A Reasonable Argument
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” says YHWH. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
Thoughts – How many times have you heard these verses employed in discussions of the opacity of God’s thinking? How many times have you heard someone side-step a rational argument about spiritual issues with the declaration, “Well, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.” While it is true that God knows more than we do and reasons with a clarity that we lack, these verses really have nothing to do with reason. Rational superiority is not the point here. Far too often, ignoring the context lets us use Scripture for our own purposes. This is a perfect example.
If you believe in a god like the one described by Aristotle, you will end up with a god far removed from the daily tragedies of men. This god is the unmoved mover, the transcendent perfection of the Good, the True and the Beautiful. This god is fully complete in himself, requiring nothing. As such, he is pure thought and contemplates only his own, fully complete thought. If you follow Aristotle’s influence in Christian theology, you will convert Aristotle’s terminology to words like omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, but your god will also be immutable and impassible (you can look that one up). More than anything else, this god will be a god of reason and reason will be the uncluttered, perfect application of logic to all rational issues.
Don’t shake your head in confusion. A very big part of Christian theology actually describes God like Aristotle describes his god. That’s one of the reasons that the early Church fathers were so enamored with the confluence of Greek philosophy and the Bible. They believed (and so do a lot of contemporary Christians) that the image of God in Man is primarily about reason. So, when it comes to applying a meaning to this verse in Isaiah, the first thought that comes to mind is that God must be talking about rationality. But He isn’t!
These verses are not about God’s higher reason. They are about the inexplicable character of God’s mercy! All reasonable conclusions concerning sin and guilt demand punishment. But God shows mercy. His machshebotay are not our machshebotekem. The word maḥăšābâ means more than “thought.” It describes thought, purpose, intention and even a skillful device or invention. You might reflect for a moment why the translators chose “thought” rather than “purpose.” Do you suppose it’s because there is a presupposition of Greek rationality hidden in Christian theology? What happens to the meaning of these verses if we translate “My purposes are not your purposes,” or “My intentions are not your intentions”? What happens when we read the previous verse and realize that God is describing His purpose and intention for forgiveness and restoration, not His superior intellect?
The theology buried in the translation is extremely subtle. It is not deliberately deceptive. Great men, wonderful followers of the King, have embraced a view of God that cannot be found in Scripture but is everywhere in the Church. We have to be very careful – and very rational – in our exploration of the Bible. We must always ask, “What would this have meant to the ones who first heard it?” In these verses, we discover something even more important. God’s ways are higher than our ways. They embrace a mercy that we can’t imagine and don’t practice. Any rational being can determine that violating the law means punishment. But God reminds us that His thoughts, purposes and intentions are not like ours. We want the guilty to pay. He wants to pay for the guilty.
Topical Index: thought, mahashabah, intention, purpose, mercy, Isaiah 55:8-9
“God’s ways are higher than our ways. They embrace a mercy that we can’t imagine and don’t practice…. But God reminds us that His thoughts, purposes and intentions are not like ours. We want the guilty to pay. He wants to pay for the guilty.”
Is the biblical description of a fool one who refuses to think God’s thoughts because of his limited perspective? Is he so focused on himself that he doesn’t recognize YHWH? His understanding is darkened because he shuns the light.
May I suggest that you locate a copy of the Sons of Korah CD “Rain” and listen to Psalm 14a “The Fool”? It has an eerie sound that is both haunting and intriguing.
Here is a brief background information on this band:
Sons of Korah began in 1994 with three musicians who were at theological college together in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Since then Sons of Korah have recorded five albums and have toured extensively around Australia and New Zealand, and more recently to America as well. Sons of Korah is a project-based band and though the line-up has changed over the years the basic concept remains the same. Sons of Korah have sought to revisit the age old tradition of sacred music, that is, music as a means of reflection on the word of God. But they have sought to do this in a contemporary way using a broad palette of acoustic sounds from Latin and Eastern to folk and acoustic rock. The Sons of Korah instrumental line-up presently includes percussion/drums, guitars, mandolin, Resonator, Glisentar (a kind of contemporary eastern lute), acoustic bass, and piano accordian. The music is vocal driven and the compositions are always built around the biblical text. Sons of Korah was founded by Matthew Jacoby and Matthew continues to co-ordinate the project. Matthew, who recently completed his doctorate in philosophy and theology at the University of Melbourne, teaches on the spirituality of the psalms and his concise commentary on the settings of the psalms is a feature that is woven through most concert events. In all things Sons of Korah seek to provide an impacting musical journey into the spirit and world of the psalms.
Psalm 52 (“Why Do You Boast?” on CD “Resurrection”) is another one of their songs that is powerful. I couldn’t find it on YouTube, but I did find Psalm 51:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbILLkOmLdc&feature=related
I do not listen to words in music. That may be because of my hearing loss. I just do not hear enough for it to make sense to me. It also may explain why I tend to rely upon what I read. That is not all bad, for me, because if I am going to know God, I have to read to find out what to expect. The idea of God’s intention being higher than mine is something I can understand. I have been, in the past, captive to the Greek rational, and I am finding that shucking the Greek to be quite liberating. Not that I am perfect at it, but it is exciting non the less. Cyndee, sorry you could not sleep last night. You were up much too early! Still, it gave me a chance to read your words.
Hi Cyndee,
EXCELLENT! I was in a Christian bookstore several years ago and as I was browsing, I was captivated by the sound of what turned out to be Sons of Korah. I had to have it and purchased Redemption Songs and Resurrection. I love them all, but if I had to choose one that has the strongest affect on me, I would have to say it is Psalm 80.
Hi Mary,
I agree with you that Psalm 80 is excellent and has a lot of great lines; in fact, they are some of my favorites:
The decrees are lillies
The bread of tears
Drink them in such measure
Covered the mountains with its shade
The cedars of God
Why have you destroyed its fences
Protect what your own right hand has planted
They threw it on fire like dung
and they will be doomed.
Good morning to all and Shalom,
Thanks Skip for bringing out the true “purpose and intention” of this Scripture. The prophets truly carry the burden and passion of our Father’s heart.
This makes so much more sense, It is not talking about some ethereal out there and above us, (my thoughts are not your thoughts) It is about God’s passionate embrace of his creatures and his creation in the here and now, with his abounding chesed (unfailing love) This is beyond my reasoning and rational capabilities.
This is not about a statistical analyzation of God’s computing his thoughts toward me. But, about the Living God, and his complete abandonment and movement toward me in unfalling love.
Skip,
I thank God’s for His mercy everyday.
Out of the mouths of babes…. you will miss a REAL treat if you don’t watch this 7 minute video of a little girl retelling the story of Jonah. God’s LOVE is truly higher than our human ways. This will definitely put a smile on your face as you lay down for peaceful sleep. 🙂
http://www.vimeo.com/16404771
“But God reminds us that His thoughts, purposes and intentions are not like ours. We want the guilty to pay. He wants to pay for the guilty.”
I like that. 🙂 It’s easy to lose the passion of YHWH in the more rational pursuit of understanding Him. Everyday I’m more and more thankful that He pays for the guilty.
Not only are His “thoughts” (intentions, purposes) unlike ours, but His “ways” (course of action) different from ours – so much so that He sent His Word from His mouth that “…was made flesh, and dwelt among us…full of GRACE and truth.”
I am so glad I am not G-d. (I really am!). lol!- There would be a lot of smoldering ash heaps in this world if I was! I am so grateful His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts! I am so grateful to know we serve a compassionate and holy G-d who never changes, and is just, pure, and righteous in all of His words and ways. His wisdom is (as Job found out,-the hard way) so far beyond our limited kith and ken.
Sometimes when I am reading in the Psalms and David’s volatility rises to the surface with words like “Arise, O LORD! Rescue me, my G-d! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked!” (Psalm 3.7) there is within me an unholy uprising to agree with David- yes!- “sic’ em G-d! Do some smiting! But then we remember the compassion heart of our G-d. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And beyond that is is the goodness of G-d that leads men to repentance!. It is kinda hard to talk to someone about the goodness of G-d while wishing for their destruction! Maybe we need more patience with “those” wicked people. Oh, can’t we hear the scripture saying- “Some of you used to do these (very) things. But you have cleansed yourselves, you have been set apart for G-d, you have come to be counted righteous through the power of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and the Breath of our G-d.” And what are saints but “saved sinners?” It just wasn’t very long ago, I was acting, seeking and speaking the very same things as these unwashed heathen I associate with everyday. It is true- we may be the only Bible these people will ever read. Our Savior showed compassion and mercy unto us- why can we not be patient with them as well, -everyday- speaking the truth in love. An easy task?
-Not while I’m asking G-d to break their teeth!
In the end- I’m the one who needs to change, after all, I’m the one who has been empowered and enabled to change. “They” just don’t know a better Way! It is up to me and you to demonstrate through our daily words and actions- there is a another (and better!) Way.
Why does a pig like to slop around in mud? Because it’s a pig!- it is just doing what comes “naturally” to a pig, -and there are so many mud-lovers out there!
It has been said- “the way to take a bone away from a dog is to give him a steak.” – I am convinced so many “dogs” have never seen the steak!
“And you want me to become a Christian because?- what pitiful answers we provide.. Tell me friend, if there were no heaven and there were no hell (and yes, there is..) – would you be a follower of the Way- just to know Y’shua in this life? Just to have Him “with you” on your Monday mornings? Do we know Him as a very present help in time of need?
When we walk with our LORD
in the light of His word-
what a glory He sheds on our way.
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still-
and with all who will trust and obey.