reader to identify Him when reading the Scriptures. However, a listener must learn to differentiate the general from the specific by carefully discerning the context of what is being said.

Therefore, the specific entity that this term refers to depends on the intention of the speaker or writer. For example, a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and tribal religionist all may use the word god to refer to their respective mighty ones, but the identity of each power is not necessarily clear because the term god is so general. However, if they each called their mighty one by his personal name, then the identity of that power would be certain.

The English word god and the Hebrew word elohim are common nouns, not proper  nouns. For example, a man may have a son whom he names Johnny. He may address him as “son.” However, “son” is not his name. “Son” essentially describes who Johnny is to that man. In fact, almost half of the world’s population may claim ownership to the term “son” because all males are sons of someone. Even though Johnny may be called “son” by others who hear his father calling him that, “son” is not his personal or proper name—regardless of whether you capitalize the S in the same way that people capitalize the G in God.

Another term used in the English translations of the Scriptures to refer to the power who created the heavens and earth is Most High God. This term is translated from the Hebrew words El Elyon. We have already indicated that el has been translated in our English Bibles as god. The second Hebrew word in this descriptive term is Elyon, which, among its many other meanings means “high” or “most high.” This very descriptive title that is ascribed to the Creator of the heavens and earth by the writers of the Scriptures suggests that the Mighty One of Israel was not the only recognizable power that people acknowledged. To say that He was the high or most high power implies the notion that other lesser powers either existed or were thought to exist. Any Old Testament reader would be able to name at least one or two powers that the pagan nations and, at one
time, Israel worshiped. Among the forbidden powers were the Baals, Asherah,
Molech, Chemosh, Egyptian gods, and others.[iii] The books in the New Testament also reveal that people believed in the existence of other mighty ones besides the Mighty One of Israel just as we saw in Acts when Paul went to Athens and saw all the monuments to the Greek deities. So for us to say we worship or love God, as many of us are or have been quick to exclaim, really imposes on the listener to ask, “Which one?”