The Holiness of God
November 22nd, 2006 by Sean
God is completely exclusive in His holiness. He is completely pure. His magnificence is not tainted by any corrupt thought or action. The glory of Yahweh is so bright that no fallen human may view it.
Ex 33.18: Then Moses said, “I pray you, show me your glory!”
Ex 33.19: And he said, “I myself will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”
Ex 33.20: But he said, “You cannot see my face, for no man can see me an live!”
Indeed, after this interchange, God passed by Moses (who was hiding in the cleft of the mountain) and allowed his residual glory to be viewed. With this slight exposure to the “back parts” of the glory of God, Moses’ face shined so brightly that his people asked him to wear a veil.
Isaiah also was blessed with an impression of the glory of Yahweh. He saw “the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of his robe filling the temple.” Six-winged creatures called seraphim flew about crying out to one another:
Is 6.3: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is Yahweh of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Is 6.4: And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
Isaiah’s immediate respnse to this bizarre and overwhelming scene was to say, “Woe is me, for I am ruined!” The first notion that comes to a man’s mind when he is confronted (even if it is in a vision) with the holiness of God is to become acutely aware of his own sin. Holiness is the opposite of sin. In fact, in order to continue existing in the presence of God, a seraph had to cleanse Isaiah with a coal from the altar.
God is completely other. We have nothing to which we can compare his purity. We are like fish trying to comprehend dryness. We have no concept of it because it is so foreign to our surroundings. Yet, we are in the wrong, not Him. We must change, not Him. We must become holy so that we can be closer to him.