Holiness
Isaiah 6: Holy, Holy, Holy is the God-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth.
Isaiah is already a prophet of God when he has his vision of the holiness of God. However, it’s that vision that fuels his ministry and transforms his relationship with God. He sees worship taking place in heaven, with heavenly beings shouting out the holiness of God. Everything’s impacted by that holiness: foundations trembling, billowing smoke…and a humbled prophet of God. So what does it mean for God to be “Holy, Holy, Holy”? While I think the triple statement of God’s being holy is intended to cause us to think of his holiness as being complete and not meant to give pastors the makings of three point sermons I do see three aspects of the holiness of God. First, his holiness is that of purity. God is untouched by sin and sin is absolutely foreign to his character. Second, his holiness is that of separateness. God isn’t humanity multiplied. There’s an “otherness” about him and while we’re created in his image, there is that about God which is forever beyond our understanding. Third, his holiness is that of transcendence. Even as the brightness of the sun both warms the earth, giving life, and at the same time is so powerful as to be frightening to us, so is God’s holiness both beautiful and at the same time awesome and untouchable by us. Had God not revealed his holiness to us we’d have zero chance of even dimly contemplating it. Isaiah doesn’t write an essay about his thoughts on God’s holiness. Rather, he has a God-given vision of it, and once he has that vision he’s never the same.
Take Away: A God who is holy, holy, holy should be worshiped and feared.
Tag: purity
Devotional on Genesis
Hell hath no fury…
Genesis 39: How could I violate his trust and sin against God?
The Ten Commandments, with the “no adultery” and “no coveting” rules, are 500 years into the future but Joseph already gets it. He’s gone from being the favorite son to being a lowly slave. His intelligence, honesty, and God’s blessing put him on the fast track in Potiphar’s household, but he’s still a slave, a piece of property. When Mrs. Potiphar becomes infatuated with him Joseph refuses to play along. There’ll be no fling with the boss’s wife for him. Joseph doesn’t need Moses or Laws written in stone to tell him that that would be a betrayal of Potiphar and a sin against God. Even though Mrs. Potiphar doesn’t like Joseph’s insistence on sexual purity he stands his ground (well, better put: he flees as fast as his feet will carry him!). I’m impressed with this young man who takes his commitment to God seriously even in the face of sexual opportunity. For him, he’ll hold to God’s beautiful standard of sex only within marriage. As we see in this story, and as we see in the lives of people today, individuals who have standards and hold to them are in a position to be especially blessed by God and to be a blessing to others.
Take away: God can use people who hold to his standards.
Devotional on Numbers
“Come into my heart, Lord Jesus”
Numbers 35: Don’t desecrate the land in which you live. I live here too….
I’ve now worked my way through the “numbers” of the book of Numbers. Numbers of people and cattle and cities; who lives where and how many days between various worship events. It isn’t exactly riveting reading. In fact, it would have been easy to miss the pure gold at the end of chapter 35. The issue here is how the people are to deal with murder. Due to the fact that the laws God gives the Israelites are foundational to our own legal system it seems to be pretty common stuff. Actually though, it’s groundbreaking material, reshaping human society. God insists on justice, and adds that if society takes murder lightly the whole land will be polluted. Then he adds, “don’t desecrate the land where you live — after all, I live here too.” In spite of the dreary subject, this is a wonderful phrase of hope. Their Creator, the Sovereign of the Universe, God Almighty says his address is on their street. These days, because of the Gift of the Holy Spirit, things are even more personal. God lives, not just “in the land” but “in my heart.” If God’s presence in the land emphasized the importance of purity there, how much more does his presence in my life call for purity of heart?
Take Away: It’s a wonderful blessing to have the Lord call our lives “home” – at the same time it carries with it a real sense of responsibility.