The Torah is said to be the "teachings" of God that was given to his people Israel by Moses ([[Skolnik2007-ki]]) who presented God's nature and power as unparalleled. Israel was one of the earliest civilizations to worship one God, and the concept of one true God is the foundation of Israel's identity and worship. After spending many years teaching and guiding Israel, Moses describes God in a poem in Deuteronomy 32 dating back as far as the 12th–11th centuries B.C2 ([[Tigay2003-la]])
> "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. " Deuteronomy 32:39
God alone controls death and life, is more powerful then anyone and no other Gods exists besides him. More songs like this would praise God alone for preforming mighty miracles (
Exodus 15:11), for making all the nations (
Psalm 86:8), breaths life into all people (
Isaiah 42:5) and maintains creations itself (
Psalm 104:5-9).
Throughout the OT, Jehovah is affirmed as the one and only true God. Verses like Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; Joshua 22:34; 1 Kings 8:60; 18:21, 39; Psalms 100:3; and 118:27 explicitly declare Jehovah as elohim or el. Additionally, there are instances where the compound name "Jehovah God" (Yahweh Elohim) is used, such as Genesis 2:4-9, 15-22; 3:1, 8-9, 13-14, 21-23; 24:3; Exodus 9:30; Psalms 72:18; and Jonah 4:6.
When God declared war on the spiritual powers of Egypt (Exodus 8:10, 9:14), He used his power and might to show that there was no one like him on Heaven or Earth. "You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other. (Deuteronomy 4:35, 39)".
Isaiah repeats these statements (Isaiah 45:5, 46:9) and in Isaiah 40:18 the prophet records the words of God, "To whom, then, will you compare God?" and verse 25, "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" Isaiah 44:7 challenges any other entity to declare the future like God does. Isaiah 46:5 questions any comparison to God, and verse 9 states, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me."and even shows that God often challenged others to present anyone like him in all of creation that could compare:
>6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. 7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. 8 Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.” (Isaiah 44:8)
Throughout the Bible we can see that Prophets, Kings, and even other nations leaders echo this theme. King David would declare "22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears." (2 Samuel 7:22, 22:32; 1 Chronicles 17:20) a statement his lineage would go on to praise God for as well (1 Kings 8:21). When the foreign military leader Naaman saw the power of God, he declared "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; "(2 Kings 5:15).
Prophets such as Nehemiah and Micah state "You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them;... (Nehemiah 9:6a)" and "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love (Micah 7:18)."
When King Hezekiah was surrounded by Assyria, King Sennacherib vowed to destroyed Israel and it's God just as he had destroyed the other nations who's gods failed to save. The Assyrians had already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and many other nations, and now they threatened Judah (2 Kings 18:13). In their threats against the city of Jerusalem, the Assyrians openly defied the God of Judah, likening Him to the powerless gods of the nations they had conquered (2 Kings 18:28–35; 19:10–12 [Got Questions](https://paperpile.com/app/p/f87cc1bb-bbc0-0d1e-8337-29570c97bbb5 'Who was Hezekiah in the Bible?')). It is in desperation that King Hezekiah called in prayer to God to save them saying:
>"18 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, 19 and have cast their gods into the fire. For they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. 20 So now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord." (Isaiah 37:18-20)
Because of his prayer, God did save Israel and showed that any so called god or king has no power over the Holy One of Israel.
In the Bible, there is a consistent and central emphasis on the belief in one single divine being known as Jehovah or Yahweh, often referred to as "The LORD." This monotheistic concept is foundational to the teachings of the Old Testament (OT). Throughout the OT, Jehovah is unequivocally affirmed as the one and only true God.
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