In our day of pluralism and a la-carte spirituality, someone may say, “Of course idols are not gods! But still you must keep an open mind. I mean, there are more than seven billion people on planet Earth. You can’t tell me that there is only one God that is acceptable, that everyone must believe in? Come on!”

There is no doubt that our popular modern smorgasbord of “believe-as-you-like” theology runs up against some mighty arrogant sounding words from the mouth of the God of Israel, the One who Jesus called his Father, and from the mouth of His prophets and leaders. Check these out:

You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other (Deuteronomy 4:35).

How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears (2 Samuel 7:22).

“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9).

What keeps us from embracing the distinctive uniqueness of the God of the Hebrew Scriptures? Is it that we so badly want everyone to be right, don’t want anyone left out, can’t fathom that God would draw a line in the sand?