Today’s Reading:
Isaiah 46:1-13
“To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?” (v.5)
God asked this same question in Isaiah 40:18-25, which arose as a result of God’s anger against idolatry Israelites. This was in spite of God’s warnings, through many Prophets aside from Isaiah, and having proved on his love and himself as their God (Vs 9-10). As humans we like to compare things and/or people, in order to bring out the better or best among them.
To prove God’s incomparability, we can indulge in comparison with idols, based on some attributes of God, such as: his Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresent.
Omnipotence means ‘’All Powerful’’. God’s awesome power is acknowledged first by is self-existence, and longevity of eternity to eternity. Next is the manifestation of his power in the creation of the heavens and the earth and all the things in them (Job 26:7-11), including the human beings he gives life and breath. Throughout the scriptures, God is considered as having all the powers (Rom 13:1), and that all things are possible with him (Matt. 19-26). The Psalmist in Ps 86:8 declares that there is none like God among the gods (idols), and in Ps 113:5, the question is asked that who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwells on high?
In comparison, idols are the handworks of men. God described them in Isaiah 46:6-7 as made from gold and silver by goldsmiths, carried on shoulders of beasts to where they are stood up, but could not move, and when cried to, could not answer, or save. In Jeremiah 10:14, they are described as, grave, and molten images, which were falsehood and had no breath. Elijah proved the Omnipotence of God when he challenged the Prophets of idol Baal to a contest in 1Kings 18:1-39. While Baal could not bring down fire to consume their sacrifice, Elijah in his turn, called on the All-Powerful God, who sent fire from heaven to dry the water-sacked sacrifice and burnt it up.
Omniscience means All-Wise. God is referred to as the only Wise God (Rom. 16:27). He said of himself that He declares the end from the beginning (v.10); named the stars at creation (Ps. 147:4); knows the numbers of hairs on our head (Lk. 12:7); his wisdom is unsearchable (Isa. 40:28); and his thoughts higher than our thoughts (Is.55:8-9). Daniel and the three Hebrew young men with him in Daniel chapter 2 demonstrated God’s mighty wisdom, when they revealed and interpreted the King of Babylon’s dream. The magicians, sorcerers, astrologers in the kingdom could not say a thing on it. Idols lack life, have no breath in them, how much more, exhibit any wisdom.
Omnipresence means Always Present. In 2Chronicles 16:9, it is said that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole world. The Psalmist, in Psalm 139:7-6, says that no one can hide from the sight of God. Idols are crafted with eyes, but cannot see and are stood in one place, except moved by humans. From eternity to eternity, none - human, idols or anything can be compared with God.
CHRISTIE KUPOLUYI
Prayer:
Father of all creation, I declare that: None can be compared with YOU!
O Lord our God, we acknowledge you as the ‘All-Powerful, All-Wise, and All-Present God, in our lives as individuals, families and in your Church, in Jesus name.
Father, continue to prove yourself in every area of our lives, in Jesus name.
You are the Sovereign God over Your Church on earth, Father prove yourself, in Jesus name.
Father, glorify and manifest yourself in every aspect of our nations, in Jesus name.
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