Keep sharing good news without ads.
Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/jason-wahls/the-holy-one/
Again, before reading from the scriptures, we'll pray and ask God's blessing and his help in the meeting. Father, we are again thankful for the Word of God. Not only He who is the Word, we're reminded that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
But we're also extremely grateful and thankful for the living Word. We are reminded that, or for the written Word, we are reminded that there are those that paid a great price to translate the Word, to protect the Word, and to preserve it, that we might have it and be free to read it, to meditate upon it, and to enjoy it at whatever moment in our lives.
We're even thankful for technology that would make it possible for us to always have Thy Word on our person, and have availability to it in whatever moment of our lives. Help us to appreciate it more, to apply it to our lives in every moment, to practice it, to believe it, that it might have a changing impact on our lives.
Now we would pray for those that are ill. We've been reminded of our sister Shirley and her need, and our sister Linda Goff. We not fail to mention Jill Frazier and her need, and her children, and their family.
We pray for many others that would be going through trials and illnesses, and we would ask that that would be near to them, that they would find comfort and encouragement in considering Thy person, and the greatness of the God who they adore.
Father, now as we would turn to the Scriptures again to try to learn more of Thee, we would confess that we need Thy help to understand Thee, to appreciate Thee. Thou art an infinite God with infinite characteristics, things which are very difficult for us to comprehend or to understand, and we need Thee to reveal Thyself to us through Thy Word, and we ask that that will do so even in this next session, that we might enjoy something of Thee, and we ask for Thy blessing and give thanks in the name of Thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen. I'd like to read with you in the book of Isaiah, the prophecy of Isaiah, and in chapter 1, for just a few verses, Isaiah and chapter 1. In this session, I'd like to continue with the theme of trying to consider another title that we have of God.
Last night, we tried to examine a little bit about the life of Abraham and the different titles that we would find mentioned in relation to the life of Abraham, the Most High God, the Almighty, and different titles that Abraham used and that God used to reveal Himself to Abraham.
And this morning, we were considering the Great I Am, Jehovah, and that name of God. Isaiah chapter 1 and verse 1 says, The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amos, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
There he's giving the duration of his service, his public ministry. Verse 2 says, Hear, O heavens, and give ear! O earth, for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib. But Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah, a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corruptors.
They have forsaken the Lord. They have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger. They have gone away backward. They have provoked the Holy One of Israel. I'd like to read now in chapter 6. There are many other passages that would be profitable to read in this prophecy of Isaiah, but I'd like to read in chapter 6 and then later on we will perhaps look at another chapter as time permits.
Isaiah in chapter 6, you recognize the name of the king Uzziah that was mentioned in verse 1 of the prophecy of Isaiah. In the year that king Uzziah died, Isaiah says, 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, or with two, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain, or two, 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. And the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then I said, or then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone. Because I am a man of unclean lips, I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.
For mine eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I, send me. And he said, Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate. And the Lord hath removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
And yet it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten as a teal tree, as an oak, whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves. So the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.
That will suffice for the reading for the present time. Someone has said that holiness is one of the most difficult attributes of God to define or to speak about. And the reason that that particular author suggested that or made that comment was that when we think of God's love, for example, that God is love, or God is faithful, or God is gracious, or God is merciful, those particular attributes or characteristics are things that, in some measure, we can share with God.
We know what it is to love, obviously not to the degree that God loves. We know what it is to be merciful. We know what it is to be kind. And again, obviously not in the degree that God is merciful or kind or gracious.
But they are characteristics. They are attributes that we can begin to enter into. But the holiness of God is something that is beyond our grasp, beyond our understanding, to understand what it means that God is holy.
And so it's going to be rather difficult. But what I would like to try to do is talk about God's holiness and specifically the title, the Holy One, the Holy One. We read in Isaiah 1 that title of God, the Holy One of Israel.
And I found it very interesting as I began to study this particular title of God that it is a title that is used again and again in the prophecy of Isaiah. It is not unique to Isaiah. It is not originated in the prophecy of Isaiah.
You would recall that in the book of Leviticus, God himself says, Be ye holy, for I am holy, time and time again. Be ye holy, for I am holy. And Peter would repeat that in the New Testament. Be holy, for I am holy.
Contemporaries of Isaiah, or at least one contemporary of Isaiah, Hosea, he also used the title on one occasion, the Holy One. Sometimes it is mentioned, for example, the Holy One of Israel, the Holy One of Jacob, or simply just the Holy One.
In fact, of the 48 occurrences of the title, the Holy One, or just limiting it to the Holy One, 30 of those occasions are found in the prophecy of Isaiah. But again, it is in the Psalms and it is in the book of Job.
But what has been an interest to me is its use in Isaiah. Or more specifically, why is it that Isaiah would employ that title with such frequency? You find it in the beginning of his prophecy. You find it later on in chapters 40 and 41.
He is speaking continually about the Holy One. What was it in Isaiah's experience that caused him to reflect upon God as the Holy One? Well, I think we have the answer in chapter 6, and that's where I'd like to begin.
I would take it that in chapter 6, Isaiah is a relatively young man. If you look at chapter 1 and verse 1, his visions, the vision of Isaiah, took place under the reins of four different kings. Uzziah, well, in the death of Uzziah was the beginning, perhaps, of his ministry, most likely.
And then there was Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Those three kings, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, if I did my math correctly, reigned for approximately 61 years, according to 2 Chronicles. Therefore, if Isaiah began his public service, his ministry, if you will, in the year that King Uzziah died, following his vision in chapter 6, it is concluded that Isaiah ministered, or prophesied, for at least 60 years.
There are some that would say that he even served into the reign of the following king, at which time he was executed. But what was it that would have led Isaiah to be able to carry on his ministry for so many years, to serve so faithfully, to speak time and time again about the Holy One of Israel?
Well, we have in chapter 6 the commencement of that ministry. In the year that King Uzziah died, Uzziah was a very good king. He started out very, very well. He implemented many changes and many programs to help the nation.
He was involved in agriculture and in planting gardens and the construction and the betterment of the nation of Israel. And he was classified or is classified by the scriptures as a good king, a king that did that which was right in the sight of God.
But there is something that is very noticeable about the life of Uzziah, words that should speak to each one of us and touch us in the depths of our being. There are words that say this, that when he was strong, it is when he fell.
When he had become strong is when he fell. What happened with Uzziah? Well, he was king, but he also wanted to be priest. And on one occasion, he ventured into the temple, into the sanctuary, I would presume into the holy place where the altar of incense was.
And taking a handful of incense, he was about to place that incense over the altar, a responsibility only given to the priests. Somebody that was stepping outside of his sphere of service and doing something that didn't pertain to him, a responsibility that wasn't his.
And the priesthood and the priests came to resist him. And he was defiant and angry. And God smote Uzziah with leprosy. And for the rest of his reign, the rest of his lifetime, he had to live in a separate dwelling, a place that was set apart.
He was unclean. He had entered into the holy place and he had become unclean, a leper. And you would know that the lepers in the scriptures would have to go about covering their lip and crying, unclean, unclean.
Isaiah here in chapter 6, he says, in the year that that king died, King Uzziah died, the leprous king. Isaiah had a vision and he says, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
It is interesting to note that he mentions that the Lord is seated. So the Spanish just kind of wants to slip out. And I know, I just know I'm going to say santo y santidad before this message is over, but you'll forgive me.
He saw the king seated upon the throne and his garments spread out into the temple. He saw one who was both king and priest. And as Isaiah was observing that scene and he was watching the activity of those angelic beings, the seraphims, he hears this cry, holy, holy, holy.
One author, his name is Stephen Charnock, a Puritan writer, wrote a volume titled The Existence and the Attributes of God. Heavy, heavy reading. He makes a comment of this nature. He says, speaking of this attribute of the holiness of God, he says, where do you read in the scriptures of the thrice repeated attributes of God or another attribute of God that is repeated three times?
For example, we do not read, for example, of God is gracious, gracious, gracious, or merciful, merciful, merciful, or powerful, powerful, powerful, omnipotent, omnipotent, omnipotent. But yet we read, holy, holy, holy.
It is an attribute of God that is related to his name. If you just permit me for one second to find that another quote where he mentions that. He says, for example, holiness is connected with his name, his mighty name or his wise name, but you'll never find it expressed, sorry, his mighty name or his wise name.
But his great name and most of all his holy name. So this is an attribute that is linked intimately with God. Holy, holy, holy. Now, now we get to the difficult part. What does holy mean? If someone were to ask you, what is the definition of holy?
What would you say? I think the first thing that comes to everyone's mind is the idea of the absence of sin, of something that is sinless or without sin. And then the application to God that is obviously most definitely true, that he is absolutely holy.
One author says, it is the thought of complete freedom and separation from what is sinful. The prophet seems to acknowledge this, referring to this passage in Isaiah, when in reaction to the cry, he confesses his own sinfulness and unworthiness.
So Isaiah is observing this scene of the holiness of God. Holy, holy, holy. And the only thing that Isaiah can do is confess his own sinfulness. Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell amongst a people, in the midst of a people of unclean lips.
So it definitely, most definitely includes the idea of that which is without sin. That which is pure, separate from sin, unpolluted freedom from all evil, says one author. Perfect. But you would also read, for example, of holy ground.
Moses, take off thy shoes, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. You would read of holy vessels, holy places. And so the idea, in those particular instances, would more have the idea of being separated.
Being consecrated or being dedicated. Something that has been separated and put apart. Something that is unique. It is not like other things. Completely separate. I would like to just take that for just a minute and turn to Isaiah chapter 40.
Isaiah chapter 40. Now, in Isaiah chapter 40, the first thing that should be said, the first 35 chapters of Isaiah's prophecy deal primarily with judgment. The burden of Moab, the burden of Damascus, the burden of Egypt.
In the first 35 chapters, Isaiah is pronouncing judgment. There are sprinkles of hope as he would mention the Messiah and the child that would be born, a son that would be given, and other prophecies concerning the Messiah.
But primarily the first 35 chapters have to do with judgment. Then chapters 36 to 39 would deal with history. They are primarily historical chapters as we would read about Isaiah's interaction with King Hezekiah.
But then we arrive at chapter 40. And from chapter 40 through the end, one of the main themes, not the only theme obviously, but one of the main themes is the uniqueness and the greatness of God. Let me just read some of chapter 40 to you.
I would begin with verse number 9. Oh, Zion that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain. Oh, Jerusalem that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength. Lift it up, be not afraid.
Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. What great advice. Behold your God. And what Isaiah is about to do, he is about to unveil the Holy One. The one who Isaiah has seen on that previous occasion in his vision.
When he saw the Lord high and lifted up, seated upon a throne with his train filling the temple. And now he is saying, Behold your God. He is taking the attention of Israel, of Judah. And he is taking those men and women of Judah and he is making them to focus and to look upon God and to consider Him.
Isaiah prophesied through the reigns of at least three kings. One of which was extremely wicked. Extremely evil. Ahaz was a man that had defied and defiled all that was of God. He was a man that would loot the temple.
He was a man that would go to another place to a pagan nation and see an altar to a pagan God. And he would send instructions back to Jerusalem to have an altar made in honor of that God. And he would rid himself of the brazen altar.
And he would commit horrendous things time and time again against God. Isaiah here in this chapter, he is taking Judah. Just as a parent might take a young child and turn their head to look at something to say, look at that.
Isaiah, calling to this nation, saying, Behold your God. You know, we need to do that time and time again. To lift up our eyes from the things of this world. And to look upon the face of God. To consider Him.
To behold Him. You remember what the prophet Jeremiah said? Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Let not the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who gloryeth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.
Oh, that we might know God. That we might behold Him. That we might look upon Him. Now, just follow this chapter 40 down for just a couple of minutes. And he speaks of the greatness of God. If you've never read this chapter, I was going to make the suggestion that you read it.
But I know what happens in my Sunday school class with the teenagers. I ask them to read a chapter and we get to the next week. And I ask who's read it and very few, if any, raise their hands. So, I'm going to read a few of these verses for you.
Just in case you don't have the time or the interest in reading them. Verse number 12. Speaking of God. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand? And meted out heaven with a span. And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure.
And weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance. Oh, the greatness of God in creation. Verse 13. The omniscience of God. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord? Or being His counselor, hath taught Him?
Do you think God needs to be instructed? That God needs to be taught things? That there are things He doesn't know? That He has to have a teacher? Somebody that can sit down and explain to Him how things are and why things are the way?
With whom took He counsel? You think God ever gets into a position where He really doesn't know what to do? And He needs to call up some people, some counselors to get their advice. And to weigh out the options and to see what to do?
With whom took He counsel? And who instructed Him? And taught Him in the path of judgment? And taught Him knowledge? And showed to Him the way of understanding? Ah, behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket.
And are as counted as the small dust of the balance. Behold, He taketh up the aisles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn. All the forests of Lebanon. He is so great, He is so marvelous.
So infinite. Nor the beasts thereof sufficient. For all the offerings that could be offered to Him are not sufficient. Because He is so great. So infinite. All the nations before Him are as nothing. And they are counted to Him less than nothing.
And vanity. Now look at verse 18. To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare unto Him? Verse 25. And then we'll go back and read a few of these other verses. To whom then will ye liken me?
This is God speaking now. Or shall I be equal, saith the Holy One? God is unique. There is no one like God. This is why the word holy is so hard to comprehend and define. Number one. It is complete sinlessness.
It is purity. Absolute purity. But not only that. The word holy would seem to give an indication that it is something that is unique. Separate. Nothing like. And in the application of the word to God, it is saying that there is nobody like God.
And that is why it is so hard for us to understand. Or one of the reasons. So hard for us to understand and to comprehend God. Is because we know nothing like God. There is nothing that we can say. God is like that.
Or God is like that. Or that person. Or that. There is nobody like God. One of the problems with idolatry. As Brother John was mentioning. Is that an idol or an image. It's purpose. Is to represent. And again where we are.
It is a land filled of idolatry. A multitude of idols. And this is exactly what God is saying about himself in this chapter. He is listing some of his attributes and his characteristics. And he is describing his holiness.
His uniqueness. How he is so different. That there is nothing like him that they can use to compare him. To represent him. So he says. To whom will you liken me? Is there another person out there. That you can say.
Well God is like him. No. He said. Or with what likeness? What kind of image? And if you would take the time to read the verses 19 and 20. And 21. Or 20. It is speaking specifically of idolatry in images.
And saying. Is it possible to make an image that would represent God? Would there be an image you could look at. That would make you think of his omnipotence. Or his omniscience. Or anything of that nature.
No. He says. There is not. And so in this particular chapter. Chapter 40. We see the uniqueness or the holiness of God. He says. Verse 21. Have you not known? Have you not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth. And the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers. That stretcheth out the heavens. Sorry. As grasshoppers.
That stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain. And spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. I don't know about you. But when I read this chapter. I just want to fall on my face before God. Thinking of his holiness.
Of his absolute uniqueness. How different he is. You might recall that. The book of Hebrews begins. With a description of the Lord Jesus. And. It would say of the Lord Jesus in Hebrews chapter 1. That he is the express image.
Of God. Let me just find it very quickly. And read it to you. Not to misquote it. But Hebrews chapter 1. It says. Who being the brightness of his glory. And the express image of his person. And upholding all things by the power of his word.
Express image of his person. The idea of express image is. When you would. Take maybe a stamp or a seal or something like that. And you would stamp or you would seal. Or press it into clay or something like that.
And the exact image of what you had pressed into that clay. Would remain there. Give you an exact. Replica of that. Oh I find that very interesting when we come to Isaiah chapter 40. And God is speaking of his holiness.
And that there is no one like him. Nothing like him. And how it is impossible for the nations to make idols that would represent him. And then we come to the New Testament. We find one who is the exact express image of God.
His son. The Lord Jesus. The express image of his person. You want to see the uniqueness of God. The holiness of God. The greatness of God. You have to look no further than to look to the Lord Jesus. And to study his person.
And his work. And to observe and contemplate him. In all his uniqueness. Have you noticed in the book of Isaiah. And again this reiterates. The idea that the word holy. Would also include the uniqueness of God.
That he is the only one. Have you ever noticed. How many times in the chapters of Isaiah. From chapter 40 to the end. That God speaks of himself as the only one. And he does so by using the expression beside me.
Let me read you several of those verses. Isaiah 43 and verse 11. I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no savior. Isaiah 44 and verse 6. Thus saith the Lord the king of Israel. And his redeemer the Lord of hosts.
I am the first and I am the last. And beside me there is no God. Isaiah 44 and verse 8. Fear ye not neither be afraid. Have I not told thee from that time. And have I declared it. Ye are even my witnesses.
Is there a God beside me. Yea there is no God. I know not any. Chapter 45 and verse 5. I am the Lord and there is none else. There is no God beside me. I girded thee though thou hast not known me. Verse 6.
That they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west. That there is none beside me. I am the Lord and there is none else. I think you get the idea. And there's several more verses in chapter 45.
That God would reference himself as being the only one. Unique. Holy. Separate. Different. Nothing. There is no one or nothing that is like our God. As well in the closing chapters of this prophecy. He would say that he is the first and the last.
Again giving the idea that he is the only one. For example chapter 41 and verse 4. For who hath brought and done it calling the generations from the beginning. I the Lord the first and with the last. I am he.
First and the last. The idea of holy. Not only includes complete and utter sinlessness. But it has the idea that God is incomparable. That there is no one like him. That he is unique in his person. Nothing or anyone like God.
Now I don't know if we are able to grasp that. But I think Isaiah in his initial vision. When he is looking upon God and he is listening to this holy, holy, holy. That in observing God upon his throne.
That he understood something of the uniqueness of God. And that vision was sufficient to propel Isaiah. Through difficult times and periods in his ministry and in his service. That was sufficient for him to be able to proclaim boldly the prophecies of judgment.
And to stand for God in a wicked world. And in wicked age. And I just wonder if we could only get a glimpse of something of the holiness of God. Not only his complete and utter sinlessness. But to understand what a unique and exalted God that he is.
Nobody like him. If that would be enough to propel us through this life. And to carry us. And to help us stand and to be firm in the things of God. And live in a wicked world. Live sanctified lives. Live lives that are glorifying to God.
I should mention before closing. That you would know that John chapter 12. Indicates that when Isaiah. Had this vision that he was actually seeing the Lord Jesus. I should mention as well that the expression or the title Holy One.
Is applied to the Lord Jesus a couple of different times in the New Testament. We know who thou art the Holy One. Peter in his preaching in the book of Acts. The Holy One. The Holy One. On a couple of occasions.
The holiness of God. Examine the impact that it had upon Isaiah. He bows. He falls upon his face. Woe is me. For I am undone. I am a man of unclean lips and dwell in the midst of people of unclean lips.
For mine eyes have seen the King. The Lord of hosts. In one instance. Isaiah is. In awe of the holiness of God. Seconds later he is. Seeing his own sinfulness. And that is what happens when we stand in awe of the holiness of God.
We realize our own sinfulness. Have you ever noticed that. What was convicting to Isaiah here was. Unclean lips. Something that perhaps we would not think of being. A very grave. A very serious sin. But in the presence of the one that is absolutely and supremely holy.
He realizes that even the smallest of details. Have you ever in the presence of God. Contemplating the holiness of God. Begin to see some of. Your sins that would seem so insignificant. For example. Have you ever confessed to God for example.
A sin. Of not having loved God as you should. Well that doesn't sound like a sin that. Perhaps we would confess with. Frequency. Or sins of that nature. I haven't loved thee. As I should have. I am not what I should be.
No sooner than has Isaiah confessed the sin and the holiness. In the presence of God. One of the seraphim's flies having a live coal touches it to his lips. Thy iniquity is taken away thy sin is purged.
And Isaiah is ready to go out in service for God. I close with this. Would there be one here. Young couple young man. Young woman. Older one. That has gotten a glimpse. Of the holiness of God not only his sinless perfection.
But his absolute uniqueness. Incomparable. Nothing like him in this world. That is ready to say here am I. Send me. I'm willing to serve. May God bless his word. Let us pray. Father in heaven we are thankful for the Lord Jesus.
And for thy marvelous goodness to us. We are thankful again for thy word. For the holiness of God. And we fail to be able to explain how unique. How incomparable thou art. How different. But we grasp at it and try to understand it and to appreciate it.
Father we give thanks for bringing us together to hear thy word. And to dwell and meditate upon thee and thy word. And we do give thanks now for refreshment that has been provided. And thy goodness and thy kindness.
And we do pray for the next session that there will be much blessing. As again we would listen to thy holy word. We give thanks again in the Lord Jesus name. Amen.