The verse in Isaiah 55:9 reads, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” This is a profoundly meaningful verse that reveals much about the nature of God and His relationship to humanity.
First, it reminds us that God is infinitely greater than us. Just as the heavens stretch far beyond the limits of the earth, so God’s ways and thoughts are far above ours. We are finite, limited creatures while God is eternal and unlimited. There is an immense gap between the Creator and His creation.
Second, it highlights the wisdom of God compared to the limitations of human wisdom. Our ways of thinking and our worldview are constrained by our finiteness, our culture and experiences. But God has absolute wisdom and His ways reflect His perfect knowledge and righteousness.
Third, it shows that God’s ways are often mysterious and perplexing to us. We cannot always understand the reasons behind the way God chooses to act or the things He allows to happen. But we must trust that He has good and just reasons that may be beyond our comprehension.
Fourth, it indicates that God does not think or behave as humans do. He does not have the flaws and limitations that characterize fallen humanity. His motives are pure, His justice is perfect, and His love is unconditional.
Fifth, it reminds us that God’s ways lead to life while our ways lead to death (Proverbs 14:12). Left to our own devices we would continue down a path of destruction. But God intervenes in love and mercy to guide us into right paths that align with His higher ways.
Sixth, it shows that we need submission and humility before God. Since His ways are higher, we should surrender our will to His perfect will and not cling to our own faulty human wisdom (Isaiah 1:18-20).
Seventh, it points to our need to depend on God’s wisdom rather than our own (James 1:5-8). Through prayer and studying the Bible, we can align our thoughts and ways to His higher ways instead of trying to figure everything out on our own.
Eighth, it gives us hope because we know that no human thinking or obstacle can limit God or thwart His higher plans (Isaiah 14:24, 46:10). He is able to act in ways that are beyond our comprehension to work all things for our good.
In summary, this verse is a call to humility and hope. When God says His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, He reminds us that He is the infinite, wise Creator while we are finite and fallen creatures in need of His mercy and grace to understand His higher purposes.
Trusting in His higher ways requires faith and submission on our part. But we can take comfort knowing that God will guide those who acknowledge their limits and rely on Him to align their steps according to His higher path that leads to life (Isaiah 30:21). Though His ways are mysterious, they are always best.
1. God’s Ways are Higher Because He is the Transcendent, Omniscient Creator
One of the primary reasons that God’s ways are higher than human ways is because of His identity as the Creator and our identity as the created. As finite creatures, there are natural limits and deficiencies in human perspective. But God as the eternal, self-existent Creator transcends all limits (Romans 11:33-36).
Human knowledge and wisdom is limited to what can be observed and learned in a finite lifetime. But God’s wisdom and knowledge are all-encompassing and without bounds because He is omniscient, knowing all things actual and possible (Psalm 139:1-6).
Not only is God’s knowledge greater, but His wisdom regarding what to do with that knowledge is flawless. He always knows and does what is right, true and good (Psalm 119:68, Romans 11:33-36). The heights of God’s ways reflect His transcendent wisdom and righteousness.
Human motives and emotions are flawed by sin, ego, past wounds and limitedperspective. But God has no deficiencies of character. His motives are alwayspure and His ways reflect His holiness (1 Peter 1:14-16).
Because God created the whole universe and everything in it, no one can fully comprehend all His works, let alone advise Him (Isaiah 40:13-14). Yet as creatures, we often have the arrogance to question God’s ways. His ways are higher because He alone has the knowledge, wisdom, righteousness and power to act according to the counsel of His will.
2. God’s Ways are Higher Because His Thoughts are Eternal Rather Than Limited by Time
Another way that God’s ways are higher than human ways is because He possesses an eternal perspective while humans are confined by time and space. God exists outside of time and is not limited by it the way humans are.
The linear progression of time with a past, present and future influences human perspectives and decision making. People are biased by past experiences, anxious about the future, and often shortsighted in the present. But God reigns over the timeline seeing the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).
God does not waver between different plans or agonize over outcomes because He has already foreseen what will happen. His ways reflect His eternal purposes which He set before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:9).
With eternal life in view, God is patient to achieve His higher aims. But temporal humans seek immediate results according to limited lifetimes and earthly priorities (2 Peter 3:8-9). God’s ways often involve timing and planning that seem slow or odd to human thinking.
But God’s eternal perspective ensures His ways are aligned to the wisest eternal purposes. What seems strange or even wrong to temporal humans makes perfect sense from the lofty heights of God’s eternity transcending all ages (Acts 1:7).
3. God’s Ways are Higher Because He perfectly orchestrates all things to our highest good
A key aspect of God’s higher ways is His perfect ability to orchestrate all things to accomplish the highest eternal good. While humans struggle to control outcomes, God effortlessly controls all events and human choices to align with His wise and good plans (Romans 8:28).
With limited power and foresight, human ways often lead to failure, harm and destruction. Plans backfire, unintended consequences arise, and self-centered human agendas breed pain and suffering.
But God’s ways are higher because He works on a grand orchestra of human choices and natural occurrences to infallibly guide history to His designed ends (Proverbs 16:9). No purpose of God can ultimately be stopped or thwarted (Isaiah 14:24-27).
In His wisdom, God allows pain and evil for a time to bring about higher eternal purposes. But in His ways He redeems suffering for the greatest possible good for those who love Him (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:18).
While humans rarely see beyond their own temporal interests, God’s ways account for our eternal interests. He sometimes leads us through difficult and confusing trials to ultimately make us holy and bring us to eternal joy in Christ (Hebrews 12:1-11).
4. God’s Ways are Higher Because He Looks at the Heart While Humans Judge By Appearances
A key contrast between divine and human ways is that God looks at the heart while humans judge only by outward appearances. And God’s concern is always for the inner person rather than external matters (1 Samuel 16:7).
Humans have a natural tendency to judge others based on status, achievement, appearance and public reputation. Great value is placed on what is outwardly impressive. But God sees through surface level vanity (Luke 16:15).
The Lord highlighted this truth when He chose David, a lowly shepherd, to be king rather than David’s older accomplished brothers. People judge by outward qualities, but God’s ways involve looking for inward character and wisdom (1 Samuel 16:7).
This same dynamic applied when the prophet Samuel went to anoint the next king. He was certain the tall and handsome son of Jesse was God’s choice. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature…For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
God’s higher ways imply that those sincerely seeking Him and purity of heart are those who find favor in His eyes rather than the spiritually proud and outwardly prestigious (Isaiah 66:1-2, Luke 18:10-14). Humans foolishly exalt appearances, but God probes the inner depths.
5. God’s Ways are Higher Because He Operates From Perfect Love Rather Than Self-Seeking Motives
The absolute purity of God’s motives is another way His ways transcend limited human ways. The Lord always operates from perfect truth, righteousness and love rather than selfishness, greed, pride or fear.
But even the best human motives are tainted by sin and self-interest. People seek to benefit themselves and justify own desires above what is purely right and loving. But God’s ways flow out of His intrinsically holy motivations (Daniel 4:34-35).
Even the noblest human philanthropist is motivated in some degree by reward or recognition. But God’s love is purely selfless, unconditionally seeking the highest joy and eternal welfare of unworthy, sinful people (Romans 5:8).
Human ways are driven by temporal priorities like pleasure, leisure, influence, comfort and limited lifespan. But God’s eternal nature lifts His motivations above temporal selfishness to operate by the highest motives possible.
God’s ways often run counter to common expectations because human ways assume self-centered priorities while God’s ways flow from perfect truth and love. His ways seem odd and uncomfortable from earthly perspectives that cannot comprehend such purity of motivation.
6. God’s Ways are Higher Because He Humbles the Proud and Exalts the Lowly
A clear contrast between divine and human ways is seen in how God opposes pride and exalts humility. His higher ways include bringing down the proud and arrogant while lifting up the humble and dependent.
The natural human tendency is to exalt the rich, famous, successful and strong in an effort to benefit from association with them. People seek to align with and become like those whom the world values highly.
But God’s ways turn worldly status upside down. He looks with favor instead on the poor, weak, marginalized, dependent and humble (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). His kingdom operates by moral values directly contrary to the world’s upside-down value system.
Throughout Scripture, God opposes the proud who trust in themselves but gives grace to the humble who fear Him (James 4:6-10). His ways ensure that “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).
God’s higher thoughts elevate those who count themselves as nothing so that no one may boast in His presence. By the world’s standards, His ways often seem nonsensical. But really divine wisdom is revealed in how He exalts the humble and abases the proud.
7. Application: How to Align Our Limited Ways to God’s Higher Ways
Recognizing that God’s ways and thoughts are infinitely above ours prompts the crucial question – How then can we align our ways to His higher perfect ways?
First, the gap between the divine and human requires humility. We must approach God with an attitude of submission, recognizing the limits of human reason and asking for the Spirit’s wisdom (James 1:5, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16).
Second, we should rely on the Bible as the revelation of God’s ways and saturate our minds with Scripture truth (Psalm 119:24, 105). God’s ways are higher than our ways, but he has revealed them so we can understand and obey.
Third, we must depend on the Spirit’s power to illuminate Scripture and align our ways to God’s truth (John 14:26, John 16:13). The Spirit teaches us to understand and walk in step with God’s higher wisdom.
Fourth, we should frequently ask God to reveal where our ways are out of alignment with His truth and be willing to repent (Psalm 139:23-24). As He reveals discrepancies, we realign our ways to match His higher perfect ways.
Finally, we can take comfort that God promises to complete His good work in us as we submit to His shaping hand (Philippians 1:6). He is able to transform our thinking until we intuitively understand and walk in His higher ways (Romans 12:2).
Though God’s ways are far above, He mercifully reveals Himself and His truth to those who sincerely seek Him. As we align ourselves to the Scripture under the Spirit’s guidance, we gain increasing insight into His higher perfect ways.