Isaiah 6:1-5 – The Lord Is Holy – Bible study

Isaiah 6:1-5 The Lord Is Holy Next Sunday, we begin revival meetings, a week of meetings designed to stir spiritual life within Gods people. As revival draws near, I typically agonize over what we need to do to have an actual revival. There is no question what Gods people need to be revived and I believe there is no question but that you and I need revival as well. But how do we get it? The formulas I have been taught are: 1. Repent 2. Pray 3. Worship But if that is all there is, we arent doing it right. I think something is missing. What is missing and where does it fit into our formula? I think the very first step may be the step that we are missing. I think before those three things will do us any good, we must see our need. Most Christians todayincluding myselfdo not see the need for revival because we do not see Gods holiness. We might see our sinfulness, but that is not the same as seeing Gods holiness. We might see our short comings, but that is not the same as seeing Gods holiness. We might see our inability, but that is not the same as seeing Gods holiness. Gods people need to see Gods holiness before we are going to have revival. That has led me to study Gods holiness for the last several weeks. To say the least, my study has been disappointing. I was hoping to find some sound, sure truths that I might share which would spark revival. What I found was that the Bible really does not teach a lot about Gods holiness. The Bible speaks a lot of Gods holiness (I found over 500 references to holiness), but it does not teach much on holiness. For this service, let me share with some of the things that I found. I. The Bible tells us that we cannot naturally comprehend God. Job 11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? 9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. A. The Bible is not trying to discourage us in our walk with the Lord. 1. It is just pointing out what ought to be obvious. 2. God is infinite. We are finite. How can we who are limited expect to comprehend a God who is limitless? 3. The answer is, "We cannot." 4. We can and should try to comprehend Him. We should make it our life and eternal purpose to understand as much about God as is possible, but we shall never completely understand Himat least not on our own. Proverbs 30:3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. Matthew 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. B. Thankfully, we are not alone and do not have to seek God by natural means alone. Mt 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. 1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we 1. It then becomes the Christians first and greatest quest to see God and to learn Him. 2. We are always learning of Gods love, grace, forgiveness, mercy, faithfulness, power, etc. When will we seek to learn Gods holiness? C. Is it important that I understand God and His holiness? 1. Absolutely! Our concept of God is the one thing that determines how we will interact with Him. 2. Whatever we think about God will color how we worship and how we will serve. a. Our understanding of God will draw the borders which we will live within and the heights we will soar unto. b. It will determine what we feel He expects of us. 3. Literally, everything about our relationship with God hinges on our concept of Him and that includes Gods holiness. a. And one of the most consistent, uncompromising, unchallenged statements about God is that He is holy. v. We must seek to understand holiness. II. The definition of holiness A. Believe it or not, but even defining the word "holy" is not a simple matter. 1. People are not sure what the word means. 2. People are not even sure what language the word holy comes from. B. So what I am left to do to define the word is to look at how it is used in the Bible. I find a Bible definition of the word holy would have to include three aspects. 1. Any definition of holiness would have to also include the idea of UNIQUENESS. a. There are several words in the Bible for holy or holiness. b. A.W. Tozer said that one Hebrew word is normally used to speak of the holiness of God while another is normally used to refer to things or people that are called holy. c. The reason for this is because things and people are not naturally holy. d. People gain their holiness by associating with God who is holy. e. Tozer argues that Gods holiness is unique and different from all other things and people. f. The Scripture agrees. 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? 1Samuel 2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Psalms 71:19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee! g. Some writers said of Gods holiness that it is the "other" as so different to be completely separate from anything that is common or could be associated with mankind. 2. A definition of holiness would have to include the idea of PURITY, PERFECT CLEANNESS, UNSOILED. a. This is the concept the Bible is giving when it compares God to light. 1John 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. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. b. God is completely pure, no spot of darkness or stain. He is holy. 3. Any definition of holiness would also have to include the idea of DEDICATED, DEVOTED, and SEPARATE. a. The holiness of which we speak is so unique and different that it cannot come into contact with the unholy. b. Of the three concepts in this definition, this is probably the most difficult for Man to comprehend, yet the Bible makes is clear. c. No corrupt man can see the Holy God and live. Exodus 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. 20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: FOR THERE SHALL NO MAN SEE ME, AND LIVE. d. Until Jesus Christ came in the flesh to the earth, no man ever saw anything more of God than just an earthly facsimile. (1) Moses saw a burning bush, (2) Abraham and Joshua saw angels, (3) Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel saw visions of God. e. In fact, God commanded Moses to put up special barriers to keep the unholy people of Israel from running onto the top of Mount Sinai and being destroyed. Exodus 19:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. f. Even the most holiest of Gods servants could not come into the presence of God, let alone see God, without it having a devastating effect upon them! (1) Daniel fainted and was left sick. Daniel 8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the kings business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. (2) Ezekiel fell down and had no strength to get up. Ezekiel 1:28 And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. 2:1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. 2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. (3) John the Apostle fell down petrified at Lords presence. Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: g. This reaction was in part due to the fact that, in the presence of Gods holiness, these godly men felt their own wickedness. Daniel 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for MY COMELINESS WAS TURNED IN ME INTO CORRPUTION, and I retained no strength. Habakkuk 3:16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: ROTTENNESS ENTERED INTO MY BONES, and I trembled in myself h. When was the last time we felt spiritual sick by coming into Gods presence? (1) Whenever it was, that was the last time you were exposed to Gods holiness. (2) You may have experience Gods love, Gods forgiveness, mercy, graceall of which are good, but we also need to experience Gods holiness especially if we are going to have revival. III. Three truths about holiness to get us started: A. Gods holiness is not balanced. 1. God is a God of balance. a. Gods love, mercy, and grace are all balanced by Gods justice. b. God balanced mans freewill against His sovereignty. 2. But there is nothing to balance out Gods holiness. 3. God is always completely 100% holy no matter what situation, no matter what He is accomplishing, and no matter who He is dealing with. a. Nadab and Abihu b. King Uzziah c. Ananias and Sapphira B. Gods holiness is a burning fire. 1. What did Moses see in the wilderness? A burning bush 2. How did Ezekiels vision of God begin? A great cloud and a fire, enfolding itself. 3. In the Old Testament, what came down from the sky? fire 4. When the Holy Ghost came upon the church, what fell? cloven tongues like as of fire 5. What did God use to lead the children of Israel? A pillar of fire by night 6. How are the eyes of our Lord described in Revelation? They are aflame with fire 7. What about God does the fire represent? It represents Gods holiness, that which burns away the sinful, the carnal, the unholy C. Gods wrath is a reflex of Gods holiness. 1. I believe the judgment of God falls when the holiness of God is offended and the mercy of God is used up. 2. Thank God for His mercy, but mercy is balanced with the justice of God and so it has a limit. a. Once that limit is reached, the natural response to Gods holiness will be triggered. b. Which is what? Wrath Friend, you don’t want to be around when the wrath of God falls! And you don’t have to be. Take God’s love and mercy while it is offered.