Our God is Better

[Perhaps there might be need for a small spoiler alert if you're planning on reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians and you don't want to know even the tiniest bit about the plot.]


Last week I finished reading the book series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and I really enjoyed it.  Riordan makes Greek mythology come alive in a way that sure didn't happen for me in high school.  I never liked the Greek stories when I read them in school, though my 9th grade, advanced English class did have an incredible substitute teacher once, (a retired English teacher herself) who read Odysseus aloud to us after we complained about not understanding it.  She was amazing.  A good reader can make all the difference, but I suppose that's neither here nor there.  


I thought the books were a fun read for maybe older junior high/high school students and a good way to help the information about Greek gods stick in their minds a little better.  But as I read I couldn't help but compare the gods of Greek mythology and man's imagination with the true God, and big surprise, our God is infinitely more satisfying to worship.  Here are just a few points of comparison, and these are based on Rick Riordan's portrayal of the gods; some of these attributes were familiar to me from school, but I'm sure he took some creative license.

• Our God is holy.  And wow!  Those Greek gods sure aren't, cheating on their wives and having children with mortals.  It's just so gross.  How can you respect, much less worship gods so devoid of morality?  
• Our God is perfectly just in His judgments.  In the last book, you're told that Zeus attempted the murder of two demigods (children of his brother by a mortal) out of fear that they might be responsible for the overthrow of Olympus one day.  Wasn't that lovely?  
• Our God wins His battles.  The end of the last book finds the gods of Olympus at war with the Titans, and there is no assurance that they will win.  I'm comforted to know that when the last battle comes on earth, there is no doubt who the victor will be.
• Our God is strong.  The gods of Olympus need the help of the heroes (half-blood children) to save their thrones on Olympus.  Our God doesn't need anyone's help to accomplish His task or to defend His Name.  He graciously allows us to serve Him, but He doesn't need our help, and He has no weakness.
• Our God lives forever; the grave could not hold Him.  If the gods of Olympus lose the war with the Titans and lose their power, they could fade away.  Our God cannot lose His power.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and He will never change.  
• Our God is ONE.  Boy, the main problem for me is that there are just way too many Greek "gods."  By the very name "God" it seems you are saying there is one in control, one in charge, and one to be worshiped.  There are way too many gods in the throne room of Olympus, and there is absolutely no working together as the Trinity is described doing.

Again, I'm not writing to criticize the books.  I enjoyed them and thought they were well-written and entertaining, but I just couldn't help but make a few comparisons as I read.  The God who has revealed Himself to us in the Bible is just so much better.