Letter 3: Both Parts of the Holy Bible Proclaim “God Is One and Only”

  Both Parts of the Holy Bible Proclaim “God Is One and Only”

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God

with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

—Deuteronomy 6:4–5

Reverend Franklin Graham:

In my last letter, I have described what the Holy Quran says about God and the basic truth of His guidance. The Quran also confirms that the Torah (Old Testament) and Injeel  (the Gospel of Jesus) contain the same eternal truth of God’s being one and worshipping none but Him. On the basis of that eternal message, the Muslims are required to believe in all the revealed scriptures of God along with His last guidebook-the  Quran, and in all His messengers including  His last Prophet Muhammad, as an indispensable part of their faith. I have quoted below a series of evidence from both parts of the Bible in support of that.

         

The Old Testament of the Bible proclaims: God is One and Only

 I will start first with Genesis, the first book of the Holy Bible

In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

           

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)

         

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

(Genesis 6:8–9)

The first two verses confirm that no one existed in the beginning, except God Who created heaven and earth and also formed Adam-the father of mankind with dust and made him a complete human being after He breathed His spirit through his nostrils.

The last verse tells us that the path of God was defined from the start and spread of human habitation, but it was followed only by just and righteous persons, like Noah.

Everlasting covenant with Abraham and his seeds

In the following verses of the Genesis, we shall see that Abraham and his descendants also worshipped the same one God of Adam and Noah and tried to live their lives by His commands.

And when Abram [Abraham] was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (Genesis 17:1)

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. (Genesis 17:7)

Reverend, kindly remember this everlasting covenant of God, which He meant to be obeyed and observed by Abraham and by all his progeny. The Muslims believe it is “Tawhid” (in Arabic), the exact meaning of which is Islamic monotheism where God is claimed to be One and Only and none has the right to be worshipped except Him. They also believe it is the fundamental truth in the guidance of God which He revealed to all His messengers including both Jesus and Muhammad.  I’ll try to justify my point as we proceed with other statements of the Old Testament. Let us begin first with Moses- a mighty messenger of God from the tribes of Abraham as well as one of the founding pillars of the Judeo-Christian Faith.

Moses was sent to proclaim God is One and to worship none but Him            

                And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Je-ho-vah was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:2–3)

            Who is like unto thee, O LORD among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:11)

The LORD shall reign forever and ever. (Exodus 15:18)

And God spake all these words saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. (Exodus 20:1–4)

         

           Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 18:4)

          Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. (Deuteronomy 4:39)

           Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (Deuteronomy 6:4–5)

            Reverend, I think the message of the above-quoted verses is crystal clear. It is in fact ‘Tawhid’ or pure and pristine monotheism, which I already mentioned before. In the following verses of the Old Testament, Moses is seen pleading his people earnestly to obey God and to live their lives by His command and also to warn them about the consequence of their being disobedient to Him.                  

           Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which He hath commanded thee. (Deuteronomy 6:17)

          And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. (Deuteronomy 8:19)

          Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if you will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. (Deuteronomy 11:26–28)

          The message of the above verses is plain and simple. Like all his predecessors, Moses was also sent to teach his people worship none but One God, to remind them of His reward and blessing, if they obeyed His commands; and of His curse and punishment, if they chose to deviate from His path.

Like Moses , David also proclaimed God is One and Only

David-a mighty king and a Prophet from the House of Israel, also worshiped the same One God of Abraham and Moses. In the following verses of the Old Testament, he is seen to surrender himself completely to the will and command of God in appreciation of His endless glory,  greatness and also for being his only True Guide, Savior and Refuge.

         Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any god beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (2 Samuel:7:22)

And he said, the LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in Him will I trust: He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior …. (11 Samuel 22:2-3)

          As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all that trust in Him. ( 11 Samuel 22:31)

           Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD , and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. (1 Chronicles:29:11–12)

               In 1Kings 2:3, we find David to advise his son Solomon from his deathbed, saying more or less the same thing as Moses did to his people:

And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and His commandments , and his judgment and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest  prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself.”

         

Like his father David, Solomon also worshiped none but One God

         Like his father David, Solomon also worshiped none but One God and tried to do everything in appreciation of His endless glory and greatness.  The following verses of the Old Testament bear clear evidence in support of that.

                And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods. But who is able to build Him a house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

(11 Chronicles 2:5-6)

When a small scaffold was made, Solomon stood upon it and knelt down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands towards heaven saying to God most humbly,

O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and showest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts. ( 11 Chronicles 6:14)

          I hope, it will be very much in reference to the context, if I mention here that the followers of Muhammad also kneel down and spread their hands toward heaven while making their supplication to God, more or less the same way as did Solomon.

Other prophets of the Old Testament also confirm there is no God beside Him       

         

           The verses I have quoted below from different parts of the Old Testament also confirm there is none Savior beside God.

           I, even I, am the LORD; and besides me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:11)        

           Tell ye, and bring them near, yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior: there is none beside me. (Isaiah 45:21)

     

        Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me. (Isaiah 46:9)

       But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. (Jeremiah 10:10)

       And, go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. (Jeremiah 25:6)

       To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him. (Daniel 9:9)

       Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake. (Daniel 9:17)

Reverend, the following verses of the Old Testament, also tell us about the same One God from time immemorial who, out of His own mercy, love and compassion, asked His people to think of His glory and greatness, to use their own intelligence and common sense in choosing His path, to repent for their sin, to rectify their wrongdoings, and to return to Him safely, their only Savior and Refuge.

       Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? Prudent, and he shall know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall

there in. (Hosea 14:9)

          Even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and  weeping, and mourning: Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love…... (Joel 2:12–13)

           I think, the message of the verses that I quoted above from different parts of the Old Testament is self-evident and conclusive. In that case, no more explanation is required to convince you or anyone that all the recognized messengers of God who were sent before Jesus proclaimed the worship of One True God among their people and also asked them repeatedly to strive for His Cause through keeping His commands. It is still the same One God whom the followers of Muhammad  worship,  adore  and obey by the name Allah.

The Gospel of Jesus also tells us God is One and Only

In many places of the Quran, we have been told that Jesus whom we love and respect dearly as a mighty messenger of God, was also sent to proclaim the worship of the same One God among his own people-the misguided Jews. I have quoted below a few of them from different parts of the Gospel in support of that.

And Jesus answered him [the scribe], The first of all the commandments is, HEAR O ISRAEL; THE  LORD  OUR  GOD  IS  ONE LORD: AND  THOU  SHALT  LOVE  THE  LORD THY  GOD  WITH  ALL  THY  HEART, AND WITH  ALL  THY  SOUL, AND  WITH  ALL  THY  MIND, AND  WITH  ALL THY STRENGTH: this is the first commandment. (Mark 12:29–30)

And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: (Mark 12:32)

In reply to all the lucrative offers of the Satan (Matthew 4:8-9), Jesus said to him in disgust, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, THOU  SHALT  WORSHIP  THE  LORD  THY  GOD, AND  HIM  ONLY  SHALT  THOU  SERVE. (Matthew 4:10)

Jesus says, God Alone is All Perfect

And behold, one came and said unto him [to Jesus], Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

          And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:16–17)

              By this advice to the young man, Jesus made it absolutely clear that it was none but God Who alone is all perfect and, to have an eternal life, people must live their lives by His commands that He revealed through their respective messengers, for their guidance. 

Jesus’ clear view on keeping the commands of God

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17–19)

By those commands, Jesus obviously meant the Laws of the Torah, that Moses received from God for the guidance of his people. In other word, Jesus also asked his people to worship and obey the same one God of all his predecessors. And, so did Muhammad-the last and the final Messenger of God.