“Is there a God beside Me? Yes, there is no God; I know not any.” Isaiah 44:8
Dear Ones:
God’s revelation of Himself throughout the Bible is qualified again and again by the fact that He declares that HE is the only true and living God. When He revealed Himself to the people of Israel in Egypt, He declared, “I AM THAT I AM.” In that brief statement is revealed the eternal, unchanging nature of God, but also, the singular existence of God. The “I AM” mentioned twice in these few words emphasizes the absolute, and sole existence of the true and living God.
When God gave to Moses the ten commandments, the first one mentioned is this: “I am the Lord thy God…Thou shalt have NO other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:2,4) Why did He begin to enumerate the commandments in this way? It is because there ARE NO other gods. To believe the contrary is to believe a lie. There are those, specifically one, Satan, who pretends to be God, but neither he, nor any other created being can be God.
Since the question of the existence of one true, and living God is settled in Scripture, we then come to the question: WHO is He? To answer this question is impossible in and of ourselves. How can we, who are so small, and so sinful, understand and grasp the nature of the infinite, and holy God? Paul wrote on this subject, that “…the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.” (1 Cor. 1:22) The problem with both of these, so called “means” of knowing God, are flawed. Paul again writes, “…For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God.” (v.21) Of his own experience, he would say, “…it pleased God…to REVEAL His Son in me.” (Gal. 1:16) Here is the WAY of God to know WHO He is…it is by revelation according to the truth. But, what is the TRUTH of God, that which is veritable reality concerning Him? We come to the center-point of human history. We come to a cross on Calvary, on which the greatest revelation of God has been given, and this to attract the gaze of all humanity. It will be in the meaning and expression of what occurred on that cross that the awful wretchedness of the depraved human heart is revealed in all of its horror. It will be also, in a more demonstrable, eclipsing revelation of heart of God, that the eternal love and mercy of God will be unveiled to the height of its worth and glory. It is true that the goodness of God is revealed in His creation, and His attributes are overwhelming to behold by the eye of faith. But the all-encompassing, all-consuming, and overwhelmingly powerful revelation of the love of God for lost sinners will be the pinnacle and most complete proclamation of the truth of WHO God is. Beyond the finished work of Christ on Calvary, there was no greater revelation of the heart of God. In other words, there is NO greater expression, or higher motive, or means, by which God can seek and save a fallen and lost sinner, than to bring him to a singular faith in this singular Person who died for all on Calvary. Lastly, there is no greater revelation of the heart of God, His nature which IS love, than the the suffering Son’s love and devotion to His Father, to save all men. The only stipulation for man to KNOW this true and living God, is that Christ must be to the heart, the ONLY God, and Lord.
Dear Father, we remember how Elijah said to the people: “If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21) Give us all grace to “have no other gods before us,” to choose, by the grace of God, to follow Christ, and Christ alone. The revelation of Thy love demands it. The grace of God provides for it. We thank and praise Thee, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad