It was that time of day when the world is at its best—just past sunrise. The sun was bright but not glaring or hot.”
–C. M. Curtis (Lawless Desert)
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I love by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
–Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
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The other morning I was driving at sunrise. As the sun began to move above the horizon the brightness of it was intolerable. It became hard to see as I drove up on the hill even with sunglasses. I had to do something to shield the tremendous brightness of the sun. Then the words of that old hymn, written by Reginald Heber in 1826 came to mind.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!
It was early in the morning, and though I am not a singer I began to hum and sing in my mind. Then, after making a turn and moving in the other direction I finally could avoid the brightness of the sun. I thought of the face of Moses where being in the holiness of God he had to cover his face as it was shining so bright the people could not look upon him. Oh, that we could be in the presence of the Lord, and when we leave we should shine for His glory and holiness.
But tell me, if you will, what does the term “holy” mean? Try and describe it in its fullness. All I can say is that it is God. It denotes God in the highest sense. It is part of His transcendence. The New Bible Dictionary states that it is His moral excellence and “His freedom from all limitation in His moral perfection.” In fact, it would not be improper when doing a study of God to put the term in front of His attributes for everything God does is holy. He has holy love, holy faithfulness, holy omnipotence, holy patience, and on and on. “It is the outshining of all that God is.” (New Bible Dictionary)
Habakkuk said this of God, “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness…”. (1:13, NKJV) No wonder the prophet was having problems with all the things, all the evil he saw happening. For he continues to write in that verse, “Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, and hold Your tongue when the wicked devours a person more righteous than he?” Understand? Good, then explain it to me. God’s holiness is one of those mystery of mysteries. Yet one day, the answer will come, “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8, NKJV).
Holy, Holy Holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which were, and art, and evermore shalt be.
Holy, Holy, Holy! Tho’ the darkness hide Thee,
Tho’ the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see,
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee
Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.
We get a glimpse of the holiness of God from John when he writes: “Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” (Revelation 1:12-18, NKJV)
Then there is that verse. Perhaps it has caused more heartache, turmoil, and mental anguish than any verse in the Bible. “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16). How? Oh, Lord, you know that I cannot obtain that! However, we are to reflect God’s holiness, His brightness in our everyday walk. We are to be separated from the things of the world and therefore be separated unto Him. We are to be morally ethical and inwardly pure. We are to be a light upon a hill so that men can see our works as we do them for the Lord. We can only be holy (to a certain degree) as we look to God. We can only be holy because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit–God resides in us. It is not legalism to live unto the Lord, to live rightly and justly.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!