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.