Isaiah 6v3

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Burning sinless angels cannot be satisfied that they have praised God’s holiness enough. Nor will we cover his holiness fully today. Some suggest it hints at the Trinity. Others see the three repeats as speaking of perfect holiness. Yet certainly it will do us good if we consider 3 aspects of his holiness. Our theme is simple: the holiness of God in three areas.

1. Holy: His Separation from Sinners

The root idea of holiness is separation, or perhaps better - distinction. God is distinct from all he has made - even sinless angels. It is wrong to consider God as 1 of us, as an equal, as a fellow on the same level as us. This teaching comes through loud & clear when these burning spirit-beings with 6 wings behave with such care & humility in God’s presence.

It is a hard point to illustrate because any illustration compares two things that we know, two things that we created. And the whole point here is that a gulf exists between God and ALL creation. But if we could try to capture this gulf in a picture - we would say - what does the sun have to do with the threads of an old coat? They are worlds apart. They bear no relation. They move in different sphere. We can imagine no contact save the old coat having once enjoyed the warm rays of the sun. There is a vast difference.

So God is holy. He is distinct. The word holy is primarily a relational word. More than its moral meaning, its primary purpose is to convey something about the relationship between God and his creatures, to convey the difference, the infinite, eternal and unchangeable distinction that we need to keep in mind, between God and men. And not just difference, but God’s infinite superiority.

Now of course you can have two things very different and distinct, without raising one above the other - chalk and cheese. Very different, but not in their relative worth.

Holiness conveys a difference in worth, it conveys that God is exalted above his creatures, above all his creation, in untold majesty. He could not be more exalted above his creation.

What does this mean for us?

It means we bow down before him and worship. He is separate. He is above us. He is holy. And it becomes creatures to worship the holy God. Meditation on the holiness of God draws out worship from all who are born again. This makes it excellent material for our thoughts on Sabbath morning before we get to church, and while we wait for the service to begin.

Yet if his holiness means nothing to you, surely then he himself means nothing to you.