HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS JEHOVAH OF HOSTS

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS JEHOVAH OF HOSTS

 

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 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. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:1-3

 

This study takes us into that class of attributes known as the goodness of God. As can be very readily seen this deals with the moral nature of God. In this respect it is possible to note a twofold division of attributes. On the one hand God possesses attributes which describe what He is in Himself. These are three in number, that is, God is holy, true, and love. While on the other hand God possesses attributes which describe what He is in relation to others, that is, because God is holy, in Himself, He is righteous in relation to others; because He is true in Himself, He is faithful in relation to others; because God is love in Himself, He is merciful in His relation to others.

It is impossible to treat all of these attributes adequately in one article, so I have selected the first of the six for this article. While in many respects it is impossible to evaluate the six in terms of one another, there is a sense in which the first of the six is the most important. It is the one attribute which gives value to all the others and without which the others could not exist.

This is the one attribute without which God could not be God, and which in the fullest sense differentiates the true God from all other gods. It is therefore not surprising that this attribute has been the object of attack from Satan from the very beginning. The seeds of doubt were planted in the garden. Four millenniums later Satan tried to barter the pure soul of Christ for this paltry world. In the end time Satan will make one final effort to establish a man of sin in the place of the sinless Son of God.

Of all the attributes of God, this one is the least in the concern of mankind, saved and unsaved people alike. It is the one attribute which man is most ready to forget, to distort, or to deny. It is the one attribute in the nature of God which makes salvation necessary, and the one attribute which God bestows in moral fullness when He saves men. It is the one quality without which no man shall see God, nor have the privilege to enjoy the courts of heaven.

So vital in importance is this attribute to a true understanding of God that this one message should be carefully considered by every reader. It is not only the key to the nature of God, but it is the doorway to the dealings of God in His methods and movements among men.

I. THE HOLINESS OF GOD APPLIES FIRST OF ALL TO HIS DIVINE MAJESTY

It will be discovered that the Hebrew and Greek terms for holiness bear the sense of separateness. One use of the word will confirm this. In Gen. 38:21 it is recorded, "Then he asked the men of that place, saying, where is the harlot, that was openly by the wayside? And they said, there was no harlot in this place." The word for harlot is the word elsewhere translated "holy." It thus can be seen that a harlot was one who stood in a “separate” relation to all society. Such then is the meaning of the word.

When the word was first used of God it had first to do with His separateness from the standpoint of His greatness. In this sense He was high, mighty, and great, above the entire universe which He created. The Psalmist had this in mind when he wrote these words of Psa. 99: "The Lord reigns; let the people tremble: he sits between the cherubim; let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy" (Psa. 99:1-3).

Isaiah too wrote similar words in the course of his prophecy. In the midst of words of sore denunciation upon the people of Israel for their sins, there come these words of encouragement: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I will dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isa. 57:15).

But perhaps the classic passage intended to convey to the mind of the reader the high dignity and majesty of God is recorded in Isa. 6. It comes at a time in Israel when Isaiah the prophet is most inclined to depression, for the greatest person in his experience has been claimed by that king of terrors, death. Uzziah had been king for 55 years. His reign was marked by prosperity and prestige and power. And Isaiah, closely associated with the royal household, had been impressed and awed by this king. Then one day that long, glorious reign came to an end. For the moment the sun went down below the horizon of this young prophet, and darkness spread abroad with all its fears. In the midst of this depression, a vision came to Isaiah in the temple. Note the description of what he saw (Isa. 6:1-3). This was the vision that God gave the man Isaiah concerning Himself.

II. EVENTUALLY HOLINESS CAME TO REFER TO THE MORAL PURITY OF GOD

There is not a great step from majestic greatness to moral purity. If God is above His creation in greatness, then reason requires that God also be good. Therefore the word "holy" came to refer to God's moral purity. And in this sense the word "holy" is used almost exclusively throughout the Bible. After ascribing praise to the majestic greatness of God in the first three verses of Psa. 99, the Psalmist passes over to the fact of moral purity in the remainder of the Psa. 99:4-9. In an earlier Psalm he asks the question, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully" (Psa. 24:3-4).

It appears then that holiness is the fundamental moral attribute of God, and the thing that makes Him God. As Isaiah views the vision in the temple, with Jehovah high and lifted up, and His train filling the temple, he sees some of the spirit creatures that have been in the presence of God from the beginning. The seraphim indicate their modesty in the presence of God by covering themselves with their wings. And when they cry out it is, "Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isa. 6:3, RV). This ministering choir does not cry out, "Love, love, love, is Jehovah of hosts." God is not holy because He loves, but He loves because He is holy.

The basic nature of the kingdom of God is holiness. That is the meaning of the Psalmist, "For God is the king of all the earth . . . God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness (Psa. 47:7-8). The king who sits on the throne someday shall wield a scepter of righteousness; He is anointed to this place because He loves righteousness and hates iniquity (Heb. 1:8-9). During His reign, "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:9).

III. THE PRACTICAL VALUES FROM THE FACT OF GOD'S HOLINESS ARE MANY

Perhaps the first experience of the sinner who gets a vision of God's holiness is a revelation of his own sinfulness. That was Isaiah's experience, and it has been the experience of every soul who ever came to the Lord. Isaiah cried out, "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" (Isa. 6:5). It was Socrates who said, "Know thyself." And as wonderful as that may be, no man ever knew himself until he first caught a vision of a holy God.

It is also evident from the Scripture that God's holiness is definitely responsible for the salvation of the believer. In every respect it corresponds to holiness. Again the Psalmist said, "Oh sing unto Jehovah a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath wrought salvation for him" (Psa. 98:1 RV). That event at Calvary where sin was done away forever was followed by the resurrection where Christ was "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:4).

Once the believer has entered into the camp of the saints, he then learns that an obligation for holiness rests upon him. In fact, he is called saint, or holy one. This is by no means true of his state. But it is true of his standing. And he is therefore obligated to bring his state up to his standing. But there comes the call of the Lord which is basic, "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy" (1 Pet. 1:15-16). And the command is not mere idle talk, for without holiness "no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). Resting in a blameless state. (2 Pet. 3:14) awaiting the Lord to return.

The practical value of the holiness of God is further enhanced by the encouragement to humility and contrition. Though we have cited the passage before from Isaiah, it is in order again. "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isa. 57:15). What a stimulus to virtues that are so wanting.

There is no matter of greater concern to the saints than that because of the holiness of God His promises and covenant are unchangeable. "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before me" (Psa. 89:34-36). "For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant" (Psa. 105:42). This was the intent of Christ's high priestly prayer, "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are" (John 17:11).

As a warning to saints and sinners alike, let all remember that holiness provides the awful background for divine judgment. Believers must come before the Bema seat someday, but Paul reminds them that "knowing therefore the terror of the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:11), he persuades men. Someday all the wicked shall come before a great white throne. Its awful whiteness unrelieved by any color whatsoever, symbolical of the holiness of God, causes even the earth and the heaven to flee away (Rev. 20:11ff). This alone ought to act as a solemn warning to men to flee from the wrath to come.

IV. THE HOLINESS OF GOD PROVIDES THE PROPER BACKGROUND FOR THE CALL TO PERSONAL SERVICE

It is highly questionable whether anything short of the absolute holiness of God provides sufficient background for an effective call to ministry.

It was on the background of a vision of God's holiness and Isaiah's sin and the sin of his people, that the call came, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me" (Isa. 6:8).

It was out of a background of the majesty and moral purity of God that caused Job to abhor himself and repent in dust and ashes. Then there came his commissioning for priestly ministry in behalf of those miserable comforters (Job 42:8).

Daniel's vision of the Lord's holiness left him sick and without strength. But it was here that Daniel wrote the vision and sealed the words of the book until the time of the end for the generations yet unborn (Dan. 12:4, 9, 13).

It was on a similar background of holiness that John fell at the feet of the Lord as dead. And then when touched by His gracious hand he was then commissioned to write the things he had heard and seen (Rev. 1:17-19).

It was Peter who beheld the majesty of Christ when the miraculous draft of fishes came from the sea. His first response was to get away from the Lord. "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord." But his sinfulness and the sinfulness of people only put him in a position to be used of the Lord. It was then that the call came. "And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him" (Luke 5:10-11). Until a man sees the holiness of God and repent forsaking all that hinders his effective service will the call to service come about. Blameless is he (1 Tim. 3:2, 10) that serves the Lord and Master of John 13:13. Judas leaves the room at this point. Peters command from Christ was “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pet. 1:15-16; 2 Pet. 3:14).