Isaiah 55:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“Turn from your wicked ways, O house of Israel, and repent” (Ezekiel 33:11), and you shall not suffer in punishment (Ezekiel 18:30). If you resist belief, though I, the Almighty, declare that I will cleanse you from all impurities and free you from your past transgressions, at least reflect upon who I am and who you are, recognizing that my ways are as distant from yours as the heavens are from the earth. You are mere mortals, while I am God; hence, the gap is immeasurable, and what belongs to God stands unparalleled: He surpasses all in might, splendor, mercy, and humanity has nothing that can compare to His intrinsic qualities or even come close to them. Humanity lacks the ability to remain unperturbed; such is the prerogative of the Supreme Being, who is not subject to rage. While people are prone to wickedness and prone to invent vices, God is inherently good, or more accurately, is goodness itself. Therefore, as God, He forgives and justifies sinners, overlooking the offenses borne from ignorance and erasing the impurities of error. You might also consider another point: the masses of the Gentiles of old acted foolishly and pursued all manner of folly, aiming for the unexplainable. Yet when they sought God in faith, abandoned their previous ways and unlawful thoughts, they were granted His forgiveness. They experienced a new life, grew wise, and became adept in every good work, shedding the burdens of past evils, conquering sin, and no longer entertaining corrupt thoughts, but instead remaining steadfast and focused on fulfilling what pleases God. And behold, He assures you: when I make you such promises, do not doubt, nor assume that a change of heart will go unfulfilled; for my counsel is not like yours, nor are my ways similar to yours. Many things are beyond the reach of you, as beings of flesh, for not everything you wish to undertake comes to fruition. But for Me, as God, all things are feasible and uncomplicated, with nothing being too challenging, for My paths are as distant from your paths as the separation between earth and sky is vast: it is entirely unfathomable, limitless, and profound in human understanding. Thus, the divinely inspired prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens with the span of His hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who has understood the mind of the Lord?” (Isaiah 40:12-13).

The Lord nullifies the schemes of the ungodly, erases the thoughts of mankind, and disregards the plans of leaders; however, the thoughts of His heart are established through generations (Psalm 32:10), and all that He decrees is immutable. Do you wish to comprehend the disparity between My decrees and yours? Just as heaven is distinct from earth, the dwellings of angels are unlike those of men—so are My thoughts apart from your judgments. It is said of My thoughts, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!" (Romans 11:33). Regarding your thoughts, it is noted that though you may devise plans, they will not come to fruition (Psalm 20:12), and elsewhere it is stated that if you scheme, you will face ruin, and your words will not endure (Isaiah 8:10). What is evident requires no further explanation; thus, it is presented concisely rather than in detail.

The Creator of all is profoundly distant from human emotions; He is pure, uncomplicated, unchanging, wholly Himself, embodying complete understanding, spirit, thought, feeling, reason, perception, illumination, and the origin of all goodness—attributes that the devout and righteous rightly ascribe to God.

The Apostle Paul, contemplating this diverse aid from God, seemed to be submerged in the vast ocean of His goodness, exclaiming in astonishment: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Rom 11:33). Regarding these divine ways, God declares: For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts (Is 55:8-9).

However, I intended that joy should be confined within a rightful boundary, appropriate to what is frail and ephemeral, so that it does not succumb to unchecked desires and is not consumed in futility, and that the humble and delightful should be seen as good, which I have ordained to vanish with the passing of time."

As far as heaven is from earth, so far is My way from your ways, and My thoughts from your thoughts' (Is. 55:8-9). St. Gregory remarked that probing the hidden truths behind God's judgments simply confronts our sinful pride with His divine wisdom. It is our responsibility to echo the Holy Apostle Paul's sentiment during extraordinary events: 'Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His destinies and His ways are unsearchable!' (Rom. 11:33). Many aspects of our earthly existence will always elude our understanding. What matters is our unwavering belief that God is just; on the final day of judgment, no one will stand before Him proclaiming anything other than: 'Righteous are You, O Lord, and just are Your judgments' (Psalm 118:137).

King David, observing the carefree wickedness surrounding him and noticing how some of God’s people were swayed by their example, sought to comprehend God's judgments towards them. Despite his prolonged contemplation on the matter, he ultimately humbly acknowledged, 'It is hard for me to understand this, until I enter into the sanctuary of God' (Psalm 72:16-17). Therefore, it is prudent to defer a full understanding of God’s supreme wisdom and the mysterious destinies in this life and their ultimate conclusion to a future existence. We should refrain from extending our curious judgments into areas beyond our comprehension. The deep and boundless ocean of divine intelligence, ever in motion, exceeds the grasp of all earthly and even angelic wisdom. How, then, can we fathom the ultimate reasons behind the profound divine destinies? Who can fully understand God’s predestined plan: why one person is born into paganism while another is born into Christianity? Why was the Gospel not proclaimed widely in many regions until much later, resulting in countless individuals dying without the opportunity for salvation through Christ's teachings, while in other areas it spread rapidly? Why is one nation overrun by heretics, while another is steeped in righteousness? Why does God's punishment for some sins manifest only after some time, while others face immediate consequences? Why do innocent individuals sometimes suffer trials, while the iniquities of others extend to their descendants? Why did the numerous efforts of kings and princes during the Crusades to liberate Palestine from the infidels ultimately fail?

Let us not dwell on why God offered the chance for repentance to Adam but not to Lucifer, the Bearer of Light; why Jesus extended mercy upon the fallen apostle Peter and not Judas; why one person passes away in infancy while another lives into their old age; why one, despite minor transgressions, faces eternal condemnation, while another steeped in profound sin ultimately repents and dies a Christian death; or why one person thrives in wealth while another lacks even basic sustenance. Our restless and overly curious minds should refrain from such inquiries. Attempting to grasp the profound dealings of God will only lead to anguish; striving to scale the heights of divine Providence results in a fall, paralleling the futile flight of moths drawn to a flame, ultimately leading to their destruction. Mortal beings cannot gaze upon the radiant works of the Almighty with discernment; the hidden mysteries of God remain unintelligible to us in our earthly lives. The Son of Sirach wisely states, 'Marvellous are the works of the Lord, majestic are they, and hidden are His mysteries before men' (Sir. 11:4). No mortal was found worthy to take the sealed book from Him who sits upon the throne, except for the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of David—the victor over death (this book represents divine judgments, with foreknowledge contained within and Providence encompassing the universe, Apocalypse 5). The eternal, all-wise God has arranged all things with measure, number, and weight; who can resist His power and will? (Prem. 11:21). Why do we, mere mortals, allow our pride to mislead us into attempting to weigh fire, measure the wind, or reclaim past moments? Our faith should rest in the understanding that the origin of all origins is the Will of God; those who seek greater authority remain unaware of the nature of God. Each effect is recognized by its reliance on another so that a series of causes unfolds, resulting in a primary cause that is ultimately uncaused; this is the eternal, unchangeable God in the glorified Holy Trinity. What more do we seek? God allowed it; God desired it; God created all things. As Salvian aptly noted: 'For us, the most perfect truth must be the Will of God; the highest wisdom is to willingly and calmly adhere to the directives of His Divine Will and Providence.'