KNOWING GOD’S HOLINESS
Knowing God #3
Pastor Peters is preaching on Knowing God’s Holiness.
What a mismatch. Pastor Peters and no other preacher is capable of such a task. God’s holiness, is mostly beyond comprehension. We can only grasp a small part of it.
Why then should I listen? Even a little understanding of the holiness of God will change your life!
John Piper – “About 20 years ago I decided to do an experiment on Sunday morning. I decided to preach a sermon on the holiness of God with not a word of explicit practical application. I wanted to see what the response would be just from seeing the holiness of God.”
John Piper took the same text as we have before us this morning. He made no practical application, just presented God’s holiness.
“I finished my message on the holiness of God with not a word of application to daily life. I simply wanted the people to see the holiness of God. Little did I know that in the audience that morning was a mother and a father who just that week had discovered that their daughters had been sexually molested for years by a trusted relative. It was the worst thing that ever happened to them. I preached. I made no application to their lives. I had no idea what had happened. I just lifted up the majesty of the holiness of God.
The father came to me about three months later and said something I will never forget. He said, ‘John, these have been the worst months of our lives. One thing has gotten me through it: the vision of the holiness of God from Isaiah 6 that I saw last January.’" John Piper, A Generation Passionate For God’s Holiness, Part I, http://www.desiringgod.org/library/topics/gods_attributes/holiness.html
Knowing God’s Holiness can impact your life this morning.
But what do we mean when we say, “God is holy”?
Something that is holy is sacred or set apart from others.
If God is holy, and He is, he is set apart from all others.
He is special.
The Theological Word Book of the Old Testament says, “Because God is holy, he is free from the moral imperfections and frailties common to man and can be counted on to be faithful to his promises.” R. Laird Harris, editor, Gleason L. Archer, Jr., Bruce K. Waltke, associate editors, Theological Word Book of the Old Testament, Volume 2 (Chicago, Moody Press, 1980) p.788
God is also holy because he is unique. There is none like Him. 1 Samuel 2:2 - There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
John Piper - “Since God is absolutely unique in divine moral perfection, and is therefore the rarest of all reality, and permanent, and accessible, therefore he is of infinite value. More valuable than gold or silver or any precious stone or all the wealth in the universe, or any other created thing or quantity of things or any other person or groups of persons. God's holiness is his infinite value as the absolutely unique, morally perfect, permanent person that he is, who by grace made himself accessible in Jesus Christ.” John Piper, A Generation Passionate For God’s Holiness, Part I, http://www.desiringgod.org/library/topics/gods_attributes/holiness.html
As we continue our quest to know God better this morning we turn to Isaiah 6:1-8 to try and grasp some of the meaning of His holiness.
THE PRESENTATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – 1-4
THE PROBLEM WITH GOD’S HOLINESS – 5
THE PURIFICATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – 6-7
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS Vs. 8, 1 Peter 1:15-16
Isaiah was a prophet of God.
God granted him the special privilege of seeing God in His temple, not the temple in Jerusalem, but the temple in Heaven.
THE PRESENTATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – Vss. 1-4
Vs. 1 - A great king, Uzziah, had died. This was a great sorrow. But although great and Godly people pass on, the vision that Isaiah saw reminded him and us, that God is alive! He says, “I SAW THE LORD!”
Who did Isaiah see on that throne? According to the Apostle John, he saw the Lord Jesus.
John 12:41 - These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Jesus is God!
God took Isaiah’s eyes off the problems of this world and placed them on God himself.
It is something that we should ask God to do for us. When we see the political, moral, and personal problems that are in this world, we need to see that the Lord is very much alive!
Isaiah saw God on a throne. We are reminded of what we said previously, we need to know God’s sovereignty. We need to realize that our God is King. He reigns!
Psalm 93:1 - The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
This is an election year and there are those on both sides of the political spectrum, worrying over the consequences of four more years of President Bush or four new years of John Kerry as president.
No matter who is in charge in Washington, or who is reigning in Russia, or who is controlling Iraq, it is because the God who sits on the throne in Heaven has decreed who will reign on earth.
Romans 13:1 - Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Vs. 1 – Notice that God is high and lifted up
I believe that Isaiah would have been awe of the vast size of the temple in which God dwells. He saw God as high and lifted up, above everyone. I think Isaiah probably felt as big as a speck of dust.
and his train filled the temple.
The train was the hem of his garment.
What is the garment of God?
It is a garment of light!
Psalm 104:1-2 - Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. [2] Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
1 John 1:5 - This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
If there is no darkness in God’s light, try to imagine how intense that light in the temple of God must be! The most intense of lighting on earth can not compare with the light of the glory of God!
Isaiah 6:2 - Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Seraphim are angels that evidently guard the very holiness of God. Their name means “burning ones”. I think that these creatures must be huge! Imagine their intense brightness as they fly around the throne in an attitude of worship. Imagine giant wing spans, and the massive power in those wings!
Even these creatures who have not been tainted with sin do not look at God. They cover their faces and their feet in humility.
If these creatures are in awe of the glory of God, we should certainly be in awe of His glory even more so.
Isaiah 6:3 - And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
These creatures, how many of them there were no one knows, fly around God’s throne proclaiming his holiness.
He is holy!
No one else is in this position of glory.
No one else receives the worship of angels.
No one else clothes themselves with light.
No one else is in total control of the universe.
No one else is completely separated from sin and impurity!
No one else is omnipotent!
No one else is omnipresent!
No one else is omniscient!
God is God, totally set apart from all others as holy!
And please realize that the proclamation of God’s holiness was probably very loud. I feel that these angels would be making their proclamation of his holiness with booming voices.
Isaiah 6:4 - And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
The posts of the doors of the heavenly temple vibrated, perhaps in reaction to the proclamation of the seraphim, and probably as a reaction to the awesome power and holiness of God!
The house was filled with smoke, a symbol of the glory of God.
So this is an awesome scene, showing Isaiah and us, just how awesome, how holy God is!
THE PRESENTATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – Vss. 1-4
THE PROBLEM WITH GOD’S HOLINESS – 5
Isaiah had a problem with God’s holiness.
Isaiah’s problem with God’s holiness was his own sinfulness!
Isaiah 6:5 - Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
In the time of Isaiah, it would have been easy for him to compare himself with other Jews, and feel pretty comfortable. Isaiah would have been better than most of them.
And today you can compare yourself with most Christians and feel pretty good about your own Christianity.
But Isaiah was not comparing himself with other Jews.
And you should not compare yourself to other Christians.
Isaiah saw God. And when Isaiah saw God he was terrified.
When he saw the pure holiness of God, he cried, “Woe is me for I am undone!”
The word “undone” means to “cease, cut off, destroy, perish”. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament Vol. I, p. 192
Isaiah was saying “Woe is me, I am doomed!”
He was terrified because He had seen the holiness of God.
He saw the king of the universe.
He saw the Lord of all the hosts, the God who reigns over all of the angelic armies of Heaven.
I challenge you to look at this description and realize it is real. The heavenly temple does exist. The holy God does exist. You are nothing compared to God.
All you have to offer Him is sin!
You, who are the purest of us, are filthy in God’s sight.
Woe is you! Woe is me!
Isaiah 64:6 - But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
It is about time, that you who are not Christians among us be alarmed by your sin and your complete inadequacy before God.
It is about time that you and I who are Christians be alarmed by the way we have not lived holy lives the way God wants us to live. Compared to Him we are filthy specks.
THE PRESENTATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – Vss. 1-4
THE PROBLEM WITH GOD’S HOLINESS – 5
THE PURIFICATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – 6-7
Isaiah 6:6-7 - Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: [7] And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
The moment Isaiah came to the end of himself and admitted his filthiness, was the moment God, in his holiness provided help.
The moment a person without Christ, comes to the end of himself and turns to Christ God purges his sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 - Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, [10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. [11] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
The moment a Christian comes to the end of himself and confesses his sin, God purges his sin.
1 John 1:7-10 - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
2 Corinthians 7:10 - For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Christian, the Lord Jesus left Heaven’s throne to come to earth to die for you. You have seen His glory. What is it in your life that displeases Him? What makes you say, “Woe is me?”
Be honest about your sin before God and let Him cleanse you this morning.
If you are not saved this morning, come to Him confessing your need for forgiveness.
THE PRESENTATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – Vss. 1-4
THE PROBLEM WITH GOD’S HOLINESS – 5
THE PURIFICATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – 6-7
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS Vs. 8, 1 Peter 1:15-16
God did not save you so you could continue to live the way you always did.
God saved you so your life can be productive for Him.
If you sincerely get saved, and sincerely confess your sins as a Christian, then God’s holiness will accomplish two things.
First of all, because you appreciate the cleansing you have received, you will be available to God for whatever purpose he has for you.
Isaiah 6:8 - Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isaiah had seen God’s holiness.
Isaiah had seen his own filthy sinfulness.
Isaiah had experienced the cleansing of his sin.
God called for a volunteer.
Isaiah answered the call, not because, he was superior or special, but because he was cleansed, appreciative and available to do whatever God called him to do. How would he dare not do what God called him to do?
Have you seen God’s holiness?
Have you seen your own filthy sinfulness?
Have you been to God for cleansing?
Are you ready to answer God’s call?
Are you ready to go if God says “go”?
Are you ready to witness when God says, “witness”?
Are you ready to preach if God says “preach”?
Are you ready to teach if God says “teach”?
Are you ready to do good works, if God says “do good works”?
Are you ready to say, “Here am I, send me?”
Are you available?
There’s more. Please turn to 1 Peter 1:15-16, But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
What has God called you to? Look at verses 3-5.
1 Peter 1:3-5 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, [5] Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
This God who has given you new life
This God who has given you an incorruptible inheritance in Heaven
This God who is holy has called you to live a holy life!
You are God’s child if you have been born again.
John 1:12 - But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Your conversation, your manner of life is to be “Like Father like son.” You’re Father is holy, set apart from evil, set apart to himself. You are to be holy, set apart from evil, set apart to the Father himself.
Now the only way we can live holy lives is through the power of the one who has made us holy. It is only through the work of the Spirit of God that we have the power to live holy, Godly lives.
If you have seen the holiness of God
If you have dealt with your sin, either by being saved or confessing them as a Christian
If your sins are purged
Then, be available, saying, “here am I send me”, and be holy, living a holy life because the one who has called you to forgiveness and salvation is holy.
THE PRESENTATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – Vss. 1-4
THE PROBLEM WITH GOD’S HOLINESS – 5
THE PURIFICATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – 6-7
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS Vs. 8, 1 Peter 1:15-16