By David J. Stewart
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." —Isaiah 55:9
Oftentimes it is easy for a believer to take Scriptures for granted,
thinking we understanding them, when we really haven't grasped their true
meaning. One such Scripture, I think, is found in Isaiah 55:9... "For
as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." At a glance, one might
think about the clouds, i.e., the earth's atmosphere. However, Isaiah
55:9 doesn't say "heaven" (singular), it says "heavens" (plural). The
Bible is saying that God's ways are as different from man's as are
the distance of the stars from the earth.
Do you know how far the NEAREST star to the earth is, other than our own sun? The nearest star is Proxima Centauri, and it is 4.2 light-years in distance from the earth. One light-year is 5,874,589,152,000 miles!!! So that means that the nearest start to the earth is a shocking 24,673,274,438,400 miles from the earth!!! That's twenty-four TRILLION, six hundred and seventy-three BILLION, two hundred and seventy-four MILLION, four hundred and thirty-eight thousand and four hundred miles. If that's not amazing enough about God, then consider this... the FARTHEST known star from the earth is a staggering 13,230,000,000 light years away!!! That's 77,704,125,629,760,000,000,000 miles!!!
The Bible teaches that God's ways are incredibly different than man's ways, and God's thoughts different than man's thoughts. How is it then that so many people today place God on trial—questioning His divine sovereignty, accusing Him of not caring, and expecting Him to fit within their mold? Many people expect God to do things their way, and in their time. But God doesn't work where, when, and how we think He should. God has His own methods. Psalm 145:3 reads, "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable." Someone wisely said: "God works in mysterious ways." He certainly does! Whereas we expect God to work within a timeframe of weeks and months; God often works in years and decades.
The sinful world places God on trial, condemning Him as a malign and cruel God, because of the suffering which exists in the world today. God is not to blame for man's sinful greed, lust, and desire for power. Mankind is the culprit; not God. Mankind is selfish and perverted; not God. Mankind is wicked and deceitful; not God. God's ways are higher than man's ways, as high as the sun, moon, and stars are above the earth. God created man with a free will to obey or rebel, to receive or reject Jesus Christ as the Savior, to do right or wrong. Yet, humanity blames God for their own faulty, sinful, and foolish decisions that bring sorrow, pain, and destruction upon themselves. We have no one to blame but ourselves!
The God of the Bible has manifest Himself to humanity in the flesh and person of Jesus Christ (1st Timothy 3:16; John 1:1-3,14), the Savior of mankind... "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:43). Salvation is found ONLY through the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:10-12). This is God's way. So many people today are hellbound in rebellion and unbelief, because they are relying upon their own human understanding... "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD" (Jeremiah 17:5). Only a fool would refuse to obey the Bible.
In conclusion, Isaiah 55:9 should settle the matter... God doesn't do things the "way" we think He should, nor does He do them "when" we think He should. We need to continually keep this Scripture in mind, and trust upon the Lord, lest we get upset with God for not catering to our selfish demands. 1st Timothy 6:8 tells us to be "content" with food and raiment, and nothing more. That is a very simple life. Yet, how many of our prayers today seek much more. The average American today is spoiled-rotten and filled with sinful pride. Most people place their own opinions over God's Word. To do so is sin. We must learn to trust the heart of God, when we cannot see the hand of God.
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil." —Proverb 3:5-6
