In Isaiah, chapter forty-one, verse one, “Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.” In this chapter, the nations are challenged to demonstrate that they have the same power, wisdom, and foreknowledge as the God of Israel.
The only challenge or confrontation that relates to this theme is Elijah, the prophet of God, and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel in First Kings eighteen, verses seventeen through forty. Elijah was called to defend the true God of Israel. “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word,” as in verse twenty-one. “Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.” The rest of those verses reveal the contest of how God demonstrated His power over Baal and those prophets.
Can any heathen god raise one in righteousness, make what use of him he pleases, and make him victorious over the nations? The Lord did so with Abraham, or rather, he would do so with Cyrus. Sinners encourage one another in the ways of sin; shall not the servants of the living God stir up one another in his service? God’s people are the seed of Abraham, his friend. This is certainly the highest title ever given to a mortal. It means that Abraham, by Divine grace, was made like to God, and that he was admitted to communion with Him. Happy are the servants of the Lord, whom he has called to be his friends, and to walk with him in faith and holy obedience. Let not such as have thus been favoured yield to fear; for the contest may be sharp, but the victory shall be sure.