God’s name is found thousands of times in the Bible – as well it should be. The Bible reveals what God wants us to know about Him and what He is doing in Heaven and on earth.
In a previous Teaching Note we saw that God is Solitary, Supreme and Sovereign. We also know from Scripture that God is Eternal, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Immutable, Love, Good, Righteous, Just, and Merciful.
God created a host of beings called “angels” who serve Him in Heaven. They sing this song to God – “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3) God also created beasts full of eyes before and behind who stand before God in Heaven and say – “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
The Holiness of God is a powerful theme, both in Heaven and on earth.
[These notes are from a message preached 40 years ago. The notes are in outline form.]
What do we mean by “the holiness of God?”
One eminent theologian wrote – “By the holiness of God we mean that He is absolutely separate from and exalted above all His creatures, and that He is equally separate from moral evil and sin. In the first sense His holiness is not really an attribute that is coordinate with the other attributes, but is rather coextensive with them all. It denotes the perfection of God in all that He is. In the second sense it is viewed as the eternal conformity of His being and His will. In God we have purity of being before purity of willing. God does not will the good because it is good, nor is the good good because God wills it; else there would be a good above God or the good would be arbitrary and changeable. Instead God’s will is the expression of His nature, which is holy.”
Revelation 15:4 – “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”
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.”
Exodus 15:11 – “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
Psalm 30:4 – “Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”
Psalm 98:1 – “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.”
Psalm 103:1 – “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
Psalm 145:17 – “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.”
Psalm 99:5 – “Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.”
1 Peter 1:16 – “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
“This is the prime way of honouring God. We do not so glorify God by elevated admirations, or eloquent expressions, or pompous services of Him, as when we aspire to a conversing with Him with unstained spirits, and live to Him in living like Him.” Stephen Charnock
- God is Holy (hagios)
- We are saints (hagios)
- We are sanctified (haziazo)
[Thank you for reading these teaching notes from 40 years ago. My prayer is they will be a blessing to you and your ministry.]
