Among the Gods
"The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I
gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen." (Exodus
14:18 NIV)
"Among the gods there is none like You O Lord; no deeds can compare with
Yours. All the nations You have made will come and worship before You, O
Lord." (Psalm 86:8)
I never tire of watching Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” during
Passover and Easter season. My favorite line in the movie is not heard until
the end when Pharaoh, played by Yul Brynner finally acknowledges “His God is
God,” referring to the God of Moses and Israel.
The amazing story of Israel’s deliverance from bondage in Egypt is described
from chapters seven through thirteen of Exodus. God demonstrated His power
over all Egypt’s gods with plagues directed against false deities such as
Osiris, the river god and Ra the god of the sun. Regarding the worship of
idols, God asks this question through the prophet Isaiah: “To whom will you
compare Me or count Me equal? To whom will you liken Me that we may be
compared?” (Isaiah 46:5 NIV) Among the gods of this world, only YAHWEH
reigns supreme.
C S Lewis, once a confirmed atheist was later quoted as saying, “I gave in
and admitted that God was God.” As an atheist, C S Lewis worshipped no god
yet he is not much different from Pharaoh who worshipped many false gods.
Nevertheless, the Word of the Lord declares, “For since the creation of the
world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have
been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are
without excuse.” (Romans 1:20 NIV)
The prophet Isaiah also warns “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for
help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of chariots and in the
great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
or seek help from the Lord" (Isaiah 31:1 NIV). As God delivered Israel
from Egyptian bondage so too will He deliver us in any situation when we
call on His mighty Name. May we always look to Him first and give glory to
the God of Gods who is worthy of our praise.
Prayer
Heavenly father, You alone are a living God who hears and answers those who
call on your Name with a sincere heart. We praise You for there is no other
god like You in all the earth. We thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ who is
the exact image of Your being and the full radiance of Your glory. Through
Him we are delivered from the bondage of sin and death. Keep us mindful of
Your Spirit’s awesome wonder working power in our daily lives. Amen.
Lori Ciccanti