"Holy, Holy, Holy Is Jehovah"
ISAIAH was overcome with awe at the scene before him—a vision from God. It seemed so real! Isaiah later wrote that he actually "got to see Jehovah" on His lofty throne. Jehovah's flowing raiment filled the huge temple in Jerusalem.—Isaiah 6:1, 2.
2 Isaiah was also awed by what he heard—singing so powerful that it shook the temple to its very foundations. The song was coming from seraphs, spirit creatures of very high rank. Their mighty harmony rang out in words of simple majesty: "Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of armies. The fullness of all the earth is his glory." (Isaiah 6:3, 4) Singing the word "holy" three times gave it special emphasis, and rightly so, for Jehovah is holy to the superlative degree. (Revelation 4:8) Jehovah's holiness is emphasized throughout the Bible. Hundreds of verses associate his name with the words "holy" and "holiness."
3 Clearly, then, one of the primary things that Jehovah wants us to grasp about him is that he is holy. Yet, many today are put off by the very idea. Some mistakenly associate holiness with self-righteousness or false piety. People who struggle with a negative view of themselves may find God's holiness more daunting than appealing. They may fear that they could never be worthy of drawing close to this holy God. Hence, many turn away from God because of his holiness. That is sad, for God's holiness is really a compelling reason for drawing close to him. Why? Before we answer that question, let us discuss what true holiness is.
What Is Holiness?
4 That God is holy does not mean that he is smug, haughty, or disdainful of others. On the contrary, he hates such qualities. (Proverbs 16:5; James 4:6) So, what does the word "holy" really mean? In Biblical Hebrew, the word is derived from a term meaning "separate." In worship, "holy" applies to that which is separated from common use, or held sacred. Holiness also strongly conveys the idea of cleanness and purity. How does this word apply to Jehovah? Does it mean that he is "separate" from imperfect humans, far removed from us?
5 Not at all. As "the Holy One of Israel," Jehovah described himself as dwelling "in the midst of" his people, sinful though they were. (Isaiah 12:6; Hosea 11:9) So his holiness does not make him distant. How, then, is he "separate"? In two important ways. First, he is separate from all creation in that he alone is the Most High. His purity, his cleanness, is absolute and infinite. (Psalm 40:5; 83:18) Second, Jehovah is entirely separated from all sinfulness, and that is a comforting thought. Why?
6 We live in a world where true holiness is a rarity. Everything about human society alienated from God is polluted in some way, tainted with sin and imperfection. We all have to war against the sin within us. And all of us are in danger of being overcome by sin if we let down our guard. (Romans 7:15-25; 1 Corinthians 10:12) Jehovah is in no such danger. Completely removed from sinfulness, he will never be tainted by the slightest trace of sin. This reaffirms our impression of Jehovah as the ideal Father, for it means that he is completely reliable. Unlike many sinful human fathers, Jehovah will never turn corrupt, dissolute, or abusive. His holiness makes any such thing quite impossible. Jehovah has on occasion even sworn oaths by his own holiness, for nothing could be more trustworthy. (Amos 4:2) Is that not reassuring?
7 Holiness is intrinsic to Jehovah's very nature. What does that mean? To illustrate: Consider the words "man" and "imperfect." You cannot describe the former without invoking the latter. Imperfection pervades us and colors everything we do. Now consider two very different words—"Jehovah" and "holy." Holiness pervades Jehovah. Everything about him is clean, pure, and upright. We cannot get to know Jehovah as he really is without coming to grips with this profound word—"holy."
21 We are made in the image of the holy God, endowed with moral qualities and the capacity for spirituality. (Genesis 1:26) There is a potential for holiness within us all. As we continue to cultivate holiness, Jehovah is happy to help. In the process, we will draw ever closer to our holy God. Further, as we consider Jehovah's qualities in the chapters to come, we will see that there are many powerful reasons for drawing close to him
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God's Guidance - Our way to paradise (part 1)by jeovaodeusverdadeiro913 views
I really like the way you put these Bible reading's together along with your photo's and the Tracy Chapman song at the end. Agape brother
eviesillygirl498 3 months ago