The Bible contains a lot of questions, and it doesn’t always provide satisfactory answers. So I’ve been answering some of the Bible’s questions myself. This time, I’m looking at questions from the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah’s questions

Isaiah asks: Why hold mere humans in esteem? Answer: As opposed to God? At least humans exist. And most of them are a lot nicer than him.

He asks: When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Answer: Yes, they should not.

And he asks: Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Answer: The living don’t know everything.

Isaiah asks: Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it? Answer: No, those things are not autonomous, unlike what you’re comparing them to.

Isaiah asks: Who can thwart God’s purpose? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? And God asks: When I act, who can reverse it? Answer: Adam, Ahab, Satan, divorcees, Christians who eat forbidden food, and humans in general.

Isaiah asks the people of Tyre: Is this your city of revelry, the old, old city, whose feet have taken her to settle in far-off lands? Answer: No, I’m pretty sure cities don’t have feet.

Isaiah asks: Has the Lord struck Israel as he struck down those who struck her? Has she been killed as those were killed who killed her? Answer: Yes, constantly.

Isaiah asks: Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?

Answer: Job and God’s prophets know what God thinks. God reveals his thoughts to mankind. Paul knows the whole will of God. The Corinthians must know it too, because God has given them all knowledge, so they “have the mind of Christ“. God has made the mystery of his will known to Paul and/or the Ephesians.

As for instructing God, according to Elihu, guardian angels instruct God to spare people. Moses counseled God and convinced him not to kill all the other Israelites. And a Gentile woman convinced Jesus that he was wrong to shun people like her, after which he started having his disciples preach to all nations instead of just to the Jews.

Isaiah asks: With whom, then, will you compare God? Answer: Hitler.

And he asks: To what image will you liken him? Answer: This one.

Isaiah asks someone: Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? Implied answer: Isaiah sounds like he’s trying to say the answer is yes. Real answer: I’m pretty sure Isaiah isn’t talking to God here, so the answer is no.

Isaiah asks: He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested?

Christian answer: This is a prediction that Jesus would be crucified and no one would care. Alternative biblical answer: I have no idea who Isaiah is really talking about, but let’s pretend he’s talking about Jesus. In that case, Pilate supposedly protested his own verdict. Which doesn’t make any sense, but that’s what the Bible says.

Isaiah asks: Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? Answer: I think it’s supposed to be God?

He asks: Where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them, who sent his glorious arm of power to be at Moses’ right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown, who led them through the depths? Answer: Well, he’s definitely not in a temple. He can’t be found anywhere on earth. And he can’t be in the heavens. Maybe he’s in the underworld?

Isaiah asks God: Why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you? Answer: God must be crazy.

Isaiah asks: How then can we be saved? Answer: You can be saved if God randomly decides to turn a blind eye to what you did wrong.

Isaiah asks God: After all this, will you hold yourself back? Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure? Answer: You haven’t seen the last of the Jews’ hardships, if that’s what you mean.

Isaiah’s questions for the Jews

Isaiah asks the people of Judah: Why should you be beaten anymore? Answer: Who’s beating them? God? Well, God never does anything without explaining his intentions to his prophets, and you’re a prophet. So if even you don’t know why he’s doing it, then I guess God must be beating people for no reason.

And he asks them: Why do you persist in rebellion? Answer: Probably because following God’s laws is unreasonably hard to do. Even Jesus thinks so.

When King Ahaz, misinterpreting the scriptures like a lot of religious people do, claims that God doesn’t want him to “put him to the test” by asking him to do something, despite the fact that God’s prophet has just told him to ask God for a miraculous sign, Isaiah asks Ahaz: Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Answer: I don’t know if he will (again), but he just did. He’s putting God’s patience to the test by refusing to “put the Lord to the test”.

Isaiah asks: Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Answer: Because they don’t see him doing anything for them.

Continue reading The Bible’s questions, answered—part 11: Answers to questions in Isaiah →