Examples of God's Ways Being Higher Than Human Understanding
The concept that God's ways and thoughts are profoundly beyond human comprehension is a recurring theme in biblical literature. The prophet Isaiah declares, "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) [4]. This statement emphasizes the vast disparity between divine and human understanding, illustrating it with the immense distance between the heavens and the earth [4].
This idea is echoed in the New Testament by the Apostle Paul, who exclaims, "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways!" (Romans 11:33 DRC) [1]. Paul's declaration underscores the infinite nature of God's wisdom and knowledge, describing his judgments as incomprehensible and his ways as unsearchable [1, 3]. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on Romans 11:34, notes that no one can claim to fully understand God's counsels or the reasons for his actions, asserting that God's designs are infinite and thus inscrutable [10].
The Bible consistently portrays God's wisdom as perfect, mighty, universal, and infinite [3]. It is described as unsearchable (Isaiah 40:28; Romans 11:33) and wonderful (Psalm 139:6) [3]. The psalmist acknowledges that such knowledge is "too wonderful for me" (Psalm 139:6), indicating that God's understanding lies beyond human ability to grasp [7, 9]. This divine wisdom is also presented as incomparable (Isaiah 44:7; Jeremiah 10:7) and underived (Job 21:22; Isaiah 40:14), meaning it originates solely from God himself [3].
One aspect of God's incomprehensible nature is his foreknowledge. This attribute, which includes his knowledge of all things past, present, and future, is considered one of those "high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend" [2]. Examples of God's foreknowledge are found throughout scripture, such as in Acts 2:23, Romans 8:29, and 1 Peter 1:2 [2]. His knowledge is infinite in the most absolute sense [2].
The wisdom of God is not only a characteristic of his being but is also exhibited in his works [3]. While humans cannot fully understand the Creator's thoughts, God's revelation through his messengers provides significant insight into his plans [5]. All human wisdom is ultimately derived from God (Daniel 2:1), and the wisdom of saints comes from him (Ezra 7:25) [3]. The gospel itself contains treasures of God's wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:7) [3].
The "way of life" is described as "above to the wise," leading to heaven and happiness, which are themselves "above" [8]. This spiritual path, and the ultimate destination, are understood to be beyond earthly comprehension, accessible only through Christ, who is the way and is in heaven [8]. The very concept of wisdom, as explored in Job 28, is something that "God understandeth the way thereof," implying that its true nature and path are known only to him [6].
Sources
- Romans “Romans 11:33 (DRC) — O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways!”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Foreknowledge of God — Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18).”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Wisdom of God, The — Is one of his attributes -- 1Sa 2:3; Job 9:4. Described as Perfect. -- Job 36:4; 37:16. Mighty. -- Job 36:5. Universal. -- Job 28:24; Da 2:22; Ac 15:18. Infinite. -- Ps 147:5; Ro 11:33. Unsearchable. -- Isa 40:28; Ro 11:33. Wonderful. -- Ps 139:6. Beyond human comprehension. -- Ps 139:6. Incomparable. -- Isa 44:7; Jer 10:7. Underived. -- Job 21:22; Isa 40:14. The gospel contains treasures of -- 1Co 2:7. Wisdom of saints is derived from -- Ezr 7:25. All human wisdom derived from -- Da 2:1. Saints ascribe to him -- Da 2:20. Exhibited in His works. ”
- Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 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.”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 55:8: 55:8-9 My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts: God’s plans are marvelous (Ps 92:5; cp. Ps 94:11). God’s creatures, including humans, can never fully understand the Creator’s thoughts, but his revelation through his messengers gives great insight and knowledge of some of the things he will do.”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 28:22: God understandeth the way thereof,.... And he only; not the way that men can come at the knowledge of wisdom, which at present appears to be past finding out; but rather the way which wisdom itself takes, and is in the deep, and its footsteps not known by any other, and the grounds and reasons of its taking such a course it does; which are only understood by the Lord: it may be applied to spiritual wisdom in men, and the way to come at it; which God only knows and instructs in, and is his special and peculiar gift; and to Christ, the wisdom of God, and the way which he ”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 139:5: Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,.... Meaning either the knowledge of himself, such as God had of him, which was vastly superior to what he had of himself; and especially the knowledge of other persons and things, whether visible or invisible, in heaven, earth, or hell; things past, present, and to come; or else the manner in which God knew all this was amazing to him, and quite impenetrable by him; that he did know him, his thoughts, his words and actions, and so those of all others, was easy of belief; but how he should know all this was past his conception, ”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 15:24: The way of life is above to the wise,.... Of "the way of life"; See Gill on Pro 10:17; this is said to be "above", or it tends "to what is above"; it leads to heaven and happiness above; the life itself it is the way of or to is above, it is hid with Christ in God; eternal life, glory, and happiness, is above; it is a house eternal in the heavens, an inheritance reserved there, and will be there enjoyed by the saints: the way to it is above; Christ is the way, and he is in heaven, at the Father's right hand, through whom only men can come at this life; wherefore th”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 139:6: 139:6 The Lord’s wonderful understanding lies beyond the psalmist’s ability to comprehend (see Judg 13:18).”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 11:34: For who hath known the mind of the Lord? - Who can pretend to penetrate the counsels of God, or fathom the reasons of his conduct? His designs and his counsels are like himself, infinite; and, consequently, inscrutable. It is strange that, with such a scripture as this before their eyes, men should sit down and coolly and positively write about counsels and decrees of God formed from all eternity, of which they speak with as much confidence and decision as if they had formed a part of the council of the Most High, and had been with him in the beginning of his ways!”