First,
all the denial statements made by Isaiah and other prophets have exact or near
exact linguistic equivalents in two passages universally regarded as containing
“vestiges” of other gods—Deuteronomy 4:19–20 and 32:8–9. These statements
actually speak to Yahweh’s incomparability among all the other ‘ĕlōhim,
not to
the denial of the existence of other ‘ĕlōhim.
The
second problem concerns Deuteronomy 32:17, a text that alludes to the failures
of Israel in disobeying the warnings of Deuteronomy 4:19–20. This text quite
clearly has Moses referring to the other ‘ĕlōhim as evil spiritual entities (šēdim): “They [Israel] sacrificed to demons (šēdim) who are not God (‘ĕlōah), to gods (‘ĕlōhim) they did not know; new ones that had come along
recently, whom your fathers had not reverenced.” While these lesser ‘ĕlōhim
are
linked to the statues that represented them in the mind of their worshippers
(Deuteronomy 4:28; 7:25; 28:64), these beings must be considered real spiritual
entities.
Lastly,
there is a logic problem. If one goes back and reads the denial statements in
Deutero-Isaiah, it is not difficult to discern upon what basis the denial language occurs. Is the language
concerned with making the point that Yahweh is the only god who exists or
something else? In Isaiah 43:10–12 Yahweh claims to be unique in his
preexistence, in his ability to save, and in his national deliverance. In
Isaiah 44:6–8 the focus is on certain attributes of Yahweh. In the texts from
Isaiah 45, there are very obvious comparisons between Yahweh’s deeds, justice, salvation,
and deliverance of his children and the impotence of the other gods. All these
passages are transparently concerned with comparing Yahweh to other gods—not comparing Yahweh to beings
that do not exist. That would be empty praise indeed.
. . .
[Isa
43:10] does not deny that Yahweh created any ‘ĕlōhim. Rather, it asserts
there will be no such god as Yahweh to follow. If the objects of creation were
what was intended to be negated, we would expect a plural form of hyh, not the singular yihyeh, or some other negated plural construction. (Michael
E. Heiser "You've Seen One Elohim, You've Seen Them All? A Critique of
Mormonism's Use of Psalm 82," FARMS Review 19, no. 1 [2007]:232-33,
254)
