The Awe-Inspiring Holiness of God

The Awe-Inspiring Holiness of God

In a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain, there's a profound truth that can anchor our souls and transform our perspective: the holiness of God. This attribute of the Divine is mentioned an astounding 637 times in Scripture, making it one of the most emphasized aspects of God's character. But what does it truly mean for God to be holy, and how should this understanding impact our lives?

The concept of holiness goes far beyond our common usage of the term. It's not just about being good or morally upright. In its essence, holiness means "set apart" or "a cut above." When we speak of God's holiness, we're acknowledging that He is entirely separate from everything created, utterly unique and incomparable.

Consider the powerful vision described in Isaiah 6:1-8. The prophet Isaiah, in a time of national uncertainty following the death of King Uzziah, receives a glimpse of the throne room of heaven. He sees the Lord "high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of His robe filled the temple." Surrounding God are mysterious beings called seraphim, with six wings each, crying out in ceaseless worship: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory."

This triple repetition of "holy" is significant. In Hebrew, repetition is used for emphasis, and this is the only attribute of God in all of Scripture that receives this highest form of emphasis. We never read of God being described as "merciful, merciful, merciful" or even "love, love, love." But His holiness? It's emphasized three times over.

The impact of encountering this holy God is immediate and profound. Isaiah, a prophet accustomed to speaking on God's behalf, is utterly wrecked. He cries out, "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."

This reaction teaches us something crucial: in the presence of true holiness, our own sinfulness becomes glaringly apparent. As Billy Graham once said, "It's only when we understand the holiness of God will we understand the depth of our sin." Isaiah doesn't attempt to justify himself or negotiate with God. He simply acknowledges his unworthiness.

But here's where the beauty of God's character shines through. In response to Isaiah's confession, God doesn't condemn. Instead, He initiates forgiveness. A seraph is sent with a burning coal to touch Isaiah's lips, symbolically cleansing him. God declares, "Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

This mirrors the incredible truth of the gospel, expressed in Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Our holy God, so set apart and perfect, chose to bridge the gap between His holiness and our sinfulness through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

The implications of God's holiness are far-reaching. As Jackie Hill Perry insightfully noted, "If God is holy, then He can't sin. If God can't sin, then He can't sin against you. If He can't sin against you, shouldn't that make Him the most trustworthy being there is?" God's holiness makes Him utterly dependable, unchanging, and worthy of our complete trust.

This realization should evoke a response in us similar to Isaiah's. After experiencing God's holiness and forgiveness, Isaiah hears God asking, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" Without hesitation, the prophet replies, "Here am I. Send me!" Encountering the holy God transforms Isaiah from a man paralyzed by his own unworthiness to one eager to serve in any capacity.

The proper response to God's holiness isn't just awe or fear, but a wholehearted "yes" to whatever He asks of us. It's recognizing that in light of His perfection and the undeserved grace He's shown us, how can we do anything but offer our lives in service to Him?

This truth should shake us to our core. When was the last time we were truly stunned by God's holiness? When did we last fall to our knees in repentance or worship, overwhelmed by the realization that this holy God loves us and chose to redeem us?

In a culture where many are disillusioned with religion or walking away from faith, the holiness of God stands as an unchanging reality. It reminds us that our faith isn't based on human institutions or fallible leaders, but on the character of an eternal, perfect God who initiates relationship with us despite our unworthiness.

As we reflect on God's holiness, let's allow it to transform our perspective and priorities. Let it drive us to our knees in humility and lift our hearts in worship. Let it compel us to live lives of joyful obedience, always ready to say "yes" to whatever God asks of us.

For truly, who can compare to our God? Who else rescues the helpless, protects the vulnerable, and forgives the sinner? Who else is always for us, never leaving or forsaking us? Our God is holy, holy, holy – set apart, perfect, and worthy of all our trust and devotion.

May we, like Isaiah, be so captivated by God's holiness that our response is an unwavering, "Here I am. Send me!" For in the presence of such awe-inspiring holiness, what other response could there be?