According to the Bible, how many gods exist?   Just one, or more than one?

      There is reason to believe that the early Israelites were henotheistic rather than monotheistic.   In other words, they believed that many gods existed, but Yahweh (Biblegod) wanted them to worship him exclusively.

    •   Exodus 12:12   —   For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

    •   Exodus 15:11   —   Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

    •   Exodus 18:11   —   Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, he was above them.

    •   I Chronicles 16:25   —   For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; he is also to be feared above all gods.

    •   II Chronicles 2:5   —   And the temple which I build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.

    •   Psalm 82:1   —   God stands in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the gods.

    •   Psalm 86:8   —   Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; nor are there any works like your works.

    •   Psalm 95:3   —   For the Lord is the great God, and the great king above all gods.

    •   Psalm 96:4   —   For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

    •   Psalm 97:9   —   For you, Lord, are most high above all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

    •   Psalm 135:5   —   For I know that the Lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods.

    •   Psalm 138:1   —   I will praise you with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing praises to you.

      Notice that when the Bible refers to "all the gods" or "among the gods," it doesn't say "the false gods" or "so-called gods."

      It's referring to other actual existing gods.

Think about the First Commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3).       In this commandment, God admits that other gods exist.       If I wanted to violate this commandment, I'd have to "have" some other god(s) before Biblegod.       If other gods don't exist, then it's impossible to break this commandment, and the commandment would be completely unnecessary.       I picture God saying, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me ... wait a minute, there are no other gods ... okay, never mind."

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