Originally titled Our God is an Awesome God: A Close Look at the gods of the Ancient World, and Why Yahweh is Best, this podcast examines the rivals of the one true God. There were literally thousands of gods and goddesses in the ancient world.
Listen to the podcast (34 minutes), and be strengthened in your conviction about the uniqueness of Yahweh. Add to your "arsenal" so that your evangelism will be more effective. If you are a student, master a few simple lines of reasoning so that you may take a stand in this liberal world.
Click here to download.
Some pantheons referred to in the podcast:
- Greek
- Roman
- Nordic
- Aztec
- Chinese
- African
- Egyptian
- Indian
- Canaanite
Some scriptures read or referred to:
- Isaiah 44:8-21 -- paganism unreasonable; mocked.
- Numbers 25:1-3 (see 2 Cor 6:14-18) -- immorality.
- Daniel 2:11 -- gods aloof from humans.
- 1 Kings 20:23; Jeremiah 2:28 -- localized.
- Genesis 31:19 -- household gods.
- Deuteronomy 18:9-13 -- occult.
- 2 Kings 17:29-34 -- Syncretism
- 1 Kings 18 -- gods powerless.
- (For more, please see A Quick Overview of the Bible.)
Some major differences between the worship of the true God, Yahweh (I am) and the deities of the pagans:
- A true relationship. Not a mechanical arrangement where we give to the god and he assists us.
- No idols! All ancient religions involved bowing down to statues, apart from Judaism.
- Ethics. How you live is integral to one's relationship with God. We have to walk the walk.
- Holiness. The true God is no exalted human (think petty dictator, or person with "powers"). He is wholly other, and invites us to share in his holiness. No other "god" is like him; he is unique.
In short, it's not a matter of "tolerance" or being gracious towards those with whom we differ. The "gods" are not worth worshipping. They do not actually exist; their cults are both inferior and illogical; and the standard to which He calls us validates or invalidates our religion. No going through the motions!
