There is No Other

Isaiah 46:5-11 | NASB

“To whom would you liken Me
 And make Me equal and compare Me, 
That we would be alike?  Those who lavish gold from the purse
 And weigh silver on the scale
 Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; 
They bow down, indeed they worship it.  They lift it upon the shoulder and carry it; 
 They set it in its place and it stands there. 
It does not move from its place. 
Though one may cry to it, it cannot answer; 
It cannot deliver him from his distress. Remember this, and be assured;
 Recall it to mind, you transgressors. Remember the former things long past,
 For I am God, and there is no other;
 I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning,
 And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
 And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; Calling a bird of prey from the east, 
The man of My purpose from a far country. 
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. 
 I have planned it, surely I will do it.”

“For I am God, and there is no other;” indeed there is no other.  This and similar phrases are found frequently in this and the surrounding chapters.  The nation of Israel was divided and both Israel (the northern ten tribes) and Judah (the southern two tribes) had forsaken the Lord for idols, for the gods of the nations whom they had disinherited, for the gods of the nations that surrounded them.  These idols were carved images, made by men.   I’m reminded of what David says of them in Psalms. 

Psalm 135:15-18 | NASB

“The idols of the nations are but silver and gold, 
The work of man’s hands.  They have mouths, but they do not speak; 
They have eyes, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear, 
Nor is there any breath at all in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, 
Yes, everyone who trusts in them.”

God reminds Judah of Who it is they serve.  REMEMBER!  Remember Who I am, what I have done, how I have delivered you, how all that my prophets have declared has come to pass, how I have been faithful!  Remember the impotence of the idols you served, their inability to do anything for themselves let alone save you from your distress, remember and be assured! 

We, like Judah, need to remind ourselves Who it is that we serve.  What has our God done, how He has declared what the end will be from before the beginning, how He establishes His purposes, accomplishes His good pleasure, how He will always do exactly as He has planned.  There is no one like our God, there is no other beside Him, He swears by Himself, for there is no other greater by which He can swear.

Isaiah 45:23 | NASB

“I have sworn by Myself, 
The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness
 And will not turn back, 
That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.”

Hebrews 6:13 | NASB

“For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,”

How can we, when we know our God, when we remember Who He is ever have any cause to fear or doubt?  Our God, Who fashioned us in the womb, Who channels kings hearts wherever He wishes, Who does whatever His soul desires, Who appoints each circumstance of our life and performs it accordingly.   Does this not put you in utter awe of the God you serve?  Does this not fill you with all confidence that He is sovereignly orchestrating our lives, and not just the courses of nations and kings, but our personal lives?  This magnificent and awesome God has His hand in our individual lives.  Does this not fill you with wonder and awe, with grateful and worshipping hearts?  

Proverbs 21:1 |NASB

“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; 
He turns it wherever He wishes.”

Job 23:13-14 | NASB

“But He is unique and who can turn Him? 
And what His soul desires, that He does.”

“For He performs what is appointed for me,
 And many such decrees are with Him.”

Indeed to whom shall we liken our God, He is God, and there is no other, He is God, and there is no one like Him!

Isaiah 44:6-8 | NASB

“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:

‘I am the first and I am the last, 
And there is no God besides Me.

‘Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; 
Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, 
From the time that I established the ancient nation. 
And let them declare to them the things that are coming 
And the events that are going to take place.

‘Do not tremble and do not be afraid; 
Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? 
And you are My witnesses. 
Is there any God besides Me, 
Or is there any other Rock? 
I know of none.’”