In daily devotions and study, we as Christians often focus on the power, sovereignty, and omniscience of God. Or the kindness, forgiveness, and creativity of God. But what we often overlook, because we take it for granted, is the uniqueness of our God. If God is not completely different than the other gods, Biblical and otherwise, we have little reason to base our faith in Him, no reason to whole-heartedly accept that He is the absolute God. It is the combination of those earlier mentioned traits, as well as many more, that does make our Christian God unique.

Other religions focus on multiple gods, none singly possessing all the characteristics that our God demonstrates throughout scripture. Some religions focus on self-actualization or a belief that individual humans can become god-like themselves. Those who claim that they aren’t “religious” often replace a formal god with money, fame, friendships, or a long list of other things. The bottom line, however, is that none of these alternatives to the one true God can compare to His ability to create and rule the world and still have an intimate relationship with His creations.

The Old Testament reminds us numerous times of the unique qualities of our God. From God showing his compassion by walking in the garden with Adam and Eve to Him demonstrating his wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah to Him proving his power in Elijah’s challenge to the prophets of Baal, our God reminds us that no other god can compare. And He directly addresses his uniqueness in Isaiah 46.

In this chapter of Isaiah, God first mocks the idols of the people, revealing their inability to truly affect our lives:

Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols are borne by beasts of burden.
The images that are carried about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.

They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.

“Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all you who remain of the house of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since you were conceived,
and have carried since your birth.

Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

“To whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?

Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.

They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.
Though one cries out to it, it does not answer;
it cannot save him from his troubles.

He further reiterates the weakness of any other god-figure compared to Him after explaining that these idols are simply metal statues and nothing more. He, on the other hand, is an all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving God, a God worthy of worship and praise.

“Remember this, fix it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.

Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.

I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.

From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that will I bring about;
what I have planned, that will I do.

Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are far from righteousness.

I am bringing my righteousness near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
my splendor to Israel.

prayer

Father God, thank you for reminding us of one of the most important things about our faith in you—there is no other like you! Help this reminder give us the strength to resist giving our time, resources, and devotions to other gods in the world around us. Your unique ability to create intimate relationships with us makes all other temptations (power, fame, money, success) pale in comparison! Allow us to be sensitive to your word and the Holy Spirit in a way that continually prompts us to praise your uniqueness and to remain faithful to you only.