As recorded in the book of Revelation, Jesus appeared to the aging apostle John, now in exile for his faith on the island of Patmos, off present-day Turkey. Through John, Jesus sent messages of both encouragement and correction to seven churches onshore in Asia Minor. Some of these were doing what Jesus had instructed, others had at least one serious deficiency, and Jesus wanted them to immediately correct what was needed.
One of these churches, in ancient Philadelphia, came closest to what Jesus looks for in a congregation. Thus, He began His message to them with more intimacy than to the others:
7 These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. Revelation 3:7 (NKJV)
Jesus starts His message by referring to Himself as holy. He alone can say this because is divine, is God, and only God is truly holy. Faithful believers can partake of and reflect His holiness through faith, as the Holy Spirit will take up residence in the hearts of Jesus’ believers.
In the Old Testament, Moses, though called a friend of God and used by the Lord to manifest great miracles, was initially unable to stand before God in His holiness. As Moses encountered the Lord in the desert at the site of the burning bush, God spoke to him:
4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” 6 Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. Exodus 3:4-5 (NKJV)
The encounter brought about a holy fear of God in Mose’s heart. The fear of the Lord is not to be terrified of Him, but to obey and revere Him, and to hate our sin that God hates, while loving us.
Another person of tremendous faith in the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah, had his own experience of fear when confronted by the presence of a holy God. He writes:
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. Isaiah 6:1-5 (NKJV)
As both Moses and Isaiah discovered, we cannot approach a holy God on our own terms. There are several examples in the Bible which illustrate that we must approach God on His terms. Though not difficult, He presents Himself to us today exclusively through faith in the atoning sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Jesus bore all of our sins and unholiness so that we can take on His righteousness through faith. We are cleansed and forgiven by Him as we humbly confess and repent of our sinfulness, turning to Christ, and following the holy direction of God.
May we all humbly yet boldly approach the throne of God through the love, grace, and mercy He extends to us today through Christ.
Reflection
On what terms do I seek to approach a Holy God – His or mine?
Lord, we humbly confess our unholiness and sinfulness, coming to the cross of Christ, and inviting Jesus into our hearts to cleanse, heal, and renew us to a spirit of righteousness and purity before You. Thank You for Jesus, who has made all things new through His loving death and resurrection. We pray this in Jesus’ holy name, Amen.
Times and Seasons - The Book of Revelation FOR TODAY 