Isaiah, Chapters 42 & 43: God gives birth

Chapter 42

Isaiah points out how many of his past predictions have come true, and starts listing some new ones. Guess what he's going to do? Can you guess? Okay, I'll tell you: he's going to destroy his enemies! And yes, he will wail like a woman in labour while doing so. Stop the presses! Then he's going to dry up rivers and refuse to water the plants. And then! He's going to reward the blind and deaf.

Chapter 43

God is going to drown and set fire to Israel, which is going to survive both tests. I wonder if this kind of chapter is where witch hunters got their ideas from? Then he informs the Israelites that all that punishment he gave to Egypt, Seba and Ethiopia? That was for Israelites' sins, because he likes them best. And now that all the sin has been washed away, he's going to make Israel a paradise on earth by restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and building a giant fence around them.

Then god says he acts alone, and there never were nor will there ever be, another god, and beside me there is no saviour (v. 11) which would seem to directly contradict the whole second volume of this book. Then he informs us that he has destroyed the Babylonians, so there is no need for chariots, horses or weapons now. If only that one had come true.

God next tells us to forget the old and look to the future, where he is going to perform another miracle. Specifically, he's going to make owls and dragons worship him by giving them water.

Now, a couple of books ago, god said he was tired of sacrifices. But now he's complaining that the Israelites don't make sacrifices to him any more. But he's not a deity to hold grudges! Not our god! Nope, he just wants to have a long conversation with the Israelites about whether they really did sin or not. And this god, who doesn't remember past sins, reminds them that every leader he's made since Adam has failed to do right and so now he's going to destry them. Serving him must have been more fun than a barrel of monkeys.