WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JANUARY 18, 2023
TOPIC: NO ONE LIKE GOD
BY T. O. BANSO
âFor at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earthâ (Exodus 9:14 New King James Version).
One of the powerful truths in the Bible is that there is no one like God. He said so Himself and the same was testified about Him. Those who believe in the living God must be established in this truth. Nobody can compare to Him. There are gods but there is only one God, the living God. David said, âAmong the gods there is none like You, O Lord; nor are there any works like Your worksâ (Psalm 86:8 New King James Version).
The first use in the Bible of the phrase that there is no one like God is in Exodus 8:10 where Moses told Pharaoh this. âMoses said to Pharaoh, âI leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.â âTomorrow,â Pharaoh said. Moses replied, âIt will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our Godââ (Exodus 8:9-10 New International Version).
In Exodus 9:14, God Himself talked about His incomparability thus: âFor at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earthâ (New King James Version).
God showed Pharaoh that He had no rival. He inflicted Egypt with ten plagues, the last being the death of all firstborns, including the firstborn of Pharaoh and animals. By the time God finished with Pharaoh, he knew that there was no one like Him. Exodus 12:29 says, âAnd it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestockâ (New King James Version).
Pharaoh wanted to play god, refusing to allow the Israelites to go as God had commanded. He was adamant and even replied to Moses, âWho is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel goâ (Exodus 5:2 New King James Version). Since he claimed not to know God, He showed Him who He was (is) â God doesnât tolerate rivals! Nahum 1:2 says, âThe Lord God tolerates no rivals; he punishes those who oppose him. In his anger he pays them backâ (Good News Translation). I pray that God will not show Himself to you negatively.
When He proved Himself to Pharaoh, he eventually begged Moses to leave Egypt with the Israelites. When he decided later to send his army to pursue them and bring them back, unknown to him, he was only trying to bring God’s wrath on Egypt to completion! âAnd I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemenâ (Exodus 14:17-18 New King James Version). The Israelites walked on dry land but the Egyptian army drowned in the sea (verses 22-31). There is no one like God.
God said about Himself in Isaiah 46:9, âRemember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Meâ (New King James Version). In Jeremiah 49:19 and Jeremiah 50:44, He asked who was like Him. The answer is obvious: there is no one like Him. After Pharaoh’s chariots and his army had drowned in the sea, Moses and the Israelites sang to God. In one of the lines of the song, they asked, âWho is like You, O LORD, among the gods?â (Exodus 15:11a New King James Version). There is no one like God. David said, âThere is no one like you, O Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own earsâ (1 Chronicles 17:20 New International Version).
Let us see some things the Bible says about no one being like God. What makes God incomparable? In what ways is there no one like Him?
1. He is glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, and doing wonders. Moses and the Israelites sang, âWho is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?â (Exodus 15:11 New King James Version). The plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the walking of the Israelites of dry land, and the drowning of their pursuers, the Egyptian army, testify to these attributes of God, which nobody else possesses.
2. He is great and mighty. David said, âTherefore You are great, O LORD GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our earsâ (2 Samuel 7:22 New King James Version).
God is not only great; He is also greater than whoever claims to be great or is considered to be the greatest. He is greater than the greatest. In Deuteronomy 3:24, Moses talked about the greatness of God thus: âO Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?â (New King James Version).
Also, David said, âGreat is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchableâ (Psalm 145:3 New King James Version). He said in verse 6 that men would speak of the might of Godâs awesome acts, and he would declare His greatness. Also in Psalm 66:3, David asked all the earth to say to God, âHow awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to Youâ (New King James Version).
Other scriptures also talk about the greatness of God. God is great. There is no one like Him. Because He is great, He does great things. Psalm 71:19 says, âAlso Your righteousness, O God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You?â (New King James Version). Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 10:6-7, âInasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD (You are great, and Your name is great in might). Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like Youâ (New King James Version).Â
There is no one like God. He is great. He is mighty and He is the Almighty. Someone may claim to be great or mighty but no one would be such a fool to say he is the Almighty! Psalm 89:8 says, âO Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds youâ (New International Version). He rules over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, He stills them (verse 9).
3. Nobody can challenge or withstand Him. God does what pleases Him and nobody can query Him. He said in Jeremiah 49:19, âLike a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets to a rich pastureland, I will chase Edom from its land in an instant. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? Who is like me and who can challenge me? And what shepherd can stand against me?â (New International Version). He said a similar thing concerning Babylon in Jeremiah 50:44.
Nobody can challenge or withstand God. He does whatever pleases Him. Psalm 115:3 says, âOur God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases himâ (New International Version). Also, the latter part of Ecclesiastes 8:3 says God does whatever pleases Him. There is no one like God.
4. He keeps His covenant and shows mercy. God keeps His covenant and is merciful. Solomon said there was no God in heaven above or on earth below like God, who kept His covenant and mercy with His servants who walked before Him with all their hearts (1 Kings 8:23). 2 Chronicles 6:14 records similar words.
Solomon also talked about the great mercy God showed His servant, David, his father. âYou have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this dayâ (1 Kings 3:6 New King James Version). There is no one like Him.
God kept His covenants and mercy with all His servants. Moses told the Israelites about how God kept His covenant and mercy. âTherefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandmentsâ (Deuteronomy 7:9 New King James Version). There is no one like Him.
5. He pardons sin and forgives transgression. Micah 7:18 says, âWho is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercyâ (New International Version). God delights to show mercy. Therefore, He pardons sin and forgives transgression; He doesnât remain angry forever.
Psalm 103:9 says God will not always strive with us or keep His anger forever. Isaiah 57:16 also talks about this attribute of God. There is no one like God who forgives sins. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12). He ultimately sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
6. He delivers the poor and the needy. As Psalm 35:10 says, He delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him. God raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory (1 Samuel 2:8a). Psalm 113:7-8 says a similar thing. Only God can do this. There is no one like Him.
There is no one like God. Reverence Him. He is love (1 John 4:8, 16). But He is also a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29). Jeremiah 10:7 says, âWho would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like Youâ (New King James Version). Worship Him. Only fools say there is no God (Psalm 14:1; 53:1). If you are not born again, be reconciled to God today by giving your life to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Obey and serve Him.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life â your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Â Father, thank You because there is no God like you, who forgives sin. Thank You, Father, for You are glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, and doing wonders. Holy Spirit, help me to worship God as I should, and obey and serve Him. Father, let those who are yet to acknowledge You as God come to the realization today. Show Yourself to them in a way that they will surrender to You.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
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Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
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