Just some additional thoughts from this afternoons time of meditating on the passage in Isaiah 6.
And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"
Isaiah 6:3
They called to one another declaring the holiness of God. I see this as a clear example of what we are to do with everyone we come into contact with. With brothers and sisters in Christ, we should be a constant reminder of who God is through every action and word. We so easily forget who God is because we so rarely remind ourselves. We need our brothers and sisters in Christ to always be reminding us of the holy Lord of hosts. With non-believers, we are to have our lives to a constant declaration of who the Lord is. There really isn't much difference. With believers, we remind of the Lord and the truth of His Word. With non-believers, we make known the Lord and the Truth of His Word. Either way, our entire lives are to be spent declaring the greatness of God so that His Name might be glorified wherever we go.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Number Fire
serephim ... this is an interesting word. It is a descriptive word of what they were doing which is simply who they were - burning. It would be like saying "Above him stood the Burning ..." It sounds odd ... there's a good name for a kid ... Burning. I bring this up, because who they are is the same thing as what they do ... there is no disconnect. I think about our name ... I am a Christian ... but is this simply a name or do I live it.
I rarely think of the Lord as a captain of an army and his angels as soldiers. The typical image of angels are so feminine or babylike ... but how many people do you know respond with fear to fem-baby-like persons? No, these are blazing warriors! Now that is something to fear. Think about it, if an infantry man came to your front door you would be afraid. "What's going on?" When a warrior shows up, you know that something is going down. Now, imagine a whole host of blazing warriors! And when they spoke the whole earth trembled. These were powerful blazing warriors.
"The whole earth is full of his glory!" (v. 3) ... Habakkuk echoes this verse when he writes "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." (2:14) These two passages help me picture the glory of God filling the earth like water to the sea. How much water covers the sea? The water is ubiquitous and so is His glory. As I think about God's glory covering the earth like water, I think of the Deluge that covered the whole earth (Gen 6-9) ... as I looked at the Flood account there is one passage in 9:1 that hit me. God tells Noah to "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." This harkens back to the Lord telling Adam and Eve to do likewise. They were to fill the earth. So we get these images of water covering the earth, people populating the earth, and the glory of the Lord filling the earth. What do these have in common? But wait there is more ... my buddy Daniel also speaks of the stone that crushed Neb's idol becoming a mountain that fills the whole earth (2:35). So what do these all have in common? This is like a Sesame Street drill. Water, People, Glory, Mountain ...
I'm not sure yet.
I rarely think of the Lord as a captain of an army and his angels as soldiers. The typical image of angels are so feminine or babylike ... but how many people do you know respond with fear to fem-baby-like persons? No, these are blazing warriors! Now that is something to fear. Think about it, if an infantry man came to your front door you would be afraid. "What's going on?" When a warrior shows up, you know that something is going down. Now, imagine a whole host of blazing warriors! And when they spoke the whole earth trembled. These were powerful blazing warriors.
"The whole earth is full of his glory!" (v. 3) ... Habakkuk echoes this verse when he writes "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." (2:14) These two passages help me picture the glory of God filling the earth like water to the sea. How much water covers the sea? The water is ubiquitous and so is His glory. As I think about God's glory covering the earth like water, I think of the Deluge that covered the whole earth (Gen 6-9) ... as I looked at the Flood account there is one passage in 9:1 that hit me. God tells Noah to "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." This harkens back to the Lord telling Adam and Eve to do likewise. They were to fill the earth. So we get these images of water covering the earth, people populating the earth, and the glory of the Lord filling the earth. What do these have in common? But wait there is more ... my buddy Daniel also speaks of the stone that crushed Neb's idol becoming a mountain that fills the whole earth (2:35). So what do these all have in common? This is like a Sesame Street drill. Water, People, Glory, Mountain ...
I'm not sure yet.
Day Four: Isaiah Sees Angels
I always find it interesting to ponder the seraphim. In the Sproul sermon that I recomended the other day, he noted how God made them with such wisdom. These creatures were made to be in the presence of God. Given the wings to cover their faces, "for even amoung the angels it is forbidden to gaze directly at the glory of God." I loved the Motyer quote he used, "They covered their eyes, not their ears, for their task was to receive what the Lord would say, not to pry into what he is like." So often I close my ears and do not listen to hear what the Lord may want to say to me. Anyway, back to the wisdom of God in creating the seraphim. First, they were created to be in the presence of God and were given proper tools to cover their eyes and feet so that they could bear to be in His presence. Secondly, I find them similar to us (humans) in this way: they were created to praise.
And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" (Isaiah 6:3)
I love to learn different translations that help me understand the Bible more effectively, and Storms highlighted another one in this section. The trisagion (holy, holy, holy) I found to be very interesting. A simple Hebrew literary device used to emphasize the word. This seems to make more sense than simply stating holy three times for each member of the trinity. The trisagion was used the same way we use bold print and underlining today. It was used to make sure that you recognized what was written.
Another thing about the trisagion. Nowhere in Scripture do you read that God is good, good, good, or that the Lord is merciful, merciful, merciful. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord. This was the attribute that deserved emphasis above all others. In light of this, I ask a question I asked as we began this article. In light of the emphasis of the holiness of God throughout Scripture, how often do you meditate on it? Does your time spent in meditation and study line up with the emphasis God's holiness is given in Scripture? I'm mainly asking this to myself, for I see that my thoughts are spent more on God's mercy than other attributes. In a way, I believe this is a result of the emphasis that Metro has on God's mercy (not that this is wrong in any way. Don't hear what I'm not saying). I need to have my thoughts and meditations paralelling Scripture's main topics of interest.
And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" (Isaiah 6:3)
I love to learn different translations that help me understand the Bible more effectively, and Storms highlighted another one in this section. The trisagion (holy, holy, holy) I found to be very interesting. A simple Hebrew literary device used to emphasize the word. This seems to make more sense than simply stating holy three times for each member of the trinity. The trisagion was used the same way we use bold print and underlining today. It was used to make sure that you recognized what was written.
Another thing about the trisagion. Nowhere in Scripture do you read that God is good, good, good, or that the Lord is merciful, merciful, merciful. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord. This was the attribute that deserved emphasis above all others. In light of this, I ask a question I asked as we began this article. In light of the emphasis of the holiness of God throughout Scripture, how often do you meditate on it? Does your time spent in meditation and study line up with the emphasis God's holiness is given in Scripture? I'm mainly asking this to myself, for I see that my thoughts are spent more on God's mercy than other attributes. In a way, I believe this is a result of the emphasis that Metro has on God's mercy (not that this is wrong in any way. Don't hear what I'm not saying). I need to have my thoughts and meditations paralelling Scripture's main topics of interest.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Numero 3
"One king was dead, but Isaiah was about to make contact with the King who never dies. One king had lost his power. Another never will. One king has seen his authority pass to the next generation. Another will rule from generation to generation. An earthly nation mourns the passing of its monarch. A heavenly nation praises the perpetuity of its monarch's reign. Uzziah's power was limited and fleeting. God's power is limitless and forever. Needless to say, the contrasts in v. 1 are striking."
How often we view ourselves and even others as all-powerful beings. In our pride we can say "I am good at..." "He/She does....well" "I am invincible!" This can lead us to think we are the ultimate authority and we put our hope in all the wrong places and things that pass away. But this is foolishness! He is the one who NEVER changes and who is ALWAYS there. Whatever good we do, it is allowed by the Heavenly Father. He is so high above us in every way, yet He reveals Himself to us. Maybe not like He did to Isaiah, but in many other ways that should draw us closer and have more awe of Him.
He is perfectly holy, having no need for us who are the exact opposite. So, when He allows us to see Him, will respond as Isaiah? Or will we be so caught up in ourselves that we ignore or quickly stop looking. We are a unclean people apart from Jesus Christ's saving work on the Cross. That is the only way we can enter in to the presence of such a Holy God!
How often we view ourselves and even others as all-powerful beings. In our pride we can say "I am good at..." "He/She does....well" "I am invincible!" This can lead us to think we are the ultimate authority and we put our hope in all the wrong places and things that pass away. But this is foolishness! He is the one who NEVER changes and who is ALWAYS there. Whatever good we do, it is allowed by the Heavenly Father. He is so high above us in every way, yet He reveals Himself to us. Maybe not like He did to Isaiah, but in many other ways that should draw us closer and have more awe of Him.
He is perfectly holy, having no need for us who are the exact opposite. So, when He allows us to see Him, will respond as Isaiah? Or will we be so caught up in ourselves that we ignore or quickly stop looking. We are a unclean people apart from Jesus Christ's saving work on the Cross. That is the only way we can enter in to the presence of such a Holy God!
Day Two and Three
TWO Do you not find it strange that Peter would react the way he did when all that Jesus did was tell him to cast his net in (and so retreive a load of fish). What was it that Peter saw that made him respond, "Away from me for I am a sinner?" What is going on? Mysterium Tremendum ... as I tried to recall a similar event, the first one that came to mind happened this past winter. I was riding the snowmobile with my cousins and we came across this massive mound of snow ... it was perfect for a jump, however, I had never jumped something so big before, nor did I know if it was completely safe. What if the front skies dig into the pile? What if I lauch of sideways? What if the landing has rocks or is uneven? As I hit the throttle there was a mysterium tremendum that surged through my body. We hit the jump and went flying ... literally ... we have the tracks to prove it (or should I say the lack of tracks in the snow). There was the tension of fear and curious wonder as I hit the snow pile ... it pales in comparison, but I think I can identify with those two sensations
THREE I agree with Scott's comments ... just to imagine that he "saw" the Lord. How can a man see such holiness and live? How can such blindness behold such beauty? In contrast to Habakkuk's comment, how can man's eyes being so impure behold such holiness? Lord, give me eyes to see ... for I am blind. Help me lest I remain fixed upon the "death" of the king while the splendor of the King shines forth all about me. Help me to see this glory. Show thy face ... shine in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2Co 4:6).
THREE I agree with Scott's comments ... just to imagine that he "saw" the Lord. How can a man see such holiness and live? How can such blindness behold such beauty? In contrast to Habakkuk's comment, how can man's eyes being so impure behold such holiness? Lord, give me eyes to see ... for I am blind. Help me lest I remain fixed upon the "death" of the king while the splendor of the King shines forth all about me. Help me to see this glory. Show thy face ... shine in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2Co 4:6).
Day Three: Isaiah Sees the Lord
I actually just listened to a sermon given by RC Sproul on the holiness of God, and he spent much time discussing this passage of Scripture. If you'd like to download the sermon and listen to it for yourself, it can be found here: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByDate/2007/1978_The_Holiness_of_God/.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Isaiah 6:1
Isaiah saw the Lord! Don't worry about what comes next in the passage yet, for, in my opinion, this is the most incredible thing in the passage. Storms explains the translations here as does Sproul in his sermon. "Lord" translates as Adonai which means "the sovereign one." Isaiah saw the Lord. Don't be quick to pass over that thought. We will get into the rest of the passage in the coming days, but for today, think on and be in awe of the fact that Isaiah saw the Lord.
Another cool thing I had not noticed was the translations for Psalm 8 that Storms comments on briefly. "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" Storms explained that "LORD" is translated "Yahweh," which is "the most sacred name of God, the name by which he reveals himself to his covenant people." So the passage says this: Yahweh, our Sovereign One, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! I like learning translations like this, for it helps me to meditate more deeply on the names of God.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Isaiah 6:1
Isaiah saw the Lord! Don't worry about what comes next in the passage yet, for, in my opinion, this is the most incredible thing in the passage. Storms explains the translations here as does Sproul in his sermon. "Lord" translates as Adonai which means "the sovereign one." Isaiah saw the Lord. Don't be quick to pass over that thought. We will get into the rest of the passage in the coming days, but for today, think on and be in awe of the fact that Isaiah saw the Lord.
Another cool thing I had not noticed was the translations for Psalm 8 that Storms comments on briefly. "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" Storms explained that "LORD" is translated "Yahweh," which is "the most sacred name of God, the name by which he reveals himself to his covenant people." So the passage says this: Yahweh, our Sovereign One, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! I like learning translations like this, for it helps me to meditate more deeply on the names of God.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Dos Dia
Forgive my missing the first day... I am excited about this discussion and looked to how God uses it to open our eyes to how Holy he truly is and how sinful we truly are.
"The Idea of the Holy in which he described the concept of the holy as the mysterium tremendum, or the "awful mystery". Holiness, said Otto, is something which evokes awe and amazement. It draws us, yet frightens us." His holiness is something that is truly AMAZING. But we must not fail to remember that we must show reverent fear and respect of this Holiness. His Holiness should cause our hearts to tremble with amazement.
The fact that He is a Perfect Holy God, should cause my heart and attitude to be one that seeks earnestly to fight sin in my life. If I am truly amazed and have a healthy fear of the Lord, won't I actively destroy something in my life that does not honor the one I am supposed to reflect/glorify and who is in me?
It says in Rev. 15:4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
We must fear and be amazed of the only Holy One. As we draw nearer to Him we become ever more aware of how little we are and how big God is! That is a humbling and amazing thought!
Oh, Lord my desire is that we would more clearly see you as you are and in return see ourselves for the sinful creatures we truly are! May this cause us to worship you, for you alone are Holy!!!
"The Idea of the Holy in which he described the concept of the holy as the mysterium tremendum, or the "awful mystery". Holiness, said Otto, is something which evokes awe and amazement. It draws us, yet frightens us." His holiness is something that is truly AMAZING. But we must not fail to remember that we must show reverent fear and respect of this Holiness. His Holiness should cause our hearts to tremble with amazement.
The fact that He is a Perfect Holy God, should cause my heart and attitude to be one that seeks earnestly to fight sin in my life. If I am truly amazed and have a healthy fear of the Lord, won't I actively destroy something in my life that does not honor the one I am supposed to reflect/glorify and who is in me?
It says in Rev. 15:4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
We must fear and be amazed of the only Holy One. As we draw nearer to Him we become ever more aware of how little we are and how big God is! That is a humbling and amazing thought!
Oh, Lord my desire is that we would more clearly see you as you are and in return see ourselves for the sinful creatures we truly are! May this cause us to worship you, for you alone are Holy!!!
Day Two: Mysterium Tremendum
Holiness "evokes awe and amazement. It draws us, yet frightens us. There is both dread and curiosity when one encounters the holy." As a country, I believe that we have put aside awe and amazement. When I say awe and amazement, I don't mean being in awe of the way someone plays a musical instrument or the speed at which one can run a race. I mean true awe. True amazement. Awe and amazement aimed at the only being who evokes authentic awe. Unadulterated amazement. I hate to jump ahead and discuss Isaiah's experience, but I cannot help but briefly mention one thing about his experience. Isaiah 6:5 says the following:
And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"
The King James Vesion of the Bible uses the word "undone" instead of "lost". He was undone in the presence of the Lord. In the presence of the Lord we see Him as He is, and as a result we see more clearly who we truly are in light of His perfections, His transcendant holiness. Peter had a similar experience in Luke 5. Christ told the men to cast their nets into the water, and they caught so many fish that their boat and the boat they called to help haul in the fish began to sink. Peter saw a glimpse of who Christ really was.
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (verse 8).
My desire as we continue this study is that we would see more clearly who the Lord is, and as a result, see more clearly who we truly are. When that happens, we are much more thankful for the grace we've been given, and are provoked to praise.
And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"
The King James Vesion of the Bible uses the word "undone" instead of "lost". He was undone in the presence of the Lord. In the presence of the Lord we see Him as He is, and as a result we see more clearly who we truly are in light of His perfections, His transcendant holiness. Peter had a similar experience in Luke 5. Christ told the men to cast their nets into the water, and they caught so many fish that their boat and the boat they called to help haul in the fish began to sink. Peter saw a glimpse of who Christ really was.
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (verse 8).
My desire as we continue this study is that we would see more clearly who the Lord is, and as a result, see more clearly who we truly are. When that happens, we are much more thankful for the grace we've been given, and are provoked to praise.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Day One
I am giddy with excitement as we begin to dive into the topic of the holiness of God. Laugh at my decision to use the word "giddy" if you like, but, strangely enough, that's a good way to describe how excited I am as we begin this study (which I hope will not end in my life and each of yours when we finish studying this article). I will attempt to avoid bringing up the same points and asking the same questions as Daniel has (and if you are reading this, but haven't read his post yet, stop reading right now and read his first), but if I do, and I'm betting I will, bear with me.
"To be holy is to be characterized by purity and blamelessness and integrity, both in terms of one's essence and one's activity." I desire to and would invite you as well to meditate on this sentence, for it boggles our fallen minds. I have great difficulty conceiving with my finite mind and logic how anything can be perfect, especially when I see clear evidences of imperfection in the sin of my own life and the sin I see in the world around me. But God is beyond my comprehension (thank Him for that!). I can't put God in terms of sinful man. As Daniel emphasized in the previous post, God is “too pure to behold evil” (Heb 1:12-13). Evil cannot enter the presence of God, so my human qualifications of Him rob Him of His majesty, greatness, and His splendor. When I think on God's holiness, like Storms suggested, my first and main thought is of purity. Storms proceeded immediately to correct me with the following quote from RC Sproul:
"But the point we must remember is that the idea of the holy is never exhausted by the idea of purity. It includes purity but is much more than that. It is purity and transcendence. It is a transcendent purity."
To jump away from that point into another that Storms made in this first section, I have a question that has challenged me greatly and I pray would do the same to you. He made the following point in the third paragraph: "God's name is qualified by the adjective "holy" in the OT more often than all other qualities or attributes combined!" If Srcipture has such an emphasis on the purity of God, then I should as well. Let us examine ourselves. How often do we meditate on God’s holiness? It is my contention that we should dwell on His holiness in a way proportionate to the way He is described in Scripture.
I will now briefly discuss the section of today's reading that has filled me with joy in a new way. I am of course referring to the final paragraph in point A, discussing the title of God, "Holy One of Israel." From meditating on the previous points made in the article on the holiness of God, coming to a clearer understanding of what His holiness actually means, then this paragraph comes along and delights the soul. I put it here and implore you to read it again and let it fill your soul with the joy of the Lord.
"This tension between divine transcendence and immanence is seen in an interesting paradox in the title for God, "Holy One of Israel." The words "Holy One" point to God's otherness, his "set-apartness", so to speak. As we shall see, to be holy is to transcendently above the creation. Yet, he is the Holy One "of Israel"! He has given himself to a people: they are his people and he is their God. Although transcendent and lofty, he is also immanent and loving. His eternal distinctiveness as God does not prohibit or inhibit him from drawing near in grace and mercy to those with whom he is in covenant relationship." (my own emphasis is added)
What amazing truth to meditate on throughout the rest of our lives! "He has given Himself to a people!" Let wonder fill your heart as contemplate this fact. The passage that comes to mind here is from Titus 2:11-14:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
I find myself (and pray that you would as well) in awe of the fact that the Holy One would desire to "purify for Himself a people for His own possession." That He would make it so that He could give Himself to a people, and hence be called "Holy One of Israel." Praise God for His blessings, for they are numerous to be sure!
"To be holy is to be characterized by purity and blamelessness and integrity, both in terms of one's essence and one's activity." I desire to and would invite you as well to meditate on this sentence, for it boggles our fallen minds. I have great difficulty conceiving with my finite mind and logic how anything can be perfect, especially when I see clear evidences of imperfection in the sin of my own life and the sin I see in the world around me. But God is beyond my comprehension (thank Him for that!). I can't put God in terms of sinful man. As Daniel emphasized in the previous post, God is “too pure to behold evil” (Heb 1:12-13). Evil cannot enter the presence of God, so my human qualifications of Him rob Him of His majesty, greatness, and His splendor. When I think on God's holiness, like Storms suggested, my first and main thought is of purity. Storms proceeded immediately to correct me with the following quote from RC Sproul:
"But the point we must remember is that the idea of the holy is never exhausted by the idea of purity. It includes purity but is much more than that. It is purity and transcendence. It is a transcendent purity."
To jump away from that point into another that Storms made in this first section, I have a question that has challenged me greatly and I pray would do the same to you. He made the following point in the third paragraph: "God's name is qualified by the adjective "holy" in the OT more often than all other qualities or attributes combined!" If Srcipture has such an emphasis on the purity of God, then I should as well. Let us examine ourselves. How often do we meditate on God’s holiness? It is my contention that we should dwell on His holiness in a way proportionate to the way He is described in Scripture.
I will now briefly discuss the section of today's reading that has filled me with joy in a new way. I am of course referring to the final paragraph in point A, discussing the title of God, "Holy One of Israel." From meditating on the previous points made in the article on the holiness of God, coming to a clearer understanding of what His holiness actually means, then this paragraph comes along and delights the soul. I put it here and implore you to read it again and let it fill your soul with the joy of the Lord.
"This tension between divine transcendence and immanence is seen in an interesting paradox in the title for God, "Holy One of Israel." The words "Holy One" point to God's otherness, his "set-apartness", so to speak. As we shall see, to be holy is to transcendently above the creation. Yet, he is the Holy One "of Israel"! He has given himself to a people: they are his people and he is their God. Although transcendent and lofty, he is also immanent and loving. His eternal distinctiveness as God does not prohibit or inhibit him from drawing near in grace and mercy to those with whom he is in covenant relationship." (my own emphasis is added)
What amazing truth to meditate on throughout the rest of our lives! "He has given Himself to a people!" Let wonder fill your heart as contemplate this fact. The passage that comes to mind here is from Titus 2:11-14:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
I find myself (and pray that you would as well) in awe of the fact that the Holy One would desire to "purify for Himself a people for His own possession." That He would make it so that He could give Himself to a people, and hence be called "Holy One of Israel." Praise God for His blessings, for they are numerous to be sure!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
In the Beginning ...
I'm starting early since I will be at school tomorrow ...
A note on my methodology and hermeneutics …
Methodology: as I read the paragraphs and passages I wish to ask many questions. To think see the texts with new eyes, as a child with his wide eyed and incessant curiosity, I want to dive into the texts. So many times I will write more questions than insights.
Hermeneutics: I want to do my best to understand the contexts and not to simply take a text and expound upon it or walk with it down paths that it was not intended to traverse. This is another reason why I will have more questions than answers. I don’t want to assume definitions … I want to probe the meanings and so dispel any misconceptions.
Let us begin …
What do most people think when they think of holiness? I think of purity … silence … solidarity … something that is set apart for a specific purpose … not common but unusual … unique … terrible … FIRE. To me the paragon of images is that of a fire, an all consuming fire.
God is “too pure to behold evil” (Heb 1:12-13) … how then can he look on us? How can he look on those who are unsaved and do not have the righteousness of Christ? To behold something means to be facing it … to have one’s face turned in that direction. But what man can stand the face of God? Who can withstand his firy gaze? No wonder the Aaronic blessing, after beseeching the face of the LORD ends with a plea for grace: “the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you” (Num 6:25). For the LORD’s face to be turned to us and we not be consumed is pure grace, for he is “too pure to behold evil.”
The Primary Thrust
The Holy One of Israel … what polar opposites. One is the transcendent creator the other is the fallen creations. One is perfect and righteous. The other is blemished and sinful. How can The Holy One connect himself with an unholy nation? How can his holiness stand in the presence of evil? Israel is undone!
“God’s name is qualified by the adjective “holy” in the OT more often than all other qualities of attributes combined!” At first I read this as God himself and not God’s name. Not that there is a strong difference between the two, for God’s name is often put in the place of where we would think the word “I” would be (Ex 9:16; 23:21; and many more). But why is it that God’s name is most characterized as holy? This makes me ask, “How do I use his name, his Holy Name?”
Holy non-persons … what a great point … that holiness at its root does not mean purity, but separateness. God is different than us? He is set apart. The chasm is widening between the Holy One and Israel … He is set apart. Set apart from what?
DO ANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING GOD SACTIFIED (I.E. MADE HOLY)? Look up Gen 2:3. Is this still holy? Is it still set apart? This holiness was imbedded in creation …
“Holiness, then, is not primarily a reference to moral or ethical purity. It is a reference to transcendence.” WOW I need to chew on this for a while.
God is transcendental purity. Possessing a purity apart from everything else. If God is “set apart” would we not then also be “set apart” simply for the fact that he is apart from us? In other words to objects that are a distance from each other are both considered “set apart.” Did God intend this? Did he intend for Himself and us to be Holy? How then did we lose this “separateness?” What is the opposite of separate? Combining? How did we lose our separateness? Did we combine ourselves to something?
For God to be Holy we must then be holy … yet are we? Perhaps this is what it means to be Holy as he is Holy. Not that we become the same as God, but that when we are in correct relationship to God and since He is Holy (separate from us) we will then also be Holy (separate from him). How is this Holiness different?
Or is it that He attaches us to Himself which is holy and so we become holy. But from what then are we set apart? Evil? What happens when evil is eradicated? From what then will we be set apart? I am not intending to philosophize away the meaning of holiness … I simply am wanting to ponder and wonder about these doctrines.
Lord, may I learn to tremble at your word.
A note on my methodology and hermeneutics …
Methodology: as I read the paragraphs and passages I wish to ask many questions. To think see the texts with new eyes, as a child with his wide eyed and incessant curiosity, I want to dive into the texts. So many times I will write more questions than insights.
Hermeneutics: I want to do my best to understand the contexts and not to simply take a text and expound upon it or walk with it down paths that it was not intended to traverse. This is another reason why I will have more questions than answers. I don’t want to assume definitions … I want to probe the meanings and so dispel any misconceptions.
Let us begin …
What do most people think when they think of holiness? I think of purity … silence … solidarity … something that is set apart for a specific purpose … not common but unusual … unique … terrible … FIRE. To me the paragon of images is that of a fire, an all consuming fire.
God is “too pure to behold evil” (Heb 1:12-13) … how then can he look on us? How can he look on those who are unsaved and do not have the righteousness of Christ? To behold something means to be facing it … to have one’s face turned in that direction. But what man can stand the face of God? Who can withstand his firy gaze? No wonder the Aaronic blessing, after beseeching the face of the LORD ends with a plea for grace: “the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you” (Num 6:25). For the LORD’s face to be turned to us and we not be consumed is pure grace, for he is “too pure to behold evil.”
The Primary Thrust
The Holy One of Israel … what polar opposites. One is the transcendent creator the other is the fallen creations. One is perfect and righteous. The other is blemished and sinful. How can The Holy One connect himself with an unholy nation? How can his holiness stand in the presence of evil? Israel is undone!
“God’s name is qualified by the adjective “holy” in the OT more often than all other qualities of attributes combined!” At first I read this as God himself and not God’s name. Not that there is a strong difference between the two, for God’s name is often put in the place of where we would think the word “I” would be (Ex 9:16; 23:21; and many more). But why is it that God’s name is most characterized as holy? This makes me ask, “How do I use his name, his Holy Name?”
Holy non-persons … what a great point … that holiness at its root does not mean purity, but separateness. God is different than us? He is set apart. The chasm is widening between the Holy One and Israel … He is set apart. Set apart from what?
DO ANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING GOD SACTIFIED (I.E. MADE HOLY)? Look up Gen 2:3. Is this still holy? Is it still set apart? This holiness was imbedded in creation …
“Holiness, then, is not primarily a reference to moral or ethical purity. It is a reference to transcendence.” WOW I need to chew on this for a while.
God is transcendental purity. Possessing a purity apart from everything else. If God is “set apart” would we not then also be “set apart” simply for the fact that he is apart from us? In other words to objects that are a distance from each other are both considered “set apart.” Did God intend this? Did he intend for Himself and us to be Holy? How then did we lose this “separateness?” What is the opposite of separate? Combining? How did we lose our separateness? Did we combine ourselves to something?
For God to be Holy we must then be holy … yet are we? Perhaps this is what it means to be Holy as he is Holy. Not that we become the same as God, but that when we are in correct relationship to God and since He is Holy (separate from us) we will then also be Holy (separate from him). How is this Holiness different?
Or is it that He attaches us to Himself which is holy and so we become holy. But from what then are we set apart? Evil? What happens when evil is eradicated? From what then will we be set apart? I am not intending to philosophize away the meaning of holiness … I simply am wanting to ponder and wonder about these doctrines.
Lord, may I learn to tremble at your word.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Just To Get You Going
In preparation for this next week, I have not only been reading the Sam Storms article, but I began reading The discourse on the holiness of God in Stephen Charnock's The Existence and Attributes of God. I hope and pray that this encourages you and stirs and excitement within you to study deeply the holiness of God. Charnock draws from Exodus 15:11, which states, "Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"(KJV) He discussed different phrases within the passage before diving in fully. He is a portion that I found most intriguing (emphasises are my own):
Fearful in praises. Various are the interpretations of this passage: to be "reverenced in praises;" his praise ought to be celebrated with a religious fear. Fear is the product of his mercy as well as his justice; "He hath forgiveness that he may be feared" (Ps. cxxx. 4). Or, "fearful in praises;" whom none can praise without amazement at the considerations of his works. None can truly praise him without being affected with astonishment at his greatness. Or, "fearful in praises;" whom no mortal can sufficiently praise, since he is above all praise. Whatsoever a human tongue can speak, or an angelical understanding think of the excellency of his nature and the greatness of his works, falls short of the vastness of the Divine perfection. A creature's praises of God are as much below the transcendent eminency of God, as the meanness of a creature's being is below the eternal fulness of the Creator. Or, rather, "fearful," or terrible, "in praises;" that is, in the matter of thy praise: and the learned Rivet concurs with me in this sense. The works of God, celebrated in this song, were terrible; it was the miraculous overthrow of the strength and flower of a mighty nation; his judgements were severe, as well as his mercy was seasonable. The word ____ signifies glorious and illustrious, as well as terrible and fearful. No man can hear the praise of thy name, for those great judicial acts, without some astonishment at thy justice, the stream, and thy holiness, the spring of those mighty works. This seems to be the sense of the following words, "doing wonders:" fearful in the matter of thy praise; they being wonders which thou hast done among us and for us.
Well, I hope this wets your appetite as well prepare to begin our study. My prayer is that this study is a catalyst for further discussion, study, and meditation on the holiness of God. I pray that for each one of you as we prepare to begin our study.
Fearful in praises. Various are the interpretations of this passage: to be "reverenced in praises;" his praise ought to be celebrated with a religious fear. Fear is the product of his mercy as well as his justice; "He hath forgiveness that he may be feared" (Ps. cxxx. 4). Or, "fearful in praises;" whom none can praise without amazement at the considerations of his works. None can truly praise him without being affected with astonishment at his greatness. Or, "fearful in praises;" whom no mortal can sufficiently praise, since he is above all praise. Whatsoever a human tongue can speak, or an angelical understanding think of the excellency of his nature and the greatness of his works, falls short of the vastness of the Divine perfection. A creature's praises of God are as much below the transcendent eminency of God, as the meanness of a creature's being is below the eternal fulness of the Creator. Or, rather, "fearful," or terrible, "in praises;" that is, in the matter of thy praise: and the learned Rivet concurs with me in this sense. The works of God, celebrated in this song, were terrible; it was the miraculous overthrow of the strength and flower of a mighty nation; his judgements were severe, as well as his mercy was seasonable. The word ____ signifies glorious and illustrious, as well as terrible and fearful. No man can hear the praise of thy name, for those great judicial acts, without some astonishment at thy justice, the stream, and thy holiness, the spring of those mighty works. This seems to be the sense of the following words, "doing wonders:" fearful in the matter of thy praise; they being wonders which thou hast done among us and for us.
Well, I hope this wets your appetite as well prepare to begin our study. My prayer is that this study is a catalyst for further discussion, study, and meditation on the holiness of God. I pray that for each one of you as we prepare to begin our study.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Where to Find the Article
If you wish to join in our discussion and do not have the article, it can be found by clicking on the following link: http://www.enjoyinggodministries.com/article/the-holiness-of-god.
Schedule
Here is the schedule that we shall follow in our study:
Monday: Point A- Biblical Evidence
Tuesday: Point B- Holiness as the "mysterium tremendum"
Wednesday: Point C- An Encounter with the Holiness of God (Number 1 within this point)
Thursday: Point C- An Encounter with the Holiness of God (Number 2 within this point)
Friday: Point C- An Encounter with the Holiness of God (Number 3 within this point)
Saturday: Point C- An Encounter with the Holiness of God (Number 4 within this point)
Monday: Point A- Biblical Evidence
Tuesday: Point B- Holiness as the "mysterium tremendum"
Wednesday: Point C- An Encounter with the Holiness of God (Number 1 within this point)
Thursday: Point C- An Encounter with the Holiness of God (Number 2 within this point)
Friday: Point C- An Encounter with the Holiness of God (Number 3 within this point)
Saturday: Point C- An Encounter with the Holiness of God (Number 4 within this point)
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