What Isaiah Reveals About The One Unlike Any Other

The entire Old Testament makes at least one point clear with deafening repetition: there is only one God. But Isaiah chapters 40-46 may be the epicenter of that repetition. As Yahweh, through the prophet, addresses his people's temptation to rely on idols, over and over again he makes it clear that he alone is God. To be clear, He isn't simply the God of Israel; the only God they should worship. Through a variety of questions and arguments and statements, God makes it abundantly clear that there are no other gods. They simply do not exist. How could they if Yahweh is God? A God who deserves every ounce of glory. A God who is absolutely incomparable. Whatever power there is, and wherever it is, it ultimately belongs to Him and him alone. Below you will find those questions and arguments and statements (with the full verses listed after that list). They can be found in many other places in Scripture, but again, this section of the Hebrew Bible is unusually dense. There are a couple related verses included below that come from outside these chapters, but they are still found in the second half of Isaiah. May these verses encourage each of us to root out any idols still active in our own hearts, and better still, to remember (and stand awe of) the utterly unmatched greatness of the one, true God.

To whom then will you liken God? (40:18)

“To whom then will you compare me?” (40:25)

“I work, and who can turn it back?" (43:13)

“Who is like me?” (44:7)

"To whom will you liken me?” (46:5)

 ********

“...there is none like me...” (46:9)

 ********

“...my glory I give to no other...” (42:8)

“My glory I will not give to another.” (48:11)

 ********

“...besides me there is no savior.” (43:11)

“... besides me there is no god.” (44:6)

“Is there a God besides me?” (44:8)

“... besides me there is no God...” (45:5)

“...there is none besides me...” (45:6)

“...no god besides him.” (45:17)

“...there is no other god besides me...” (45:21)

“...there is none besides me.” (45:21)

“...no eye has seen a God besides you...” (64:4)

 ********

“Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.” (43:10)

 ********

“...there is no other...” (45:5)

“...there is no other.” (45:6)

“...there is no other...” (45:17)

“...there is no other.” (45:18)

“...there is no other god besides me...” (45:21)

“...there is no other.” (45:22)

“...there is no other...” (46:9)

 ********

“...I am God...” (45:22)

“...I am God...” (46:9)

“...I am God...” (46:9)

 ********

“...who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself...” (44:24)

 ********

"Only in the LORD... are righteousness and strength”. (45:24)

Full Quotations:

“To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” (40:18)

“To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.” (40:25)

“I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.” (42:8)

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.” (43:10)

“I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.” (43:11)

“Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?" (43:13)

“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.” (44:6)

“Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.” (44:7)

“Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any." (44:8)

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself...” (44:24)

“I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, [6] that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. ... [14] Thus says the LORD: "The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: 'Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.'" ... [18] For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): "I am the LORD, and there is no other. ... [21] Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. [22] "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” (45:5-6, 14, 18, 21-22)

"Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.” (45:24)

"To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?” (46:5)

“...remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me...” (46:9)

“For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.” (48:11)

“From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.” (64:4)