Last week in this space I suggested, with tongue-firmly-in-cheek, that you not read anything from the Puritan John Owen. And, yes, part of that “suggestion” was reverse-psychology: Owen is indeed a challenging writer who makes demands upon his readers, but he is also a terrific theologian; I would be glad to suggest some of Owen’s writings, specifically, “The Mortification of Sin.”
This week, with no cheekiness at all, I am strongly urging you to read “The Holiness of God,” by R.C. Sproul.
Sproul, recently deceased, was a teacher, theologian and churchman of great repute over the past four decades. He was strongly Reformed in his theology, clear in his thinking and a terrific communicator. I have used his books and writings consistently in my ministry and in my own discipleship. He certainly ranks up there in terms of the men and women who have been most influential in my faith and practice. And, “Holiness of God” might be his best work.
Holiness might be the defining characteristic of our God. While we are told that God is love, He is Spirit, He is eternal and life and goodness, only holiness is repeated over and over as “defining” God. In our passage this week, Isaiah 6, and again in Revelation 4, God is proclaimed as “holy, holy, holy.” Clearly, those who call on His name need take this quality seriously.
And yet for all its biblical popularity, “holiness” is hard to define. At its core, the Greek word for holiness means “set apart,” while the Hebrew word leans more toward “sacred.” But, why “set apart?” What for? How is “set apart” seen/experienced? What does it mean that God is “sacred?” And, isn’t “sacred” a comparison word; something being more or less sacred?
Sproul’s book, “The Holiness of God,” does a terrific job of laying out the biblical idea that God is holy and that holiness should dominate our thinking, interacting and serving Him. And, that holiness is not limited to God the Father, but is also a defining characteristic of God the Son and God the Spirit.
Early in the book, Sproul examines Isaiah 6 and, like the prophet himself, Sproul is taken by the seraphim’s cry, “holy, holy, holy.” So much is happening in this text, but at the core is the prophet’s heavenly vision of the LORD God in His heavenly holiness. Isaiah’s vision and Sproul’s understanding of that vision has helped shape my own walk with the LORD and my appreciation of this will be evident on Sunday as we look at the passage together.
As you prepare for worship this week, read Isaiah 6.
- “In the year that King Uzziah died…” is not just a chronological marker, it does not simply tell us what day it is, it is also intended to capture the ethos, the flavor and mood of the times. What mood would that be? How is that relevant to us today?
- What is the image of “the train of God’s robe filling the temple” meant to convey? What does a long train or robe signify?
- The seraphim are mentioned only here in scripture, but from context it is easy to see how they are associated with one kind of heavenly being, perhaps a type of angel. Why would the seraphim have six wings – two covering eyes, two covering feet, and two to fly with?
- The foundations shaking signify what? Foundations of what and why is that insightful/important?
- Most commentators see verses 6 & 7 as indicative of an atonement. If you were to draw connections between these verses and Christ’s work on the cross, what would you highlight?
by Henry Knapp