Holy, Holy, Holy

We as humans tend to greatly underestimate the “holiness” (see Exo 3:5; Lev 19:2; Rev 4:8; Act 7:33; 1Pe 1:16; Isa 6:3; Psa 11:4; 24:3; 29:2; 30:4; 33:21; 47:8; 103:1) and “glory of the Lord” (see Luk 2:9; Rev 15:8; Isa 40:5; Exo 24:17; 2Ch 5:14; 7:2–3; Eze 1:28; 10:4; 44:4; cf. Joh 1:14; Rom 11:36; 2Co 3:18; Heb 1:3; Psa 8:1, 9; 19:1; 72:19; 105:7; Isa 6:3; 42:8), while also underestimating the severity of our sins compared to such a holy God. God is morally pure and perfect (1Jn 1:5; cf. Rom 3:4; 9:14; Mat 4:16; 17:2; Luk 1:79; Joh 1:5; 3:19; 8:12; 12:35, 46; Mic 7:8; Job 12:22)—that is what holy means. Do not make the same mistake that I did for many years by judging God based on what you see all around us in this fallen, sinful world (or by the actions of sinful men), for this is not what He created. What we see today is what man created by being disobedient to God.

In the fullness of time, we will see sin for what it really is, for how bad it really is, and we will understand that it deserves the penalty of death. We will also see God for who He truly is, for “God is love” (1Jn 4:8–10, 16; cf. Joh 3:16–18; Eph 3:17–19; 5:2; Rom 5:8; 8:35, 39; 2Co 13:14; Gal 5:6; 2Jn 3; Jud 21)—in fact, God’s love so powerful and pure that we have a very hard time understanding it:

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isa 55:9

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Rom 8:38–39

Even further, there is not, and there cannot be, even the merest, tiniest, most infinitesimal amount of anything but purity and love in God (1Jn 1:5). That is because if any moral impurity, flaw, or defect whatsoever were to be found in God,[1] it would be magnified by His omnipotence and perfected in His eternality to fill His entire being instantaneously, leading to self-extinction (1Co 5:6).[2] Only love is sustainable. Moreover, God “dwells in unapproachable light” (1Ti 6:16; cf. Mat 17:2; 4:16; Luk 1:79; Joh 1:5; 3:19; 8:12; 12:35, 46; Mic 7:8; Job 12:22). This indicates the nature and extent of His love, purity, majesty, holiness, and glory. He appears in the purest and brightest “white” light you’ve ever seen or can imagine (Mat 17:2). It is not an impure yellowish glow like the sun; rather, imagine something a million times brighter, whiter, cleaner, and purer—it is unlike any light we see in this world.

We often see and hear the words holy and love used, but we seldom pause or stop to think deeply about who God really is or contemplate His truly infinite intelligence and nature. When you do that, it leaves you in a state of complete and total wonder, awe, and amazement; it also helps us maintain a proper “fear of the Lord,”[3] along with reminding us to give Him “honor” (Joh 5:23; 1Ti 1:17; 6:16; 1Pe 1:7; Rev 4:9, 11; 5:13; 7:12; cf. Mat 15:8; Mar 7:6; Joh 8:49; Rom 1:21; 2:23), “respect” (Mat 21:37; Mar 12:6; Luk 20:13), “worship” (Mat 2:2; 4:10; Luk 4:8; Joh 4:23–24; Rom 12:1; Heb 1:6; Rev 4:8–10; 14:7; 15:4; 22:9; cf. Rom 14:11; Php 2:10), and “praise” (Luk 19:37; Act 16:25; Rom 14:11; 15:11; Eph 1:12, 14; Php 1:11; Heb 13:15; 1Pe 1:7; Rev 19:5; cf. Psa 47:6–7; 61:8; 63:4–6; 71:8, 23; 95:2; 96:1–3; 103:1–2; 146:1–10; 150:6; Isa 25:1) at all times. I am limited to using finite, imperfect vocabulary here to try to convey His infinite nature, and no matter how many times I rewrite this chapter, the words I find to write just don’t do justice to this subject.

Furthermore, remember that when we see Jesus, we are also seeing God:

He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. – Col 1:15–16

For in Him [Jesus] all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. – Col 2:9

And when Jesus returns on Judgment Day and we all stand before Him,[4] we will finally see His full, breathtaking, and unimaginable holiness and glory revealed right before us (Mat 17:2; 1Ti 6:16; cf. 2Th 2:8 KJV). I’m certain that at that time, we will all be in such utter shock, awe, and amazement that at first it will be impossible to even move or speak except to “bow down” or “fall down” before Him (see Rom 14:11; Php 2:10–11; Mat 17:6; Luk 2:9; Rev 5:14; 19:4; Jos 5:14; cf. Luk 5:8; Rev 6:15–17; Dan 8:17–18; Isa 6:5; Exo 20:18). Only then (at that time) will we truly appreciate the full magnitude of God’s glory! And further, think about this: After everyone has seen God’s holiness, light, and glory revealed right before their very eyes, those who chose to remain in their sins (the lost) will be banished to a place of “outer darkness” (Mat 8:12; 22:13; 25:30), “away from the presence” of the Lord forever (2Th 1:9). They will have all eternity to think about (regret) the fact that all this “God and Jesus stuff” was true after all, with no way to alter their eternal destiny. What a catastrophe that will be for them—and that is one of the “torments” (Mat 8:29; Mar 5:7; Luk 16:28; Rev 14:11; 20:10) of hell, for which there will be no remedy![5]

Remember that only in God can “light” and “life” be found; away from Him there is only “darkness” and “death.”[6] Let us, therefore, heed what is written: “you shall be holy, for I am holy” (1Pe 1:14–16; cf. Lev 11:44; 19:2; 20:7; Php 4:8; Jas 4:4; Rom 14:10–12; Rev 2:23; 20:12–13; 22:12). Amen.