The Nugget:
Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
My Comment
These two verses tell us quite clearly what a person must do to get right with God. The verses also contain encouraging promises of God’s mercy and pardon. But we have to come to God on His terms, not ours. His thoughts are not our thoughts, and our ways are not His ways. I’ve noticed that certain denominations or churches engage in what I call religious rationalism. Their doctrine is formulated not strictly on what the Bible itself teaches, but rather it is based on what they think God ought to do. This is seen, for example, in those who deny the doctrine of eternal punishment or conscious existence after death. But we must not try to teach God what He must do to be “fair” when He has already very clearly declared what He will do and why in the Bible. Jesus was a friend of publicans and sinners in His day. If you are tempted to suppose you have sinned so much that Jesus will not receive you, that would be to follow your thoughts instead of His thoughts. He said He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. Jesus promises He will not turn away anyone who comes to Him (John 6:37).
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 778 for Isaiah 55:7-8.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 806 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Isaiah 55:7-8.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
Isaiah 55:7. the wicked. Is 1:16-19. 2 Ch +**7:14. Ps +*50:16. 68:18. Pr 21:18. **28:13. Je 3:3. 8:4-6. Ezk 3:18, 19. 18:21-23, 27-32. 33:11, 14-16. Ho *14:1, 2. Jon *3:10. Mt 9:13. Lk 5:32. 15:10, 24. Ac +*3:19. 26:20. 1 C +**6:9-11. 2 C 5:20. Ja 4:8-10. forsake. T#1421. Is +1:4. 56:1. 2 K 17:13. 2 Ch +**7:14. Jb *34:31, 32. 36:10. Ps %37:11. 119:101. Pr 1:23. **28:13. Je 18:11. 25:5. 36:3. Ezk 14:6. 18:21, *31. 33:11. Da 4:27. Jon 3:7, 8. Mk 2:17. Lk 3:13. 5:32. Jn 8:11. 2 C 7:1. T 2:12. He 6:1. his way. Is +*53:6. Je 7:3. 18:11. 25:5. 26:13. Mt +*7:13. unrighteous man. Heb. man of iniquity. Ro 6:13. his thoughts. Is 65:2. Ge 6:5. Jb **17:11. Ps 66:18. 119:113. +*146:4. Pr 12:5. *24:9. Je 4:14. Zc 8:17. Mt 15:18, 19. 22:25, 26. Mk 7:21, 23. Lk 11:39, 40. Ac 8:21, 22. 2 C 10:5. Ja 1:15. return. Is 7:3mg. 10:21. 19:22. 21:12. 31:6. Dt 30:2. 1 S 7:3. 1 K 8:48. 2 Ch 15:4. 30:6. Jb 22:23. Ps 7:12. Je 3:1. 24:7. +33:15. La 3:40. Ho 6:1. 12:6. 14:1. Jl 2:12. Zc 1:3. Ml 3:7. Mt 21:29. Ac 3:19. 8:22. 15:19. have mercy. Is 63:7. Ex +34:6. 2 S 24:14. 1 Ch 21:13. 2 Ch 30:9. Ne 9:17. 13:22. Ps 5:7. 25:6. 36:5. 103:8. 119:156. Je 31:20. Lk 15:20. Jn %+*3:36. 6:37. for. Is *43:25. 44:22. Ex 34:6, 7. Nu 14:18, 19. Ps *51:1. 130:7. Je 3:12, 13. Da 9:9. Lk 7:47. Ro 5:15-21. Ep 1:6-8. 2:4. 1 T *1:15, 16. He *4:16. Ja 5:11. abundantly. Heb. multiply to. Is 1:15mg. Ge 3:16. Ps 18:35mg. 86:5. Je 33:6. Lk 15:20. Ro *5:20. Ep 3:20. 2 Th 1:11. 1 T 1:14. He 6:17. 1 P 1:2. pardon. Ps 130:4. Mi *7:18, 19. Mt 12:31. Ga 3:13. Ep 1:7. Col *2:13.
Isaiah 55:8. my thoughts. FS132G, Ge +3:19. FS25, Ge +4:4. FS22C5, Ge +50:20. Is +*30:18. 40:28. Ge 18:30. 1 S *16:7. 2 S 7:19. 2 K 5:11. 1 Ch 17:4. Ps 25:10. 33:11. 40:5. 92:5. **94:11. 139:17. Pr 8:12. 15:29. 21:8. 25:3. Ec 7:24. Je 3:1, 4. +*29:11. Ezk 18:29. Da 4:37. Ho 11:9. 14:9. Mi **4:12. Mt 7:11. Mk +*2:8. Lk 4:25. 19:25. Jn *11:6. Ro 5:15. Ph 2:5. +*4:8. not your thoughts. Is 65:2. 66:18. my ways. ver. 9. Ps 71:19. Mt 6:34. 12:31, 32. Lk 6:35. Ro 5:8. 1 T 1:13-16. 2:4. 2 P 3:9. your ways. ver. 9. Is 53:6. 64:6. Nu 23:19. Pr 14:12. 17:15. Jn 6:37. Ro 10:3.
isa 55.is a great chapter in the word of god. every verse something to say to us
encourage us in a our daily walk.
isa 55. 6 seek ye the lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
a command the lord wants us to obey in the power of the spirit. psm 66.18 says ” if i regard iniquity in my
heart, the lord will not hear me” also psm 139.23-24 ” search me, o god, and
know my heat: try me, and know my thoughts: vs 24 and see if there be any wicked
way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
good cross references on verse 55.6
1. i ch 16.10-11 glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the
lord. vs 11 seek the lord and his strength, seek his face continually.
2. psm 27.8 when thou saidst seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, thy face, lord,
will i seek.
3 psm. 32.6 for this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou
mayest be found; surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto
him.
4. psm 95.7 for he is our god: and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of
his hand. today if ye will hear his voice
5. jer 29.12-13 then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and i
will hearken unto you, vs 13 and ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search
for me with all your heart.
55.7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let
him return unto the lord, and and he will have mercy upon him; and to our god, for
he will abundantly pardon.
1. isa 1.16-18 come now, and let us reason together, saith the lord; though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool.
2. pr 28.13 he that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and for
saketh them shall have mercy.
3. act 3.19 repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted you,
when the times of refreshing shall come the presence of the lord.
4. acts 26.20 but shewed first unto them of damascus, and at jerusalem, and through
out all the coasts of judea, and then to the gentiles, that they should repent and turn
to god, and do works meet for repentance.
5. i cor 6.9-11 know ye not that unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of god? be
not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effemianate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind, vs 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of god.vs 11 and such were
some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name
of the lord jesus, and by the spirit of our god.
6. isa 43.25 i,even i, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remeber thy sins
7. isa 44.22 i have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud, thy
transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins; return unto me; for i have redeemed thee.
8. rom 5.20-21 moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. but where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound; vs 21 that as sin reigned unto death,
even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by jesus christ our
lord
9. eph 1.6-8 to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted
in the beloved. vs 7 in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of his grace; vs 8 wherein he hath abounded toward
us in all wisdom and prudence;
10. i tim 1.15-16 this is a faithful saying, and worth of all acceptation, that christ jesus
came into the world to save sinners; of whom i am chief. vs 16 howbeit for this cause
i obtained mercy, that in me first jesus christ might shew forth all longsuffering for a
pattern to them which should heareafter believe on him to life everlasting.