Who is Like God?
Scripture — Isaiah 44:6-7 (NRSV)
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel,
and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god.
Who is like me? Let them proclaim it,
let them declare and set it forth before me.
Who has announced from of old the things to come?
Let them tell us what is yet to be.
Focus
In Isaiah 44 the Lord is revealed as the King and Redeemer. Besides the Lord there is no other God. Thus, when God asks through Isaiah, “Who is like me?” the right answer is “Nobody. No being on earth or in heaven is like you, O God.” In today’s world, such a claim about God can seem arrogant and insensitive. Thus, we must learn to speak of God in a way that is both true and humble.
Devotion
In Isaiah 44, God speaks through the prophet to highlight God’s uniqueness. Though there are many other “gods,” the Lord reveals that they are mere idols, formed by human hands from material elements. For example, the woodcarver who shapes an idol then takes the leftover wood and burns it to warm himself (44:14-17). Not a very impressive god!
The Lord, on the contrary, is unique. God alone is “the first” and “the last,” the one who is before all things and who will be there at the end of time (44:6). Only the Lord is both King and Redeemer, the true sovereign who reaches out in mercy to set the people of God free from the bondage of their sin (44:6). The Lord alone is able to predict what will happen in the future (44:8). God is also unique in choosing a people to fulfill the divine purposes. No other “god” can do what the Lord has done.
In today’s interconnected and multicultural world, proclaiming the uniqueness of the Lord can be unpopular. It fails the political correctness test. It seems insensitive, even arrogant, to say God is the only true God. Sometimes we who believe in Jesus can be tempted to downplay his uniqueness, to allow other “gods” his place. But the core of biblical revelation, both in Scripture and in Jesus Christ, calls us to affirm that the Lord alone is God. Who is like God? Nobody. Nothing. The Lord alone is God.
Now, we must be wise and thoughtful about when and how we talk about God’s uniqueness. Too often, we Christians become puffed up when talking about the Lord. We fail to speak with humility and kindness. We take pride in our specialness rather than seeking common ground with others. Most of all, we forget God’s grace. If we know the one true God, we have this knowledge by grace, not by some special insight or status we have received. Thus, as we profess our faith in God, may we do so as people who owe everything to the Lord and who desire others to experience God’s transforming grace in their lives.
Reflect
How do you understand the uniqueness of God?
Do you ever struggle to believe that the Lord alone is God?
How can we communicate the uniqueness of God in a way that is humble yet truthful?
Act
Take some time in to talk with God about this passage from Isaiah and what it stirs up in your mind and heart.
Pray
Gracious God, indeed, who is like you? There is no one like you—no human being, no “god,” no other power in heaven or earth. To be sure, you created us in your image, so in that sense we are like you. But you exceed us in countless ways: in wisdom, power, majesty, beauty, grace, knowledge, and love. Truly, you alone are God.
Lord, you know how difficult it can be to state this truth in today’s world. People want to be so accommodating about matters of faith. They don’t want anyone to profess that there is one God. So help us to be clear about who you are. Give us courage to speak of you. But, at the same time, give us humility. May we not offend with our manner, even if we must offend with our message. Help us to live in this world in such a way that people are drawn to you, the only God, through us, through our words and our deeds. Amen.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Creation Is of God, but Is Not Identical with God (Genesis 1:11).
Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...