Do you believe that there is only one God?

September 9, 2016

Yahweh is a universal God (Isa 45:20-45:21)

“Assemble yourselves!

Come together!

You survivors of the nations!

They have no knowledge.

They carry about their wooden idols.

They keep on praying to a god

That cannot save.

Declare!

Present your case!

Let them take counsel together!

Who told this long ago?

Who declared it of old?

Was it not I?

Yahweh?

There is no other god besides me.

I am a righteous God!

I am a Savior!

There is no one besides me.”

Next Second Isaiah has Yahweh proclaim to all the nations that he is the only God. Yahweh wanted all the survivors of the various nations to assemble and come together. They were stupid, since they carry around their wooden idols. They pray to these wooden idols that cannot save them. Let them make their case and counsel together. Who was able to tell about things long ago before they actually happened? Only Yahweh was able to do that. There is no other god besides Yahweh, who is a righteous God who saves. Yahweh defends himself against all these other gods.

September 4, 2016

There is no other God (Isa 43:10-43:13)

“‘You are my witnesses!’

Says Yahweh.

‘You are my servant

Whom I have chosen.

Thus you may know me.

You may believe in me.

You may understand

That I am he.

Before me

No god was formed.

There shall be none after me.

I!

I am Yahweh.

Besides me

There is no savior.

I declared.

I saved.

I proclaimed.

There was no strange god among you.

You are my witnesses!’

Says Yahweh.

‘I am God!

Henceforth I am he.

There is none

Who can deliver you

From my hand.

I work.

Who can hinder it?’”

In the strongest possible personal terms, first person singular, Yahweh proclaims that he alone is God. There is no other god. Yahweh claims that the Israelites are his witnesses, since they are his servant that he has chosen. Clearly, this servant is the Israelites. They know and believe in the Lord. They understand who he is. There was no other god before Yahweh and there will be none after him. There is no other savior who can deliver the Israelites, so that no one can hinder him. There were no strange gods among the Israelites. Once again, the Israelites are the witnesses for Yahweh. Yahweh is truly God.