Category: Holiness

And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5)

When an individual comes to an understanding of the LORD’s holiness, they also come to an understanding of their sinfulness. What was true of Israel, the Apostle Peter (Luke 5:1-11) and the Apostle John (Revelation 1:9-20) was also true for Isaiah ben Amoz.

Dr. R. C. Sproul writes that, “The prophet in the Old Testament was a lonely man. He was a rugged individualist singled out by God for a painful task. He served as a prosecuting attorney of sorts, the appointed spokesman of the Supreme Judge of heaven and earth to bring suit against those who had sinned against the bench. The prophet as not an earthly philosopher who wrote his opinions for scholars to discuss; he was not a playwright who composed dramas for public entertainment. He was a messenger, a herald of a cosmic king. His announcements were prefaced by the words, ‘Thus says the LORD’.”

Such a prophet was Isaiah ben Amoz. Isaiah was a prophet of prophets. What the New York Yankees are to professional baseball and the New England Patriots are to the National Football League, the example for which all other teams are compared, so was Isaiah. Along with Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, Isaiah is referred to as major prophet.

Isaiah ministered in and around Jerusalem as a prophet to the Kingdom of Judah during the reigns of four kings: Uzziah (called “Azariah” in 2 Kings), Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Isa. 1:1), from 739–686 B.C. He evidently came from a family of some nobility because he had easy access to the king (7:3). He was married and had two sons who bore symbolic names: “Shear-jashub” (“a remnant shall return,” 7:3) and “Maher-shalal-hash-baz” (“the spoil speeds, the prey hastens,” 8:3). 

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “When called by God to prophesy, in the year of King Uzziah’s death (c. 739 B.C.), he responded with a cheerful readiness, though he knew from the beginning that his ministry would be one of fruitless warning and exhortation (6:9–13). Having been reared in Jerusalem, he was an appropriate choice as a political and religious counselor to the nation. Isaiah was a contemporary of Hosea and Micah. His writing style has no rival in its versatility of expression, brilliance of imagery, and richness of vocabulary. The early church father Jerome likened him to Demosthenes, the legendary Greek orator. His writing features a range of 2,186 different words, compared to 1,535 in Ezekiel, 1,653 in Jeremiah, and 2,170 in the Psalms. Second Chronicles 32:32 records that he wrote a biography of King Hezekiah also. The prophet lived until at least 681 B.C. when he penned the account of Sennacherib’s death (cf. 37:38).”

Tradition teaches that Isaiah met his death under King Manasseh (c. 695–642 B.C.) by being cut in two with a wooden saw (cf. Heb. 11:37).

A final note. What set the prophet of God apart from all other men and their occupations was the sacredness of God’s call. A prophet did not apply for the job. God sovereignly selected who would serve Him as a prophet. Because God’s call upon a man to be His prophet was a sovereign one, it was an offer an individual could not refuse. Additionally, the call and job of being a prophet was for life. There was not quitting or retiring. The prophet’s job ended the day he died.

What we witness in Isaiah 6 is not an account of Isaiah’s conversion but rather an account of God’s call. Upon witnessing the heavenly seraphim choir give praise to the thrice holy LORD of the universe, Isaiah was anything but ready to be a prophet. It is to this call, and Isaiah’s initial reaction, that we will examine when next we meet.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

“And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.” (Isaiah 6:4)

What was the result of the seraphim’s constant praise of the LORD as holy, holy, holy? There were two.

First, “the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called.” The foundations refers to a unit of measurement. Perhaps this pertains to the earthly temple Isaiah may have been near. It is the solid ground base on which a building rests. The threshold refers to a strip of wood or stone forming the bottom of a doorway and crossed in entering a house or room.

Isaiah had crossed the threshold from the common to the uncommon. He had crossed the threshold from the secular to the sacred. He had crossed the threshold from the profane to the holy. This is to be the believers’ perspective each and every time they enter into a place in order to worship the LORD. Places of worship are often called a sanctuary. The word sanctuary, in the context of worship, is the inmost recess or holiest part of a temple or church.

The foundations of the threshold shook. It vibrated, trembled and tottered. Why? It was because of the voice of each seraphim who called out and proclaimed the LORD to be holy, holy, holy.

The second result of the seraphim’s praise was that “the house was filled with smoke.” The temple, literally “the house,” was filling with smoke. This is a reference of God’s righteous and holy wrath. Psalm 18:6-12 David writes, “⁶ In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. ⁷ Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. ⁸ Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. ⁹ He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. ¹⁰ He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. ¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water. ¹² Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.”

On commentator explains that, “Most significantly, the Hebrew words āšān, for smoke, is used of Yahweh in two ways. First, smoke is a marked attendant to the theophany’s to Abram (Gen 15:17), Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 19:18; 20:18; cf. Psalm 104:32; 144:5; II Sam 22:9; Psalm 18:8; Isaiah 4:5; Joel 2:30, and in Isaiah’s vision of God (Isaiah 6:4). The origin of the figure is obscure, but the portent is clear. Smoke (along with fire) proclaims the terror of Yahweh, the confrontation of his holiness with man’s sin. Secondly, the verb and noun may refer to the anger of Yahweh (Deuteronomy 29:20; Psalm 74:1; 80:4; Isaiah 65:5).”

What effect will this scene have upon the Prophet Isaiah? Discover the answer when next we meet.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!  

  

 

 

 

 

And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)

What do the seraphim angels of Isaiah 6:2 do before the throne of God above? They never cease giving Him praise. The statement “and one called to another and said,” indicates an active and continuous activity by the seraphim before the LORD. The verbs “called” and “said” respectively refer to not only a shout and a proclamation but also a command that is antiphonally and continuously exchanged between the seraphim.

What do the seraphim continuously shout, proclaim and command between each other and before the LORD? Two statements. These are two proclamations of biblical truth.

The first statement is, ““Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts” The word “holy” (qados) means sacred, set apart from sin, commanding respect and awesomeness. It is the only attribute of God that is elevated by repetition to the third degree. The LORD is never said to be love, love, love, or just, just, just. He is, however, called holy, holy, holy. The seraphim’s song is called the Ttrisagion meaning “three times holy.” This is done for emphasis.

Notice also that the state of being verb “is.” This means that the LORD not only behaves in a holy, holy, holy manner but is also holy, holy, and holy by nature and being. The repetition may also indicate an evidence of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The phrase “LORD of hosts” is also employed by the seraphim. As previously noted, the noun LORD in all capital letters refers the reader to the most personal name for God: the Hebrew name Yahweh. It identifies the LORD as the self-existent God of the universe. In other words “I Am that I Am” (Exodus 3; John 6; 8:58; 9; 10; 11; 14; 15).  It is He alone who is the LORD of hosts. The word “hosts” is a military term. It is the Prophet Isaiah’s frequent name for God; he uses it at least sixty-five times. “Lord of the armies” is what it means.

The second statement is, “the whole earth is full of his glory!” The word “whole” means completely, total and all. The entire earth, or created universe, is abundantly filled with the LORD’s splendor, honor and the manifestation of His glorious presence (Psalm 19).

John Calvin writes, “Now, when we are informed that the angels are employed in uttering the glory of God, let us know that their example is set before us for imitation; for the most holy service that we can render to Him is to be employed in praising His name. When He associates us with angels, it is in order that while we sojourn on earth, we may resemble and be joined to the inhabitants of heaven. That the harmony between us and the angels may be in every respect complete. We must take care not only that the praises of God may be sounded by our tongues, but likewise that all the actions of our life many correspond to our professions. This will only be done if the chief aim of our actions be the glory of God.”

 May we all today be in harmony with the seraphim angels today in giving God all the praise and honor He deserves; not only in our speech but also in our thoughts and actions.

Soli deo Gloria!  

 

^“Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.” (Isaiah 6:2).

Who, or what, are the seraphim? Grammatically we know that there are more than one seraphim because the word is in the plural form. Beyond that we know that they are angelic beings mentioned only twice in the Bible, both occurring in the same chapter of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:2, 6). Even though the word seraphim is plural in number, it is impossible to say how many Isaiah actually saw.

The word seraphim can be translated as fiery serpent or burning ones. Today’s text describes each seraphim as having six wings: two shielded the face, two covered the feet, and the remaining pair enabled the seraphim to fly.

One commentary explains that, “the most that can be said from the available evidence is that they were exalted spiritual entities who were occupied constantly in the praise and worship of God. Most probably the seraphim were an order of celestial beings comparable in nature to the cherubim (Ezekiel 1; 10; Revelation 4) and engaged in a somewhat similar form of service around the divine throne.”

It is interesting to note that the seraphim actively and continuously stood respectfully before the Lord. As we will see later in the text, they do so in worship and praise by acknowledging the holiness of Yahweh. 

As another commentator explains, “When we consider the topic of angels, we face an interesting paradox. Clearly, angels have played an important role in the history of God’s people. Scripture, in fact, uses the Greek word for “angel” (angelos) more often than it uses the Greek word for “sin” (hamartia). At the same time, the Word of God tells us very little specifically about the angels. Evidently, the Lord wants us to know that His angels are key players in the outworking of His purposes, but He has also determined not to tell us all that we might want to know about the angels. We must therefore be content with what He has revealed, trusting that it gives us everything we need to know about the angels on this side of glory.”

 “One of the most extensive descriptions of angels in the Bible is found in Isaiah 6:1–7, which gives us information about the seraphim. These seraphim worship the Lord continually in heaven, shielding their faces with two of their six wings. Even the angels cannot bear to look directly on the glory of God, which frequently manifests itself as blinding rays of light (Matt. 17:1–3; Acts 9:1–9; Rev. 1:16). Angels are supernatural beings, but they remain creatures who are in a distinct class from their Creator. They cannot enjoy a direct view of God’s majesty. Isaiah 6:1–7 tells us that the seraphim focus their praise on the Lord in His holiness, naming Him as holy in threefold repetition. That is instructive for us. If the angels exalt the Lord God Almighty as holy, surely we cannot afford to do anything less.”

Four wings pertain to worship and two refer to service. Perhaps an illustration that prior to service, and more important than service as important as serving the Lord is, worship is more important. Worship must precede service.

 John Calvin writes that, “Having declared that God appeared to him (Isaiah) full of majesty and of glory, he adds that God was attended by angels whom the Prophet calls seraphim on account of their fervor. Though the etymology of this word is well known, yet various reasons are adduced. Some think that they are called seraphim because they burn with the love of God. Others, because they are swift like fire. Others, because they are bright. However they may be, this description holds out to us, as in sunbeams, the brightness of God’s infinite majesty that we may learn by it to behold and adore His wonderful and overwhelming glory.”

 Soli deo Gloria!   

 

 

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1)

Understanding the subject of holiness brings us to an understanding of who God is. As we begin studying Isaiah 6:1-7, we initially see that God is eternally sovereign. This is in contrast to Judah’s King Uzziah who ruled for 52 years, certainly a lengthy reign for any human monarch, but which pales in comparison to the Lord’s rule and reign.

The text begins by saying, “In the year that King Uzziah died.” The year was 739 B.C. Uzziah’s death was ultimately caused by leprosy. While leprosy was a common skin disease in the ancient world and which was perceived as highly contagious, Uzziah’s condition was a direct judgment from the Lord. 2 Chronicles 26:16 states, “But when he (Uzziah) became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.”

Dr. John MacArthur writes that, “Uzziah attempted to usurp the role of the priest, which is forbidden in the Leviticus code (law). See Numbers 13:10; 18:7. Proverbs 16:18 indicates that pride precipitates a fall, and it did in his case. Even the king could not live above God’s law”

 Following the death of a king who had such a lengthy and prosperous rule must have prompted the Prophet Isaiah perhaps to seek the Lord for guidance with respect to the then current, and future, well-being of the Nation of Judah. The prophet encountered much more than he could have anticipated.

“I saw the Lord.” Isaiah personally perceived, observed and was attentive to the Lord. The English rendering “Lord” is in reference to the Hebrew title Adonai, which means Master and sovereign One. It is a title for God’s sovereign deity focusing on His authority and majesty as ruler of the universe.

The question is asked, “How could Isaiah see God, who is Spirit (John 4:24)? How could God be seen in a visible shape? John Calvin comments that, “We ought to be aware that when God exhibited Himself to the view of the Fathers, He never appeared such as He actually is but such as the capacity of men could receive. God comes down to them in such a manner as to cause some kind of mirror to reflect the rays to His glory. There was, therefore, exhibited to Isaiah such a form as enabled him, according to his capacity, to perceive the inconceivable majesty of God; and thus he attributes to God a throne, a robe and a bodily appearance.”

 Who exactly was the Lord that Isaiah saw? The principle of Scripture interpreting Scripture is very applicable here because John 12:39-41 says, “³⁹ Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” ⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.” Isaiah saw the pre-incarnate glory of Jesus Christ, who as the second person of the Godhead is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).

Isaiah then mentions three things about the Lord who he saw. The Lord was “sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.”

First, what does “sitting upon a throne” mean? The word “sitting” is an active participle and it means dwelling and abiding. It figuratively refers to God’s royal dignity, authority, and power. He is sovereignly in control.

Second, what does “high and lifted up” mean? Other similar words include lofty and exalted. Judah’s King Uzziah may have occupied a lofty position as king, but there is no one more highly exalted than the Lord. In other words, the LORD is worthy of all praise.

Third, what does “and the train of his robe filled the temple” mean? Unlike King Uzziah who died an unhealthy and segregated death because of his diseased body, the Lord is eternally healthy, valued, satisfying and strong. The robe is an extension of His personhood. God’s person appears in the temple, which is where He said that He would meet His people (I Kings 8) so they would know that everything they have is from the Lord (James 1:17). There is no place within the temple which He is not present.

Dr. John Walvoord explains that, “Three things struck Isaiah about God: He was seated on a throne, He was high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. In the most holy place of the temple in Jerusalem, God’s glory was evident between the cherubim on the atonement cover over the Ark of the Covenant. Therefore some Israelites may have erroneously thought that God was fairly small. However, Solomon, in his dedicatory prayer for the new temple, had stated that no temple could contain God and that in fact even the heavens could not contain Him (1 Kings 8:27). Therefore Isaiah did not see God on the Ark of the Covenant, but on a throne. Almost 150 years later Ezekiel had a similar experience. He envisioned God being borne along on a great chariot throne by living creatures called cherubim (Ezek. 1). To Isaiah, the throne emphasized that the Lord is indeed the true King of Israel.”

Not only would Isaiah would see the Lord, but also he could hear something about the Lord. That is what we will consider when next we meet.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

 

When addressing the subject of holiness in general, and the holiness of God in particular, arguably the definitive biblical text to consider and study is Isaiah 6:1-7. Our study of this classic chapter will begin in earnest this upcoming week. Today, I leave you to meditate upon not only the text, but also several comments from various pastors and theologians about the text.

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” ⁴ And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. ⁵ And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” ⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6:1-7.

“God’s holiness. Exodus 15:2. ‘Glorious in holiness.’ Holiness is the most sparkling jewel of his crown; it is the name by which God is known. Psalm 111:9. ‘Holy and reverend is his name.’ He is ‘the holy One.’ Job 6:10. Seraphims cry, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.’ Isaiah 6:3. His power makes him mighty, his holiness makes him glorious. God’s holiness consists in his perfect love of righteousness, and abhorrence of evil, and cannot look on iniquity.’ Habakkuk I 13.” Puritan Thomas Watson

“He, the Prophet Isaiah, was so completely overpowered by this extraordinary vision as to forget that he was a prophet. For there was no feeling in him which was not overpowered by the presence of God, so that, like one who had lost his senses, he willingly plunged himself in darkness, or rather, like one who despaired of life, he of his own accord chose to die. And it is necessary that the godly should be affected in this manner, when the Lord gives them tokens of His presence, that they may be brought low and utterly confounded. Besides, in the person of His servant, God intended to strike His rebellious people with alarm; and therefore we need not wonder if He offers an apology for Himself under the overwhelming influence of fear, and like because he had not felt the weight of his office, as he now felt it, after having beheld an illustrious display of the majesty of God.” John Calvin

“Until we have seen ourselves as God sees us, we are not likely to be much disturbed over the conditions around us as long as they do not get so far out of hand as to threaten our comfortable way of life. We have learned to live with unholiness and have come to look upon it as the natural and expected thing. We are not disappointed that we do not find all truth in our teachers of faith, fullness in our politicians or complete honesty in our merchants or full trustworthiness in our friends. That we may continue to exist we make such laws as are necessary to protect us from our fellow men and let it go at that. Neither this writer, nor the reader of these words, is qualified to appreciate the holiness of God. God’s holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely bettered. We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable. The natural man is blind to it. He may fear God’s power and admire His wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even imagine.” A. W. Tozer

We will attempt to better understand the holiness of God as we consider Isaiah 6:1-7. May the Holy Spirit bring to each of us a grasp of the unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable holiness of God. May each of us be changed because of our encounter with the biblical text as Isaiah was in his encounter with the biblical LORD.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

It should come as no surprise that one of my heroes is Dr. R. C. Sproul. Ligonier Ministries, which he founded in the early 1970’s, has ministered to me, and countless others, for well over 40 years. It continues to do so even with Dr. Sproul’s homecoming to heaven in 2017.

One of the classic works by Dr. Sproul was his book The Holiness of God. Today, I submit an excerpt of Dr. Sproul’s thoughts on the trauma God’s holiness causes to sinful people.

“Dr. Sigmund Freud argued that religion emerged as humans personalized nature and made it something they could negotiate with. Human beings invented the idea that natural disasters were inhabited by personal spirits: a storm god, an earthquake god, a fire god, and gods related to various sicknesses. These gods wielded natural forces to cause disaster. Having personalized these dangers, human beings could apply the techniques that we use to negotiate with personal hostile forces to the impersonal forces of nature. We could, for example, plead with the storm god, pray to the storm god, make sacrifices to the storm god, repent before the storm god in order to remove the threat. Eventually, human beings consolidated all the gods into one single deity who was in control over all these forces of nature and then pleaded with him.”  

“Yet there’s a difference between possibility and actuality. That what Freud said is possible doesn’t mean that it actually happened that way. The major hole in his theory is this: If Freud’s theory is true, why, then, was the God of the Bible “invented”? This holy God, we see in Scripture, inspires far greater trauma in those whom He encounters than any natural disaster. We see, for example, how even righteous Isaiah was completely undone by meeting the God of Israel face-to-face (Isa. 6:1–7). Well-meaning Uzzah was struck dead when trying to steady the ark of this holy God (2 Sam. 6:5–10). Peter, James, and John at first saw the revelation of Christ’s deity and their hearing of the Father’s voice not as a blessing but as a terror (Matt. 17:1–8).”

Dr. Sproul continues by saying, “Why, to redeem us from the threat of trauma, would we invent a God whose character is infinitely more threatening than anything else we fear? I can see humanity inventing a benevolent god or even a bad god who is easily appeased. But would we invent a holy God? Where does that come from? For there is nothing in the universe more terrifying, more threatening to a person’s sense of security and well-being than the holiness of God. What we see throughout the Scriptures is that God rules over all of the threatening forces that we fear. But this same God, in and of Himself, frightens us more than any of these other things. We understand that nothing poses a greater threat to our well-being than the holiness of God. Left to ourselves, none of us would invent the God of the Bible, the being who is a threat to our sense of security more primal and more fundamental than any act of nature.”

Do take notice of two of Dr. Sproul’s sentences from the previous paragraph. “We understand that nothing poses a greater threat to our well-being than the holiness of God. Left to ourselves, none of us would invent the God of the Bible, the being who is a threat to our sense of security more primal and more fundamental than any act of nature.”

Dr. Sproul concludes by saying, “Martin Luther and the other Reformers understood the holy character of this God. For them, the recovery of the gospel was such good news because they knew the trauma of holiness and that the only way to endure the presence of this holy God’s judgment is to be covered in the holiness and righteousness of Christ. Five hundred years after the Protestant Reformation, the church desperately needs men and women who understand the trauma of God’s holiness, for in understanding that holiness we see that the gospel is the only thing that can give us confidence that when we meet this God face-to-face, His holiness will embrace us and not cast us into eternal judgment. May God in His grace grant to all of us a renewed vision of His majestic holiness.”

What a wonderful supporting evidence for the veracity of the Scriptures and the God of the same.  When next we meet, we will examine the foremost text concerning the trauma of holiness. It is the Prophet Isaiah’s encounter with God as recorded in Isaiah 6:1-7.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

“Why, to redeem us from the threat of trauma, would we invent a God whose character is infinitely more threatening than anything else we fear? I can see humanity inventing a benevolent god or even a bad god who is easily appeased. But would we invent a holy God? Where does that come from? For there is nothing in the universe more terrifying, more threatening to a person’s sense of security and well-being than the holiness of God.” Dr. R. C. Sproul

As we continue our study of holiness, and in this particular instance the trauma holiness causes believers and unbelievers alike, let’s examine one of strangest miracles Jesus ever performed. The account is found in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 8:28-9:1; Mark 5:1-21; Luke 8:26-39).The particular incident involves the people of the Gerasenes, which was approximately 10 km southeast of the Sea of Galilee. Luke’s narrative of the miracle, which occurs immediately after Luke’s account of Jesus calming the storm, is as follows.

²⁶ Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷ When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” ²⁹ For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) ³⁰ Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. ³¹ And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. ³² Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. ³³ Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

³⁴ When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. ³⁵ Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. ³⁶ And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. ³⁷ Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. ³⁸ The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹ “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”

We’re not sure as the the exact location of this story. What we do know is that soon after Jesus stepped on land a demon possessed man met Him. The text says that he wore no clothes and lived among the tombs of the dead. The significance of the man being naked is that he lived as an animal and not as a rational human being.

While the man spoke to Jesus, it more than likely were the demons who possessed the man who said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” Luke adds a parenthetical statement which says, “For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.)” 

When Jesus asked the demon his name he replied “Legion” because the man was possessed by many demons. A legion could be anywhere from 3,000 up to 6,000 soldiers in the ancient Roman Army.

The text then says, “And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. ³² Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. ³³ Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

The “abyss” is the underworld, the prison of bound demons. The abyss is also mentioned in 2 Pet. 2:4 and Jude 6). The demons knew that Jesus had the power and authority to send them there if He wished.

Luke then states that, “³⁴ When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. ³⁵ Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. ³⁶ And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. ³⁷ Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.

Notice that the man is now clothed and in his right mind. He is no longer behaving like an animal. However, the reaction from the people who came upon this now tranquil scene is fear. The main take away from this text, in light of the subject of the trauma of holiness, is that Luke states two times that the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes were afraid of Jesus and were seized with great fear (vs. 35; 37). They were so filled with fear that they asked Jesus to depart from them. This is reminiscent of Simon Peter’s request for Jesus to depart from him because Peter was a sinful man (Luke 5). While it is assumed the demon possessed man would have frightened the people by his behavior, Jesus frightened them even more not only because of what He did, but also because of who He was.

However, the formerly demon possessed man was not afraid. ^{38 “}The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹ “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.” The man acknowledges that Jesus is God. 

A healthy fear of the holiness of God serves the people of God, and others, in good stead. For the believer, such fear provides a needed humility and homage to the LORD. For the unbeliever, it serves to bring them to their knees in repentance before the LORD.

Soli deo Gloria!  

 

 

We begin today with an introductory monologue by Dr. Michael Horton which was recently aired on the radio program The White Horse Inn. I would encourage to pay particular attention to the third paragraph. In his message on the subject of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone, Dr. Horton states,

“We’re a very “how to” society. That has served us very well in all kinds of ways. It’s helped us during the pioneering days. Even today we have people who are always thinking about the next big thing. The next thing to do out there. And this is what we were created for. We were created for a purpose. We’re created for a plan. The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. But the “fall” happened and we heard a surprising announcement. An announcement we’re not wired for. An announcement that surprises us and shocks us. And because of the “fall” we’re naturally turned into ourselves so we don’t naturally hear that message. We don’t naturally believe that message. We are turned in on ourselves, and it’s very hard for us to look outside of ourselves. To look up in faith toward God and to look out in love toward our neighbor. What we need is not more good advice but good news.”

“This is what we see in Genesis 15. Abram is definitely turned in on himself and he’s expecting God to help him fulfill his life purpose, or to make God the supporting actor in his (Abram’s) life’s story. He (Abram) has all of his plans, all of his purposes and he wants God to be a kind of genie to make it all happen for him. To help him (Abram) rule his own life. But God makes him (Abram) a supporting character in His story.”

“God begins by saying “fear not.” Isn’t it interesting the first time God appears to people, and many times thereafter, their first response is fear. Always be suspicious of people who say they have had an encounter with God and they were just yacking it up with Him. In the Bible, when people have an encounter with the LORD, they say “woe to me for I am undone” or “depart from me for I am a sinful man.” Fear is the first response. What does the angel say to Mary when he first appears to her: “fear not Mary.” Jesus says in Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

The first indication that an individual has encountered the holy God of the Bible is reverential and debilitating fear and trembling. As we have previously seen, this was true in the Old Testament. It was also true for those who encountered the LORD in the New Testament. While several examples good be cited as evidence, the following excerpts are submitted.

First, the angelic announcement to Mary (Luke 1:26-37) and the angel’s statement, upon seeing her troubled countenance, to not be afraid (1:29-30). A similar statement is made as the shepherds were abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night announcing the birth of the Christ in Bethlehem (Luke 2:8-14).

The text says, “⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

As was the case with Mary, the shepherds’ reaction upon encountering the angel’s reflected holiness and glory of God was to be in great fear. The angel’s response was to tell them to “fear not.”

Second, there was the Apostle Peter’s reaction to the presence and work of Jesus at the miracle of the great catch of fish (Luke 5:1-11). Luke 5:1-7 gives us the narrative concerning the miracle.

“On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, ² and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. ³ Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. ⁴ And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” ⁶ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. ⁷ They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.”  

While the account of the catch of fish is a familiar one, Peter’s response may not be. Luke 5:8 says, “But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

In the strongest possible terms, Peter prostrates and falls down at Jesus knees and commands the Lord to leave him and go away. Why? It is due to the fact that Peter realizes not only who Jesus is, but also what he himself is: a sinner given to sinful behavior. What is Jesus’ response to Simon? “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” Once again, the reaction by the unholy upon encountering the holy is fear.

We may summarize the trauma of holiness thus far as an evidence for the truth of the Scripture concerning the person and nature of God. The God of the Bible is not the type of god sinful mankind would, or could, invent. He is the exact opposite of what sinners want, but He is exactly what sinners need.

 

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

“That dread and amazement with which as Scripture uniformly relates, holy men were struck and overwhelmed whenever they beheld the presence of God. When we see those who previously stood firm and secure so quaking with terror, that the fear of death takes hold of them, nay, they are, in a manner, swallowed up and annihilated, the inference to be drawn is that men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.” John Calvin

I have heard people say that they would love to see the LORD. I have heard people sing, and I have sung, words extolling the LORD being high and lifted up and wanting to see Him in the light of His glory. What was the effect upon people in the Scriptures who did witness and encounter the holiness of God? What was their reaction?

Believers may often respond with the exclamation of “wow” following a particularly moving worship service. I wonder how many of us react with the exclamation of “woe?” Are we duly touched and impressed with a conviction of our own insignificance when we encounter, however briefly, the majesty and holy magnificence of God? Let’s look at some Old Testament characters who were.

Let’s begin with Abraham. The father of the faithful. Abraham is known in the Scriptures as the “friend of God” (James 2:23). What was Abraham’s perspective and reaction when realizing he was in the presence of the LORD in Genesis 18:1-33?

First, when the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre he ran to meet the LORD and the two other visitors with Him and bowed himself to the earth (Genesis 18:2). One commentary explains that, “When the visitor is an ordinary person, the host merely rises; but if of superior rank, the custom is to advance a little towards the stranger, and after a very low bow, turn and lead him to the tent, putting an arm round his waist, or tapping him on the shoulder as they go, to assure him of welcome.”

Following a time of refreshment from Abraham and Sarah to the three visitors, the LORD reveals to Abraham His intentions of judging Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-21). What follows is Abraham’s negotiations with the LORD as to the extent of His judgment. Throughout this exchange, Abraham acknowledges that he is only “dust and ashes” and possesses a posture of submission and deference to the LORD. Abraham did not view the LORD as a buddy, in which he could address Him as an equal.

Dr. John Walvoord explains that, “Abraham … hurried to them (18:2), hurried back to the tent (v. 6), ran to the herd (v. 7), and his servant hurried (v. 7); Abraham bowed low before them (v. 2); he had water brought to wash their feet (v. 4); he served them freshly baked bread (v. 6), a choice … calf (v. 7), curds and milk (v. 8), and he stood while they were eating (v. 8; cf. vv. 1–2). All this suggests that he perceived who his visitors were.”

What about the Patriarch Job? What was his response when he finally received the audience before God that he so earnestly requested in light of his extreme sufferings? In Job 42:1-6 we receive the answer.

“Then Job answered the Lord and said: ² “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ³ ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ⁴ ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ ⁵ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; ⁶ therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

 Job’s response, to being in the presence of the LORD and the LORD’s response to Job’s complaints (Job 38-41), was one of self-condemnation, an acknowledgment of his own ignorance of the ways of God, and a self-despising resulting in repentance. In short, Job repented of his pride.

Our third example are the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai in Exodus 19. Israel assembled at Mt Sinai for what would become an eleven month stay (Exodus 19:1-40:38; Numbers 10:1-11). It would be on the third day of their assembling that God would appear to the people. Exodus 19:16-20 records what occurred.

^16 “On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. ¹⁷ Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. ¹⁹ And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. ²⁰ The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.”

 There is a brief statement in vs. 16 regarding the reaction by the people to the presence of God: “all the people in the camp trembled.” The word “trembled” means to be actively and continually, physically and emotionally, terrified.

From but three examples found in the Old Testament, we see that people were physically, emotionally and spiritually brought low when they encountered the holy LORD God. Was this the same type of reaction for those we find in the New Testament who encountered the LORD’s holiness? When next we meet, we will discover the answer.

What about you? Do you have a sense of your own unworthiness when entering into the LORD’s presence: whether in corporate or private worship? May we approach the LORD today with the fresh eyes of understanding of how to correctly come before the presence of the holy One. Remember, “that men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.”

Soli deo Gloria!