The Glory and Grandeur of God

“I am the LORD; that is my name. I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.”
Isaiah 42:8

What attracts mankind to spiritual apathy, or disloyalty? What draws us to seek comfort, or hope, in earthly relics? What falsely assures us that worldly possessions will provide lasting satisfaction, or security? The negative impact of idolatry has long been a concern of God, so-much-so that the Lord specifically warned His covenantal followers not to entertain the development, and devotion, of false deities (Exodus 20:4). But Israel, and thereby Judah when the unified tribes split apart as a kingdom, eventually became consumed with the adoration of virtually everything under the sun, that is except for their Maker: God Almighty. And thus we find numerous passages in the Old Testament dealing with the matter of spiritual purity. The book of Isaiah, in particular, lays out a powerful rebuke for Israel and Judah’s religious rebellion. But in reading through the stirring, and stinging, words it quickly becomes apparent that God’s reproach, and warning, is applicable for every generation of believer.

Isaiah, principally chapters 40 through 48, outlines God’s disgust for His chosen people allowing themselves to get caught up in the manufacture, and worship, of handmade idols. And woven into the verses of the great prophet’s God-commissioned declarations is a clarion cry for integrity of spirit, and soul. While there are so many fascinating thoughts embedded within Isaiah 40-48 let me focus on one central verse - Isaiah 42:8. In Isaiah 42:8, God candidly states that He will not share His glory with anyone, or anything, else. The underlying implication is that idolatry not only displeases the Lord, but it frustrates Him as well. God has no equal in majesty or might. Who, or what, on earth can He be compared to in regard to strength and scholarship? The Lord’s divinity is so holy, so pure, and so awe-inspiring, that there really are no words, or material symbols, that could ever capture the totality of His awesomeness. And this, in part, is why God levels with Judah that He is unwilling to share His praise.  

It’s sad to consider that idols, which are embellished trinkets, cannot convict, and cannot express themselves. They gather dust. And perhaps that is the reason they lure, and appeal, to so many, in that idols cannot honestly assess the state of mankind's heart, or harken us to fundamentally change. In other words, idols cannot shed light on our sins, or compel us to walk in a life of obedience. In short, they offer no spiritual benefit. But God reigns supreme and longs to impart His vision, wisdom, and love to us. He communicates. He calls. But so often we render closed hearts and closed ears. Instead, we turn to inanimate objects and ludicrous philosophies for solace when the Creator of the universe is willing, and aptly able, to guide us.

Let me veer away from this line of thinking momentarily. Over seven years ago, my wife and I embarked upon one of the greatest experiences of our lives: parenthood. We had waited five years after we were wed before we decided to start expanding our family. And so when we learned that our collective desire to raise a child was being fulfilled it was nothing short of incredible. But we soon found ourselves facing a momentary dilemma: choosing the name for our child. I confess I never really considered the weight, or significance, of names until my wife and I were forced to select a name for a youngling, a youngling who would obviously be under our care and protection. Now faced with an awesome privilege, we carefully evaluated dozens, better yet hundreds, of names. In time, we discovered that our firstborn would be a son, which helped narrow down our candidate list. And to us the name of our son would not just be a point of reference but it would be a mark of character, a mark my wife and I would diligently seek to cultivate and craft in our child. Long story short, we named our son “Jayden Elias Orr”. Jayden derives from the Hebrew language and means “God has heard.” Elias derives from the Greek, transcribed from the Hebrew, and means “the Lord is God”. This motivation to instill banners of upstanding, moral dispositions through names carried itself out in all three of our children, and their names were meticulously, and prayerfully, determined.        

Bringing this personal anecdote back to Isaiah 42:8, how can we overlook the name, and thereby position, of God? He has no beginning and no end. He is unrivaled in rank and reign. And this ongoing disinclination to revere His name roils God. Mankind has continually struggled to relinquish control of our lives. Clearly, we are a disobedient lot, and often advance an entitlement mindset. We tend to believe that we are captains of our fate, and pilots of our paths. But God beckons us to be cognizant of His sovereignty and governance. He is in control, not us. And idolatry only highlights our propensity to reject God’s leadership for pseudo-leadership, or self-leadership. Judah preferred powerless fabrications to the everlasting Lord. They bowed at the altars of money, gold, fame, and success without hesitation. But little did they realize that such things offer no redeeming value. They were merely transitory treasures, which lacked eternally atoning qualities. And this solemn Scriptural lesson provides a present-day warning to believers. Isaiah 42:8 calls us to awaken, or reawaken, the need to yield our lives to God alone. He is the trustworthy God. The triumphant God. The true God. And He will not give His glory, or grandeur, to another.