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Holiness
Exodus 3:13-15
13Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”14God said to Moses, “I AM WHOI AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”15God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘TheLord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is Mymemorial-name to all generations.
Holiness and righteousness are not synonyms
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qodesh)
· Set apart, consecrated, apartness, sacredness
ἅγιος (hagios)
· Separate from the common condition and use; dedicated (Mounce, 50).
· Hallowed; used of things (Mounce, 50).
· set apart, holy, sacred (http://biblehub.com/greek/40.htm).
· set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred (http://biblehub.com/greek/40.htm).
· properly,different(unlike),other("otherness"),holy; for the believer, (hágios) means "likeness of naturewith the Lord" because "differentfrom the world."
· The fundamental (core) meaning of (hágios) is "different" – thus a temple in the 1st century washagios("holy") becausedifferentfrom other buildings (Wm. Barclay). In the NT, /hágios("holy") has the "technical" meaning "differentfrom the world" because "likethe Lord." (http://biblehub.com/greek/40.htm)
· [(hágios) implies something "set apart" and therefore "different(distinguished/distinct)" – i.e. "other," becausespecialto the Lord.] (http://biblehub.com/greek/40.htm)
That fact that God is “holy” means that there is no other God like Him.
Exodus 15:11
“Who is like You among the gods, OLord? Who is like You,majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises,working wonders?
Whoislike unto thee, OLord, among the gods?
whoislike thee, glorious in holiness, fearfulinpraises, doing wonders?
Exodus 8:8-10
8Then Pharaohcalled for Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat theLord that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; andI will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to theLord.”
9Moses said to Pharaoh, “The honor is yours to tell me: when shall I entreat for you and your servants and your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses,thatthey may be left only in the Nile?”
10Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it beaccording to your word, that you may know that there isno one like theLordour God.
1 Samuel 2:1-2
1 Then Hannahprayed and said,
“My heart exults in theLord; My horn is exalted in theLord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, BecauseI rejoice in Your salvation.
2“There is no one holy like theLord, Indeed,there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
1 Kings 8:22-23
22ThenSolomon stood before the altar of theLordin the presence of all the assembly of Israel andspread out his hands toward heaven.
23He said, “OLord, the God of Israel,there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath,keeping covenant andshowinglovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart…
1 Chronicles 17:20
OLord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Habakkuk 11:9
I will not execute My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man, theHoly One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath.
God is called the “Holy One of Israel”
(2 Kings 19:22; Psalm 71:22; 78:41; 89:18; Isaiah 1:4; 5:19; 24; 10:20; 12:6; 17:7; 29:19; 30:11-12, 15; 31:1; 37:23; 41:14, 16; 41:20; 43:3, 14; 45:11; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7; 54:5; 55:5; 60:9, 14; Jeremiah 50:29; 51:5)
Psalm 78:41
Again and again they tempted God, And pained theHoly One of Israel.
Psalm 89:18
For our shield belongs to theLord, And our king to the HolyOne of Israel.
Isaiah 1:4
Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned theLord, They have despised theHolyOne of Israel, They have turned away from Him.
Isaiah 43:15
“I am theLord, yourHolyOne, The Creator of Israel, your King.”
God is Holy:
· He is transcendent (above everything else)
· In that He is Creator
Psalm 113:4-5
4TheLordishigh above all nations; Hisglory is above the heavens.
5Who is like theLordour God, Whois enthroned on high…
God should be treated as such:
Psalm 78:41
Again and again they tempted God, And pained theHoly One of Israel.
Isaiah 29:23
But when he sees hischildren, thework of My hands, in his midst,
They will sanctify My name;
Indeed, they willsanctify the Holy One of Jacob
And will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
God is holy in:
· Being
Isaiah 40:18, 25-26, 28
18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
25“To whom then will you liken Me That I would behisequal?” says the Holy One.
26Lift up your eyes on high And seewho has created thesestars, TheOne who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of thegreatness of His might and the strength ofHis power, Not oneof themis missing.
28Do you not know? Have you not heard? TheEverlasting God, theLord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding isinscrutable.
Isaiah 46:9-10
9“Remember theformer things long past, For I am God, and there isno other; I amGod, and there isno one like Me,
10Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
Revelation 4:8
And thefour living creatures, each one of them havingsix wings, are full of eyes around and within; andday and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holyistheLord God, the Almighty,who was and who is and who is to come.”
· Nature
Joshua 24:19
Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve theLord, for He is a holy God. He isa jealous God;He will not forgive your transgression or your sins.
Isaiah 5:16
But theLordof hosts will beexalted in judgment, And the holy God will show Himselfholy in righteousness.
Psalm 86:8
OLordGod of hosts,who is like You, O mighty Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
Micah 7:18
Who is a God like You, whopardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of theremnant of His possession? He does notretain His anger forever, Because Hedelights in unchanging love.
God’s name is holy
1 Chronicles 16:35
Then say, “Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us and deliver us from the nations, To give thanks to Yourholyname, And glory in Your praise.”
1 Chronicles 29:16
OLordour God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Yourholyname, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours.
Psalm 30:4
Sing praise to theLord, you His godly ones, And give thanks to Hisholyname.
Psalm 99:3
Let them praise Your great and awesome name;Holyis He.
Psalm 102:19
Bless theLord, O my soul, And all that is within me, blessHisholyname.
Psalm 111:19
He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever;Holyand awesome is His name.
God dwells in a holy habitation
Deuteronomy 26:15
Look down from Yourholyhabitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the ground which You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You swore to our fathers.’
Psalm 102:19
For He looked down from Hisholyheight; From heaven theLordgazed upon the earth…
Zechariah 2:13
“Be silent, all flesh, before theLord; for He is aroused from Hisholyhabitation.”
God’s worship is holy
1 Chronicles 16:35
Now set your heart and your soul to seek theLordyour God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LordGod, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of theLordand theholyvessels of God into the house that is to be built for the name of theLord.”
1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as mostholy, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before theLord, to minister to Him and to bless in His name forever.
2 Chronicles 23:6
But let no one enter the house of theLordexcept the priests and the ministering Levites; they may enter, for they areholy. And let all the people keep the charge of theLord.
Ezra 8:28
Then I said to them, “You areholyto theLord, and the utensils areholy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to theLordGod of your fathers.
Psalm 96:9
Worship theLordinholyattire; Tremble before Him, all the earth.
God’s word is holy
Psalm 105:42
For He remembered HisholywordWithAbraham His servant;
Romans 1:2
…which He promised beforehand through His prophets in theholyScriptures…
Romans 7:12
So then, the Law isholy, and the commandment isholy and righteous and good.
God’s commands are holy
Numbers 15:40
Deuteronomy 28:9
TheLordwill establish you as aholypeople to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of theLordyour God and walk in His ways.
God’s people are holy
Ezra 9:2
For they have taken some of their daughtersas wivesfor themselves and for their sons, so that theholyrace has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness.”
1 Corinthians 3:17
If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God isholy, and that is what you are.
Ephesians 2:21
…in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into aholytemple in the Lord…
1 Peter 2:5
…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for aholypriesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Colossians 3:12
So, as those who have been chosen of God,holyand beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
2 Timothy 1:9
…who has saved us and called us with aholycalling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity…
Hebrews 3:1
Therefore,holybrethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;
God’s Way
Psalm 77:13
Your way, O God, isholy; What god is great like our God?
God’s Works
Psalm 86:8-10
8There isno one like You among the gods, O Lord, Nor are there any workslike Yours.
9All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And they shall glorify Your name.
10For You aregreat anddo wondrous deeds; You aloneare God.
2 Kings 19:22
‘Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? And against whom have you raisedyourvoice, And haughtily lifted up your eyes? Against theHolyOne of Israel!
Psalm 71:22
I will also praise You with a harp,EvenYour truth, O my God; To You I will sing praises with the lyre, OHolyOne of Israel.
The Atheist argument:
1. God’s holiness and love are in opposition (contradiction).
Objection: It is not possible for God to be both holy and loving because God’s holiness would lead Him to condemn all people, but His love would lead Him to save all people.
Response:
First, God’s love comes out of His holiness. God’s love is unlike any other love. Therefore, God’s holiness does not mean that He cannot possess love; it means that God possesses pure love. It then follows that holiness and love are not in contradiction. This objection stems from a false understanding of holiness.
Second, God will pour His love out upon those who are righteous, but He will pour His wrath out upon those who are unrighteous. God’s love and wrath (mercy and justice) come from His holiness. Therefore, God can even possess both love and wrath and demonstrate both because of the difference in the standing of mankind.
Our response should be:
1 Samuel 7:18-22
18Then David the king went in and sat before theLord, and he said,
“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?19And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O LordGod, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. Andthis is the custom of man, O LordGod.20Again what more can David say to You? ForYou know Your servant, O Lord God!21For the sake of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know.22For this reason You are great, O LordGod; forthere is none like You, and there is no God besides You,according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Psalm 99:5, 9
5 Exalt theLordour God And worship at His footstool; Holyis He.
9 Exalt theLordour God And worship at His holy hill, For holy is theLordour God.
And be holy
Leviticus 19:2
“Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall beholy, for I theLordyour God amholy.
Leviticus 20:7, 26
7 You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and beholy, for I am theLordyour God.
26 Thus you are to beholyto Me, for I theLordamholy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.