The First and the Last
Isaiah 44:6-7: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.’”
In the verses just above these, the Lord describes the blessings that he has for his people. He reminds them of how precious they are to him as they are his chosen people. Sadly, the nation of Israel often did not behave as God’s chosen people. Instead of delighting in their unique calling, they wanted to be like the other nations. Instead of worshipping the one true God who had chosen them and promised to care for them, they chose to worship the gods of the surrounding nations; they sacrificed life with the one true God for a life of idolatry. What a tragedy!
In verses six and seven, the Lord remind them of who he is – the King of Israel, the Redeemer of Israel, and the Lord of hosts. He is the one who is from the beginning and will be at the end. What idol can compare to him? He longs to know why their hearts are captivated by these lesser gods. How can they compare to the Lord? Do these gods provide for them? Call them by name? Redeem them? Choose them? Unlike the Lord, these man-made idols have a beginning and will have an end.
It seems an obvious answer to us today – choose the Lord, the one true God! Enjoy his blessings, delight in being his chosen people, rejoice, and worship him alone. Nevertheless, I think God still ask us these questions today. We are his chosen people; we are his beloved; we are the ones to whom he has made promises. Do we cling to him alone? Do we worship him alone? Or, do we allow our hearts to be captivated by the idols of this world – money, success, appearance, reputation, celebrities, social media, politics.
God alone is worthy of our worship, adoration, and praise. He is above all things. He is the first and the last. May we allow him to check our hearts so that we can realign them to him alone.
In the verses just above these, the Lord describes the blessings that he has for his people. He reminds them of how precious they are to him as they are his chosen people. Sadly, the nation of Israel often did not behave as God’s chosen people. Instead of delighting in their unique calling, they wanted to be like the other nations. Instead of worshipping the one true God who had chosen them and promised to care for them, they chose to worship the gods of the surrounding nations; they sacrificed life with the one true God for a life of idolatry. What a tragedy!
In verses six and seven, the Lord remind them of who he is – the King of Israel, the Redeemer of Israel, and the Lord of hosts. He is the one who is from the beginning and will be at the end. What idol can compare to him? He longs to know why their hearts are captivated by these lesser gods. How can they compare to the Lord? Do these gods provide for them? Call them by name? Redeem them? Choose them? Unlike the Lord, these man-made idols have a beginning and will have an end.
It seems an obvious answer to us today – choose the Lord, the one true God! Enjoy his blessings, delight in being his chosen people, rejoice, and worship him alone. Nevertheless, I think God still ask us these questions today. We are his chosen people; we are his beloved; we are the ones to whom he has made promises. Do we cling to him alone? Do we worship him alone? Or, do we allow our hearts to be captivated by the idols of this world – money, success, appearance, reputation, celebrities, social media, politics.
God alone is worthy of our worship, adoration, and praise. He is above all things. He is the first and the last. May we allow him to check our hearts so that we can realign them to him alone.
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