MasterTruth

Holiness: The Big Deal

Who wants holiness? It’s not something top of mind, is it? Actually, God wants holiness, and He wants us to want it. Besides the fact that holiness is part of His character, He provides pictures so we completely understand our need, our inadequacy and His provision for our holiness.

The second time the word holiness appears in the Bible, it is part of the 43-verse description of Aaron’s priestly garment in Exodus 28. You probably skimmed over it in your through-the-Bible-in-a-year plan. Before I share the verse, it’s important to understand that the tabernacle and everything associated with it had a bigger purpose than what’s visible on the surface. It was all “made according to pattern,” and if God took the space in the Bible to explain it all in detail, we have to know there are some pictures. That is the case with Aaron’s priestly garment. “And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” (Exodus 28:36) See the picture here of the garment? Look at the turban, and notice the gold rim at the top. It has an inscription, “Holiness to the Lord.” Why is that? The reason comes two verses later in verse 38:  “That Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord.”

Don’t miss God’s amazing picture. Aaron, the first high priest, is a type of Christ, the ultimate High Priest. God knew that even though He required the Israelites to present offering and gifts, these would not be presented in total purity. Only by intercessor Aaron’s wearing of that “Holiness to the Lord” piece of garment would those gifts be accepted by the Lord.

And that’s the only way we are accepted—by Christ’s holiness. We have none. We try to hallow ourselves and our offerings and efforts for God. But our best efforts and gifts are inadequate, just like the Israelites’. So God made the holy provision to make us acceptable. Jesus Christ. “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:6)  “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)

What is it about Jesus Christ that makes us acceptable to God through him? His holiness applied to us when we were saved. When Jesus died on the cross, the eternal swap happened—we received His holiness, and He received our sin. We are positionally holy through Christ. Shouldn’t this make us want to be practically holy? We’ll discuss that in a future post.

Jody

Mystery of Holiness Decoded

In my four decades as a Christian, I bet I could count on one hand the number of sermons I’ve heard on the topic of holiness—though the words holy or holiness appear in 587 verses. With that much exposure in the Bible, I became curious. So I cruised through and studied holiness, and it was like a tour through the eternal cosmos. Not only is holiness a major part of God’s personal character, which I expected to see, He attaches His holiness to people and places for a visual snapshot and as a framework from which to demonstrate His holiness on a grander scale. Holiness has its place in eternity past, now and in eternity future.

But on a personal level, holiness is also something we must achieve, and the why is as important as the what and the how. Because God will not allow any unholiness in His presence. Our life is as much about ridding ourselves of unholiness as it is about accomplishing grand plans for God. The sermons I hear are only about the things we are supposed to do, and not so much about the things we are supposed to be—and those things are paramount to God, who said “be ye holy, for I am holy” twice.

I used to have a bumper sticker that said “God is Awesome.” Encased in that awesomeness is holiness. If God was going to describe Himself, holiness would be at the top of His attributes.

Oh wait. God did describe Himself. The first time the word holiness appears in the Bible, it describes God. “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11)

Bible students know that the first time a word is used in the Bible sets the tone and definition of the word. That being the case, we should brand in our minds that God is glorious in holiness—sacredness and set-apartness.

I concluded from my study that God didn’t want us to think of His holiness as an abstract, ethereal thing that we could only comprehend when we reach heaven. He wants us to see it now, and so in future posts, we will look at the visuals God gave.

In the meantime, here’s a popular song about holiness that is worth a look/listen to set our hearts right.

Jody

The Lord is a God of War?

The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. (Exodus 15:3-4)

It might sound shocking to hear that the Lord is a man of war. He’s better known as a God of love and peace. Do you think it harsh and unloving that He would be associated with war? Whoever thinks that doesn’t know God. We are not the judges of things. He is. And He uses war to judge. The very next verse in this song of Moses from Exodus tells us of the incident of which Moses sang… God’s deliverance of the Israelites from their (God’s people) cruel oppressors. The children of Israel not only escaped their oppressors unscathed and victorious, they plundered the enemy by taking all their jewelry. God fought for them, and God wins His battles royally.

Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:8) The 12 Old Testament history books of Joshua through Esther are filled with battles the Lord fought for His people. It’s enlightening reading that includes war strategy carried out by the providence of God.

As amazing as all those battles are, the granddaddy of them all is yet to come. It will show everything God is and everything man is, and when that one is fought, it’s too late for mankind to change its mind about anything. It’s discussed in the book of Revelation. Before you read it, understand that today is the day of salvation, while you still have today. Prepare your heart before God before this battle happens.

Revelation 19:11-21: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  (12)  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  (13)  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  (14)  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  (15)  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  (16)  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.  (17)  And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;  (18)  That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.  (19)  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.  (20)  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.  (21)  And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.