There is One True God: Hashem, The God of Israel!
There is One True God: Hashem, The God of Israel
I will never tell anyone not to believe in J-man (or any other god for that matter), just as I would ask that no one try to convert me into believing in the J-man or any other god besides Hashem.
For, faith in J-man or another god may be for you, however, for the Jewish person, faith in the J-man (or any other god besides Hashem) is not for us. Indeed, the Jewish community cannot believe in any other G-d but Hashem--the Neshamah (or our Jewish soul) will not allow it. Thus, Jews will always come back to Hashem, The One True G-d, The G-d of Israel, even if we stray for a while in the pastures of false gods.
Hashem does not deny that other gods exist. In fact, Hashem says that He has created other gods and has "allotted the false gods (or idols) to other people everywhere under heaven." But, Hashem says, "You (the Jewish people) Hashem took and brought out of Egypt, that iron blast furnace, to be His very own people, as is now the case." (Deuteronomy 4:19-20).
Indeed, He told us that He has created them to be assigned to other people who are not His elect Jewish Israelite people.
What we must understand however, is that these small-g "gods" are created beings. They are divine created entities that have a station that is higher than humans, but they are not Big-G gods that compete with Hashem in any way. Indeed, these small-g divine entities are created by Hashem, and so they can only do His will. Like the Adversary, who is a small-g divine being, these divine created entities go about the earth to do Hashem's will. In Job, we see them be used for testing. In Sodom, we see them used for destruction. In Judges, we see them used to bring divine messages of miraculous births.
Though these entities are not Big-G gods, for a time, Hashem has assigned these entities to be worshipped by others. Belief in these various beings have led to the formation of the various religious systems that we have on earth today. These systems have been fortold by Hashem to be means of not only judgement (for Jews who go astray), but also to draw people close to Himself.
My own case is proof of this latter point. Like me, there are likely many Jews trapped in false religions. In deed, the lost 10 Tribes of the Northern Kingdom are those most likely to be among the Jews in false religion. But, Hashem promises that in the end of days, He will work in manner that will ensure not one of His beloved Jewish people is left behind. No matter a Jew has strayed. No matter which den of wolve he or she is currently crouched in, Hashem will search for them and bring them home. He is the good Shepherd. He will gather in all of His lost sheep!
These other gods are identifiable by their ability to have a form made of them: of an animal, a human, or any other earthly form for that matter, whereas Hashem "has no shape". And since Hashem, the G-d of Israel has no shape, Torah commands that we not bow to any god who has a shape and thus of whom an image can be made. The J-man has a shape, or form: the human form. Thus, faith in him is not for the Jew. (Deuteronomy 4:15-19)
Yet, while faith in false gods is prohibited by Torah, for a time, Hashem may even allot those false gods to some of His Jewish people according to His own purposes. But, in the end, every knee will bow to Hashem and every tongue will confess Him (not a false god) as LORD, King, Creator, and God alone, as His scriptures declare:
לְמַ֙עַן֙ עַבְדִּ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּחִירִ֑י וָאֶקְרָ֤א לְךָ֙ בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ אֲכַנְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יְדַעְתָּֽנִי׃
4 For the sake of My servant Jacob,
Israel My chosen one,
I call you by name,
I hail you by title, though you have not known Me.
אֲנִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין ע֔וֹד זוּלָתִ֖י אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֲאַזֶּרְךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יְדַעְתָּֽנִי׃
5 I am GOD (HASHEM) and there is none else;
Beside Me, there is no god.
I engird you, though you have not known Me,
לְמַ֣עַן יֵדְע֗וּ מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וּמִמַּ֣עֲרָבָ֔הֿ כִּי־אֶ֖פֶס בִּלְעָדָ֑י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃
6 So that they may know, from east to west,
That there is none but Me.
I am GOD (HASHEM) and there is none else,
יוֹצֵ֥ר אוֹר֙ וּבוֹרֵ֣א חֹ֔שֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁל֖וֹם וּב֣וֹרֵא רָ֑ע אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה עֹשֶׂ֥ה כׇל־אֵֽלֶּה׃ {פ}
7 I form light and create darkness,
I make weal and create woe—
I GOD (HASHEM) do all these things....
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה יְגִ֨יעַ מִצְרַ֥יִם וּֽסְחַר־כּוּשׁ֮ וּסְבָאִים֮ אַנְשֵׁ ֣י מִדָּה֒ עָלַ֤יִךְ
יַעֲבֹ֙רוּ֙ וְלָ֣ךְ יִֽהְי֔וּ אַחֲרַ֣יִךְ יֵלֵ֔כוּ בַּזִּקִּ֖ים יַעֲבֹ֑רוּ
וְאֵלַ֤יִךְ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֙ אֵלַ֣יִךְ יִתְפַּלָּ֔לוּ אַ֣ךְ בָּ֥ךְ אֵ֛ל וְאֵ֥ין ע֖וֹד אֶ֥פֶס אֱלֹהִֽים׃
14 Thus said GOD (HASHEM) :
Egypt’s wealth and Cush’s gains
And Sabaites, long of limb,
Shall pass over to you and be yours,
Pass over and follow you in fetters,
Bow low to you
And reverently address you:
“Only among you is God (HASHEM),
There is no other god at all!
אָכֵ֕ן אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל מִסְתַּתֵּ֑ר אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
15 You are indeed a God who hides in concealment,
O God of Israel (HASHEM), who brings victory!
בּ֥וֹשׁוּ וְגַֽם־נִכְלְמ֖וּ כֻּלָּ֑ם יַחְדָּו֙ הָלְכ֣וּ בַכְּלִמָּ֔ה חָרָשֵׁ֖י צִירִֽים׃
16 Those who fabricate idols—
All are shamed and disgraced;
They slink away in disgrace together.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נוֹשַׁ֣ע בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה תְּשׁוּעַ֖ת עוֹלָמִ֑ים לֹא־תֵבֹ֥שׁוּ וְלֹא־תִכָּלְמ֖וּ עַד־ע֥וֹלְמֵי עַֽד׃ {פ}
17 But Israel has won through GOD (HASHEM)
Triumph everlasting.
You shall not be shamed or disgraced
In all the ages to come!”
כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָֽמַר־יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה בּוֹרֵ֨א הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם ה֣וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים יֹצֵ֨ר הָאָ֤רֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ֙ ה֣וּא
כֽוֹנְנָ֔הּ לֹא־תֹ֥הוּ בְרָאָ֖הּ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת יְצָרָ֑הּ אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃
18 For thus said GOD (HASHEM),
The Creator of heaven who alone is God,
Who formed the earth and made it,
Who alone established it—
Who did not create it a waste,
But formed it for habitation:
I am GOD (HASHEM), and there is none else.
לֹ֧א בַסֵּ֣תֶר דִּבַּ֗רְתִּי בִּמְקוֹם֙ אֶ֣רֶץ חֹ֔שֶׁךְ לֹ֥א אָמַ֛רְתִּי לְזֶ֥רַע יַעֲקֹ֖ב תֹּ֣הוּ
בַקְּשׁ֑וּנִי אֲנִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ דֹּבֵ֣ר צֶ֔דֶק מַגִּ֖יד מֵישָׁרִֽים׃
19 I did not speak in secret,
At a site in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the stock of Jacob,
“Seek Me out in a wasteland”—
I GOD (HASHEM), who foretell reliably,
Who announce what is true.
הִקָּבְצ֥וּ וָבֹ֛אוּ הִֽתְנַגְּשׁ֥וּ יַחְדָּ֖ו פְּלִיטֵ֣י הַגּוֹיִ֑ם לֹ֣א יָדְע֗וּ הַנֹּֽשְׂאִים֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ץ פִּסְלָ֔ם וּמִֽתְפַּלְלִ֔ים אֶל־אֵ֖ל לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
20 Come, gather together,
Draw nigh, you remnants of the nations!
No foreknowledge had they who carry their wooden images
And pray to a god who cannot give success.
הַגִּ֣ידוּ וְהַגִּ֔ישׁוּ אַ֥ף יִֽוָּעֲצ֖וּ יַחְדָּ֑ו מִ֣י הִשְׁמִ֩יעַ֩ זֹ֨את מִקֶּ֜דֶם מֵאָ֣ז הִגִּידָ֗הּ הֲל֨וֹא
אֲנִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ וְאֵֽין־ע֤וֹד אֱלֹהִים֙ מִבַּלְעָדַ֔י אֵל־צַדִּ֣יק וּמוֹשִׁ֔יעַ אַ֖יִן זוּלָתִֽי׃
21 Speak up, compare testimony—
Let them even take counsel together!
Who announced this aforetime,
Foretold it of old?
Was it not I the ETERNAL One?
Then there is no god beside Me,
No God exists beside Me
Who foretells truly and grants success.
פְּנוּ־אֵלַ֥י וְהִוָּשְׁע֖וּ כׇּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֥י אֲנִי־אֵ֖ל וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃
22 Turn to Me and gain success,
All the ends of earth!
For I am God, and there is none else.
בִּ֣י נִשְׁבַּ֔עְתִּי יָצָ֨א מִפִּ֧י צְדָקָ֛ה דָּבָ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יָשׁ֑וּב כִּי־לִי֙ תִּכְרַ֣ע כׇּל־בֶּ֔רֶךְ תִּשָּׁבַ֖ע כׇּל־לָשֽׁוֹן׃
23 By Myself have I sworn,
From My mouth has issued truth,
A word that shall not turn back:
To Me every knee shall bend,
Every tongue swear loyalty.
אַ֧ךְ בַּיהֹוָ֛ה לִ֥י אָמַ֖ר צְדָק֣וֹת וָעֹ֑ז עָדָיו֙ יָב֣וֹא וְיֵבֹ֔שׁוּ כֹּ֖ל הַנֶּחֱרִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃
24 They shall say: “Only through GOD (HASHEM)
Can I find victory and might.
When people trust in [God] (HASHEM),
All their adversaries are put to shame.
בַּיהֹוָ֛ה יִצְדְּק֥וּ וְיִֽתְהַלְל֖וּ כׇּל־זֶ֥רַע יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
25 It is through GOD (HASHEM) that all the offspring of Israel
Have vindication and glory.”
(Isaiah 45:4-7; 14-25 (Revised JPS, 2023)
-- Scriptures obtained from sefaria.org)
Thus, in the end, all other false small-g divine beings will be put to an end.
One of the sings of the days of moshiach, will be the destruction of all idols, false gods, and false belief systems. At that time, every eye on earth will see, every tongue will confess that
Hashem alone is God, LORD, King, and Creator of everything in heaven above and earth below.
May it be speedily in our days!
Am Yisrael Chai!
by Kimberly Davis