thinking bible.

You asked

what was the israelites' understanding of 'god's ways' during the exilic period?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” says Yahweh. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

This passage comes from the prophet Isaiah, specifically a section often attributed to 'Second Isaiah' (chapters 40-55), written towards the end of the Babylonian exile (around 550 BCE). The prophet is addressing a people who have endured generations of displacement and suffering, reassuring them of God's coming salvation and urging them to return to God.

When facing situations where outcomes feel uncertain or unfair, how do you respond to the idea that there might be a wisdom beyond your comprehension?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

  • Jeremiah 29:11

    Offers hope for a future purpose amidst exile, even if the present feels different.

  • Romans 11:33

    New Testament reflection on the depth and unsearchable nature of God's wisdom and knowledge.

  • Psalm 139:6

    Acknowledges that God's knowledge is too wonderful for the Psalmist to grasp.

Ask your own follow-up