There Is No Other

Our Redeemer, whose name is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, is the Holy One of Israel. [Isaiah 47.4]

There is a common phrase throughout all of today's OYCB reading (Isaiah 44-48): "there is no other."

This phrase is God speaking of Himself. He says many other things about Himself in today's reading, but this one phrase is repeated over and again.

Why?

I am inclined to think "there is no other" (God referring to Himself) is repeated many times because it is important that we know it!

Another common theme in today's reading is the foolishness and futility of worshiping idols - things made by man. This reminds me how important it is that God's Story begins with "the beginning" - the account of His handiwork alone in creating all things. This is why it is so important to Godless people to disprove Creation being the work of God - because it relieves them of any responsibility to worship Him! Isaiah is very clear that it is silly for one to worship something he himself has made. That is precisely why God does not worship us! He is the One Who made all things.

And, this brings us back to "there is no other." God will not share His glory with anything or anyone. Why? Because there is neither thing nor person who has created all things!

With this in mind, do we do ourselves a disservice to depend on things other than God, and God alone? Yes we do.

"Well," one might argue, "if we depend only upon God, and refuse the world's solutions, then we will eventually slip into destitution." Really? What story in the Bible supports that? And, if the Bible is not to be the final written authority, then what is? What writings are more ancient and more accurate? What ancient writings continue to prove accurate throughout the ages? What ancient writings describe future events with such an undeniable record of accurate predictions already?

Just to be clear here, the scripture reference above is not clear what God's name really is. The word LORD is used because God's name itself was deemed so holy by ancient writers that they would not speak it or write it. His name is Yahweh. Yahweh of Heavens Armies! His name is holy and He has chosen to make a way for me to speak it without fear of retribution - in Jesus.

The point of my writing today is that there is no other god but Yahweh of Heavens Armies. He is God and there is no other. Why would I look to any one or thing other than Him for every need I have?

Father, help me to consider Your lordship over all because You are Creator of all. Let me be changed from my worldly thinking with its dependence upon worldly things. Let me trust in You and You alone as my everything!