Isaiah 55:8-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 55:6-13

We have here a further account of that covenant of grace which is made with us in Jesus Christ, both what is required and what is promised in the covenant, and of those considerations that are sufficient abundantly to confirm our believing compliance with and reliance on that covenant. This gracious discovery of God's good-will to the children of men is not to be confined either to the Jew or to the Gentile, to the Old Testament or to the New, much less to the captives in Babylon. No, both the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 55:8

For my thoughts are not your thoughts ,.... In some things there may be a likeness between the thoughts of God and the thoughts of men, as to the nature of them: thoughts are natural and essential to them both; they are within them, are internal acts, and unknown to others, till made known; but then the thoughts of men are finite and limited, whereas the thoughts of the Lord are infinite and boundless; men's thoughts have a beginning, but the Lord's have none; though not so much the nature... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 55:9

For as the heavens, are higher than the earth ,.... Than which there cannot be conceived a greater distance: so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts ; which may denote the heavenliness of the ways and thoughts of God, the eternity and unsearchableness of them, and their excellency and preciousness; as well as the very great distance between his ways and thoughts and men's which this is designed to illustrate. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 55:10

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither ,.... Rain and snow come down from the clouds in the heavens, and do not return again until they have done what they are sent to do, or have produced the following effects; otherwise they may be exhaled into vapours, as they often are, and drawn up again by the sun: but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud ; or, "inebriateth the earth" F14 כי אם הרוה את ארץ εως αν μεθυση την... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth ,.... My good word, as the Targum; this may either be understood of Christ, the eternal Word, who is called the Word of God, and may be said to go forth out of his mouth, being spoken of by all his holy prophets, since the world began, whose coming was like the rain or snow, Hosea 6:3 , he came from heaven, from his Father there, and as a free gift of his, and in consequence of a decree, as the rain does; the manner of his coming, like... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 55:9

For as the heavens are higher - I am persuaded that כ caph , the particle of comparison, is lost in this place, from the likeness of the particle כי ki , immediately preceding it. So Houbigant and Secker. And their remark is confirmed by all the ancient Versions, which express it; and by the following passage of Psalm 103:11 , which is almost the same: - הארץ על שמים כגבה כי haarets al shamayim chigboah ki יראיו על חסדו גבר yereaiv al chasdo ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:6-13

Exhortations and assurance. I. EXHORTATIONS . "Seek ye Jehovah." This is the beginning of a religious life—to seek for God, to inquire for his ways ( Deuteronomy 4:29 ; Job 5:8 ; Job 8:5 ; Psalms 9:10 ; Psalms 14:2 ; Psalms 27:8 ). "While he may be found" ( Psalms 32:6 )—"in a time of finding." For a bitter "day" will come, when woe to his foes ( Isaiah 65:6 , Isaiah 65:7 )! It is hinted that a time will come when the offer will be withdrawn. "If a man will not do so... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:8-9

My thoughts are not your thoughts . Though man is made in God's image ( Genesis 1:27 ), yet the nature of God in every way infinitely transcends that of man. Both the thoughts and the acts of God surpass man's understanding. Men find it hard to pardon those who have offended them; God can pardon, and "pardon abundantly.'' Men cannot conceive of coming changes, when they pass certain limits. God knows assuredly what changes are approaching, since they are his doing. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:8-9

The human and the Divine. Man was made in the image of God, and once bore his likeness; then his spirit was like that of the Spirit of God. Under the debasing influences of sin he has become utterly unlike his Maker, and, instead of being compared with him, he is placed in sad and painful contrast with his heavenly Father. "My thoughts are not your thoughts," etc. I. THE SPIRIT OF THE HUMAN . 1 . The spirit of man is selfish. Not that he is incapable of generosity, but... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:8-9

God is like yet unlike man. We are made in his image. We are called to be "perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect." The hope of the future is that we "shall be like him." And yet we must keep up the conviction that we are but faint copies of him, and be is altogether better than we, the Infinite that is ever high above us, at once our inspiration and our despair. Apply God's unlikeness to us especially in the matter of redemption. I. GOD CAN FORGIVE . This man finds it hard to... read more

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