THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Thus declares the Sovereign Lord, the King of Israel, the Lord of Hosts: I am the beginning, and I am also the end; there is no other God beside Me. Who can compare to Me? Let him arise and call upon Me; let him prepare for Me. For I created humanity from everlasting, and those who will live in the future will testify of My deeds. Do not hide from Me, and I will reveal My truth to you. After reminding us of the knowledge we find in Christ through the scripture we have just examined, the prophet necessarily transitions to another theme. At the time that the divine prophet Isaiah delivered his message, there was a reign of hatred against God, and people were laden with profound sins, with self-will as their deity.
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Therefore, God presents an essential call to repentance, accompanied by firm denunciations, urging them to turn away from idolatry and its corruptions, guiding them towards the truth by repentance and drawing their minds back to His majestic glory and unmatched power. Hence He proclaims: Thus says the Sovereign Lord, the King of Israel, the Lord of Hosts: He desires that they understand He is the God of might, that they may perceive, like those sober from drunkenness, how He delivered them from the cunning of the Egyptians through His miraculous deeds and the revealing of His incredible power. For was there anything marvelous He did not accomplish? What affliction was not inflicted upon their oppressors? Was it not a clear testament of His indescribable might that the sea was divided, the waters stood firm as walls, and the fleeing Israelites walked through on dry ground? And what about the wonders performed in the wilderness? Did He not provide them with bread from heaven? Did He not strike the rock in the desert to bring forth water like rivers? Having restrained the currents of the Jordan, did He not prepare the way for their crossing? Thus, He refers to Himself not only as Lord and God, but also as Deliverer, reminding them of the extraordinary feats He accomplished. He states plainly: Know that I am God above all, God who was and who will always be; there is no other God besides Me, for God is the origin of all things, existing from none but Himself; all creation comes through Him, and He alone is the One who was, who is, and who is to come. This is His eternal name, a remembrance for generations to come. There has not been, nor will be, any other God than He; for God is one in essence, with no other comparable to Him. This admonition serves as a vital reminder for those who have forsaken Him and have foolishly succumbed to the belief in multiple gods. No one can stand equal to Him, which is underscored by the question: Who is like Me? Which deity, whether thought to be or irrationally named, can rival My glory and power? What great work has led you to believe they are gods? Let anyone attempt to match Me if they can; let them forge one equal to Me in essence, strength, or glory. Call upon whom you wish from among the idols, for I formed humanity for eternity. I created the heavens and all within them, where countless holy beings serve and worship Me. But since the day I fashioned man, even through the ages to follow, let anyone reveal to Me a likeness of Myself. By asserting, ‘Before I made humanity,’ He affirms His role as Creator and shows the emptiness of false gods—none among their worshipers has ever created anything. In contrast, I disclose Myself as the Creator of all, possessing knowledge of all. Challenge these so-called gods to declare what is ahead; for by nature, God must possess full knowledge of both past and future events. If none among the false deities possesses such knowledge, it is evident that those ignorant of God cannot be gods. You must not disguise yourselves; rather, do not hide or pretend.
Refer to the commentary on Isaiah 44:6, verse 8. Have you not first received divine inspiration, so that I might make My will known to you? As the Almighty, who is inherently God and governs all things past and future, I have proclaimed My message through the holy prophets, including the wise Moses. I have unveiled the mystery of Christ, and everything meant to be revealed to you has been disclosed by Me. Hence, those others are not deities, lacking anything worthy of God; rather, I am inherently God—evidently the God of all—alongside those who believe in Me, embodying a divine essence.
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Consequently, this word remains a mystery to those who have strayed from the true understanding of God, who bow before lifeless idols, proclaiming to the tree, "Thou art my father," and to the rock, "Thou hast brought me forth" (Jeremiah 2:27). You bear witness if any God exists apart from Mene. Furthermore, He recalls the might and authority displayed before them, which rightfully belongs to God, the true Lord of all, at the time they were freed from Egypt. In that moment, along with the Lord, creation itself rose against the oppression they faced; the natural elements were transformed: water turned to blood, darkness engulfed the land for three days, hail rained down from the heavens, and frogs, flies, and the death of the firstborn were unleashed upon them, as they crossed the sea. Upon reaching the promised land, they triumphed over numerous tribes, exceeding their strength and fortifications. They instilled fear and were deemed untouchable by neighboring nations, and their glory spread to distant lands. It is you alone, not others, who can understand what pertains to you: who is this one who accomplished such deeds, who allied with creation for your sake, who shattered the might of your foes and granted you valiant hearts against all adversities. You stand as testimony to My greatness if you sincerely reflect and require no additional guidance. The Egyptians possessed a multitude of gods, and their altars overflowed with idols. The Amorites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, and other nations likewise had a vast array of false deities. Yet none of these offered salvation to their worshippers; rather, you caused both the deified figures and their veneration to perish. God commanded through Moses that you should dismantle their dwellings, shatter their pillars, and incinerate the remnants of their deities (Deuteronomy 7:5; cf. vv. 25, 12, 8). Hence, if you resolve to declare the truth, you will stand as witnesses for Me, should there be a God other than Me. If any individuals dare to oppose My divine forces and prevail, let them be counted among you as a deity. But if they are shown to be worthless and, through you, become mere fuel for fire, then you have truly learned through experience that there is no God besides Me, the true God.