BEFORE me there were no other Gods - what does this really mean?

truthseeker

Is the verse below saying that God has not always existed?

10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
"and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.

11 I, even I, am the LORD,
and apart from me there is no savior.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, was there ever a time when God did not exist? A friend suggested that God has always existed but was not aware of himself for millions of years, and then one day God becomes consciously aware of himself and realizes he is alone and starts making other life forms.

coolhandluke

The realization of being alone would suggest that God has need for other beings or a need to create. If this is true it is in violation of the bibles prescribed belief of the nature of the divine. Is your friend projecting a human need of procreation on a God who has no (according to the bible) needs at all?

kid-A

Interesting. I never thought of it this way. Clearly 'god' is admitting to a time before his existence, which raises the obvious conclusion, that which had a beginning, must also have an end.....I doubt many theologians honestly want to address this question, anything that even hints at the 'vulnerability' of god (a god that is mortal?) would immediately activate their psychological defense mechanisms....

Cygnus

Since the evidence indicates that passage/poem was written and influeced around the theistic Babylonian culture, YHWH was a compilation of many gods, and was just finding its own unique identity, maybe the author had that intention. Who knows?

VM44

"YHWH was a compilation of many gods"

I would like to learn more about this. Was there a recent thread here that went into YHWH (Jehovah) as originally being several gods, perhaps even satan and jehovah being the same(!!!) at one time?

Or perhaps there are some good books to read on this subject?

--VM44

loveis

The WT take:
*** rs p. 413 par. 2 - p. 414 par. 1 Trinity ***God:At Isaiah 43:10 Jehovah says: "Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me." Does this mean that, because Jesus Christ is prophetically called "Mighty God" at Isaiah 9:6, Jesus must be Jehovah? Again, the context answers, No! None of the idolatrous Gentile nations formed a god before Jehovah, because no one existed before Jehovah. Nor would they at a future time form any real, live god that was able to prophesy. (Isa. 46:9, 10) But that does not mean that Jehovah never caused to exist anyone who is properly referred to as a god. (Ps. 82:1, 6; John 1:1, NW) At Isaiah 10:21 Jehovah is referred to as "mighty God," just as Jesus is in Isaiah 9:6; but only Jehovah is ever called "God Almighty."—Gen. 17:1.

If a certain title or descriptive phrase is found in more than one location in the Scriptures, it should never hastily be concluded that it must always refer to the same person. Such reasoning would lead to the conclusion that Nebuchadnezzar was Jesus Christ, because both were called "king of kings" (Dan. 2:37; Rev. 17:14); and that Jesus’ disciples were actually Jesus Christ, because both were called "the light of the world." (Matt. 5:14; John 8:12) We should always consider the context and any other instances in the Bible where the same expression occurs.

LouBelle

I dont think that is what the scripture is implying as in "time". I think it's before - as in 'in front of me' or that 'has my attention'. I tried to look up the scripture to see if you'd quoted it quickly but you didn't mention it.

googlemagoogle

I dont think that is what the scripture is implying as in "time".

the context seems to refer to time though. because it's talking about before and after. it wouldn't make sense if god's would be formed physically before him and after him...

LouBelle

See your point. *taken*

Perhaps then he is talking about a ""true"" god before/after?

googlemagoogle

Perhaps then he is talking about a ""true"" god before/after?

:-)
that doesn't matter either, because it sais there was "NO" god created before him, neither true nor false. the point is, that this can be interpreted as god having a beginning and an end. because there is no before and after in eternity. where "eternity" is a special topic anyway, because the biblical "forever" doesn't necessarily mean forever at all.

forever? for ever? for ever ever?

BEFORE me there were no other Gods - what does this really mean?

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