Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 676
Delivered on Sunday Morning, February 18, 1866
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor 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.” Isaiah 55:8,9.
THE text speaks of thoughts. It mentions the thoughts of man and the thoughts of God. The power of thought is one point in which man is made in the image of God. Other animated creatures which are put in subjection to the thinking, intelligent creature, man, have no fellowship with God in thought—into His world of pure spirit they cannot enter. To the majestic lion or to the monstrous leviathan, no speech could be addressed by God involving the terms, “My thoughts,” and “your thoughts.”
But the Lord is here speaking to a creature of another mold which He has made a living soul, capable of fellowship with the invisible, the spiritual, and the Divine. When men do not think, and especially when they do not think of the highest and most important matters, they degrade themselves from the true position and occupation of immortal minds. The beast’s spirit goes downward—and frivolous, thoughtless persons do as much as they can to descend to the groveling level of the mere animal.
Thought is that which likens us unto God. The powers of mind, when rightly exercised upon eternal things, are the means of uplifting us to the highest point to which unaided human nature can attain. And low as this point is, it is vastly better than brutish carelessness. I see the thoughtless soul yonder moving on all fours with the beast looking for nothing more than food and drink. The thoughtful I see walking erect with his brow toward Heaven seeking for something which clods of clay cannot yield him. I am thankful this morning if you have begun to think upon spiritual things, and though there should unhappily be a spice of skepticism about your thoughts—though they should be mournfully far from being God’s thoughts—yet I shall hail it as no ill omen if you think at all.
The man who begins to think about God, and his soul, eternity, sin, and righteousness, is becoming like the bones in the vision when there was a noise and a shaking. And there is a prospect that before long bone will come to his bone and the dead shall live. As for you who never think at all, my text can scarcely yield you a single ray of comfort. It is my first duty to pray that the Lord may lead you to exercise the royal prerogative of thought and to shake you from the terrible lethargy into which you have fallen.
In the text we have two persons thinking—and the result—man’s thoughts and God’s thoughts. God’s thoughts are declared by Himself to be exceedingly above man’s. And yet if ever man is to dwell with God he must think as God thinks. “How can two walk together except they are agreed?” If my thoughts run this way, and God’s thoughts are in an opposite direction, I cannot have any fellowship with Him. My thoughts must be conformed to God’s thoughts or I cannot be like He and walk with Him.
Yet He tells me that His thoughts are not my thoughts, but are as high above mine as the heavens are above the earth! What, then, can I do to rise to Him? Think as much as I please it only sets me on my feet, and so far does me service—but it still leaves me on earth, and God is yonder far above me! My thoughts can no more attain unto Him than an infant can touch the stars with his finger. Still, it is a comfort to me if I am sincerely thoughtful after God, that He is thinking about me—for if my thoughts cannot bear me up to Him—His thoughts can bring Him down to me! And when He has established a connection between the Heaven which is above me and the earth which is beneath Himself, then I, laying hold on His thoughts, and believing what He has thought out for me, shall be drawn up to His elevation—and I shall come to think His thoughts and so be in communion and fellowship with the Most High.
This morning I want, as the Holy Spirit enables me, to speak to those who have been led so far as to have thoughts concerning eternal things, and especially thoughts upon forgiveness of sin. You have as yet only your own thoughts, and these are troubling and misleading you. I desire to contrast your thoughts with God’s thoughts in the hope that you may lay hold on God’s thoughts by faith. And, then, by holding them fast you may be drawn up by them as by a Divine hand into a clearer atmosphere, and into a happier state than that in which your soul now sits, weeping and disconsolate. It may be that into perfect peace and joyous confidence God’s thoughts may lift you as on eagle’s wings this morning—a work which your deepest and most anxious thoughts can never achieve for you.
I shall attempt first, this morning, to contrast your thoughts as to the possibility of pardon with God’s thoughts. Then, secondly, your thoughts as to the plan of pardon shall be set in the same light. And thirdly, your thoughts as to the present possession of personal pardon shall pass in brief review.