THE TERROR OF GOD'S HOLINESS

Peter was frightened out of his mind.¹ David trembled uncontrollably. ² Moses hid his eyes and did not dare to look. ³ Abram fell forward on his face; ⁴ so did Ezekiel. ⁵ Daniel went pale and lost all his strength. ⁶ John fell over like a dead man.⁷ The disciples cried out in fear. ⁸ The entire nation of Israel was so terrified that they all begged for protection. ⁹ Job despised himself. ¹⁰ Peter begged for his agony to end. ¹¹

We don't hear much talk about the holiness of God, but that is why these people were afraid. Their reaction was not voluntary. Peter was frightened, David trembled, and Moses hid his face because that is what happens when people have the tiniest glimpse of God. That is what happens in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, before the crucifixion and after the resurrection. It is good for us to remember God's holiness.

Moses, though himself terrified, said to the Israelites "Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin" (Ex 20:20). Even though God terrifies you, do not be afraid, it is for your own good – that you may learn to live in healthy fear, and that you may live without sin. When God said, "Be holy because I am holy"¹² is was for our own good, because without holiness no one will see the LORD. ¹³

This is the Good News: A person can dwell with God, provided that person is holy. The Bad News is that there is no one that is holy, ¹⁴ all have sinned and fall short.¹⁵ Our sins have separated us from God.¹⁶ How then can we be saved? That is the question everyone in the world is trying to answer. Do you have any hope to share with them?

¹Mar 9:5 ²Ps 119:120 ³Ex 3:6; Acts 7:32; Heb 12:21 ⁴Ge 17:3 ⁵Eze 3:23, 44:4 ⁶Dan 10:8 ⁷Rev 1:7 ⁸Matt 14:26 ⁹Ex 20:18-19 ¹⁰Job 42:5 ¹¹Luke 5:8 ¹²Lev 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7; Matt 5:48; 1 Pet 1:16 ¹³Heb 12:14 ¹⁴Ps 14:3; Ro 3:10 ¹⁵Ro 3:23 ¹⁶Isa 59:2

-Chuck-