Salvation In Yahweh Alone

Isaiah 45:20-25

Today marks the beginning of Holy Week, the week that culminates with the sacrificial death of Jesus upon the cross for us, the week prior to Resurrection Sunday.  Our Old Testament Scripture reading for this week is a short passage from the prophet Isaiah, where the Lord is calling His people to come and listen to His Words. Let’s look at what He is saying to us today.

One of the faults or sins of the people of Israel that God had issue with them over was their strong tendency to forsake the exclusive worship of Him, and turn to worship the many false gods and goddesses of the people and nations around them.  Sometimes they would combine the worship of Yahweh with that of Baal and the other false gods, a practice called religious syncretism, where one combines different religious traditions together, a bit of one religion with a bit of another or several other religions.  That was just as wrong and sinful in God’s eyes as in completely forsaking Him. The prophet Isaiah, speaking for God, calls the people together to hear His words, which in this passage strongly condemns the worship of any other god but Himself.

What are the gods that people today in the 21st century have set up?  There are still large portions of the world that worship various false gods in their religions.  For some people the temptation is to worship themselves, their ego, their intellect, or humanistic philosophies.  Some worship the god of money and what it can buy, desiring to have the latest technology, new cars, bigger houses, etc.  Some worship the god of pleasure and entertainment. There are some who think they can innocently mix fortune telling or horoscopes with following Jesus.  There are so many types of false gods.

Isaiah warned the people then, and still today, that these gods cannot save (vs. 20).  They will not help you. When faced with a crisis, what have any of the false gods of pagan religions around the world ever done to help their followers?  Nothing! Has our own intellect or any humanistic philosophy ever helped us when our backs are against the wall? Our belongings and new toys can’t help us, either.  All the money in the world can’t help us. Diseases, war, and death strike the rich as well as the poor. Horoscopes and seeing what the stars say are all deceptive lies from Satan.

As this world seems to spin more and more out of control, many desperately seek something, someone who can help, something they can cling on to.  When they face multiple crises in life, and need something, the devil comes and deceives them into thinking that any of these false gods can help, but it is a false hope.  We are warned in this passage that there is no other God except Yahweh. He is the one and only true God. There is none other besides Him (vs. 21).

God calls out to us, “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!” (vs. 22).  There is no other God besides Him. Only He can help us. He has given His Word that He will save us (vs. 23).  He will not forsake those who come to Him for salvation. All it takes is a look towards Jesus. We don’t have to perform any great work, any great effort or endeavor in order to be saved.  We just need to look towards that Savior upon the Cross, and cry out to Him. A moment of looking, reaching out, and calling upon Him and we will be saved. The power of salvation rests in Him, alone.

This invitation is open to everyone.  Salvation is for all nations. God’s people includes all those who follow Jesus.  Those who refuse to follow Jesus are not His children. One day, though, those who have refused to follow Him now will ultimately bow the knee to Him (vs. 23).  The Apostle Paul echoes the same statement in Philippians 2:10-11. It is so much better to turn to Him now, to know His love and care throughout this life now, than to rebel and then after this life be faced with an acknowledgement when it is too late.  There is no better day than today to look to Jesus and be saved!