The Holiness of God

Isaiah 6 records a vision of God in the temple.  Isaiah tells what he saw.  ‘I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.  Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:  “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”  At the sound of their voices, the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 

Revelation 4 records a vision of heaven.  This is what John saw.  ‘Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.  From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.  Around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”  The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

One of the best songs we sing in worship is the song entitled ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’.  It contains these words of adoration to God.  ‘Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee, perfect in power, in love and purity.  The consistent response from humanity in Scripture to God’s holiness is a response of fear and trembling, with a recognition of one’s weakness and neediness.

A word that has become vogue or stylish in our society today is the word ‘awesome’.  We use the word to describe almost anything.  A pair of shoes, a hamburger, a movie, a football game, a car.  You name it—we think it is awesome!!!  A milkshake, a haircut, a speech.  We need to rethink the word ‘awesome’.  The God who created heaven and earth and everything in it—the God who willingly sacrificed His own Son for humanity is AWESOME!!!!  He is our holy God.  He deserves the recognition that He deserves.

Prayer:  Father, please let me worship You as the AWESOME GOD that you are.

Terry Brown, Abilene, Texas