August 28

“And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’.”   —ISAIAH 6:3

There are two primary ways the holiness of God is spoken about in Scripture. The first is in regard to God’s uniqueness, that as our Creator, He is set apart, different from all His creation. The second way is His moral qualities, which are described as being holy; His goodness, cleanliness, righteousness and purity. In Isaiah, chapter six, Isaiah’s encounter with God was not so much a revelation of God’s holiness as it was an experience of it.   

King Uzziah was someone Isaiah had looked up to, but in the year the king died, and the throne was vacated by him, Isaiah says, “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted…” (Isaiah 6:1). For Isaiah to experience the holiness of God, a barrier had to be removed, and there also had to be a renewed awareness of God and of himself. Isaiah describes what he saw. “Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’. At the sound of their voices the doorposts and threshold shook and the temple was filled with smoke” (Isaiah 6:2-4). 

The image depicted of the seraphs is of servants attending to God, which testifies to God’s greatness and sovereignty. Their ministry is first and foremost proclaiming the holiness of God. There is also an imagery of confusion, fear and uncertainty with the doorposts and thresholds shaking and the temple filling with smoke. That is significant because the holiness of God does not fit into any earthly paradigm.

Isaiah sees the Lord in a new and brilliant light, which exposes him for who he is. In the previous chapter, Isaiah gives a long list of woes and judgments against the people, but now he says, “Woe to me!” I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips…. and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty” (Isaiah 6:5). We never encounter God in His glory and holiness without simultaneously seeing ourselves in our unholiness. It’s a humbling and often painful experience, but acknowledging our sin and repenting of it opens the door to the grace of God, whereby we are not only forgiven and cleansed through the blood of Christ, but indwelt by His Spirit. And it is His Spirit that works in us to produce the holiness of God.

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, I never want to lose sight of your holiness. Keep me humbled before You and with everyone I meet. Thank You, Lord.

TO REFLECT UPON: How has the holiness of God changed the view I have of myself?