James MacDonald Lecture Series on Downpour – Week 2 Part 1 Rate This james macdonald lecture series on downpour – week 2 – part 1 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” Isaiah 6:3 WEEK 2 – GOD ON THE THRONE: A PICTURE OF HOLINESS The focus for this week is on HOLINESS. Two aspects of holiness are separation and caution. SEPARATION According to MacDonald “God is more righteous and pure, more piercing and powerful, more strong and impenetrable than anything we can imagine. He is Holy. He is set apart. He is separate. He is completely unlike us.” Holy means not like us (MacDonald pg. 23-29). What comes to your mind when you think about God? Total and complete love beyond our understanding. Indescribable, all knowing, infinite, pure, righteous. Too powerful to look upon. Leviticus 11:45 – “I am the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” Leviticus 19:2 – “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” Leviticus 20:26 – “You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.” 1 Samuel 2:2 – “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” 1 Chronicles 16:10 – “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.” Psalm 30:4 – “Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.” Psalm 77:13 – “Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?” Isaiah 6:3 – “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Revelation 4:8 – “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” “Remember, God is not like us at all.” He is lofty and exalted. He reigns from His throne which is separate, high and lifted up – above all in Heaven and Earth (MacDonald, pg. 26). Psalm 11:4 – “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.” Psalm 47:8 – “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.” Habakkuk 2:20 – “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” 2 Samuel 22:47 - “The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!” Job 36:22 – “God is exalted in his power.” Psalm 21:13 – “Be exalted in your strength, LORD; we will sing and praise your might.” Psalm 57:5 – “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” Isaiah 5:16 – “But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts. As God is Holy so too is His son Jesus. Mark 1:24 and Luke 4:34 - “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” John 6:69 – “We have come to believe and to know that you [Jesus] are the Holy One of God.” Acts 5:31 – “God exalted him [Jesus] to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.” Hebrews 7:26 – Jesus… “such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” Philippians 2:9 – “Therefore God exalted him [Jesus] to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.” Suppose you were given the assignment to write the text for a caution sign just outside the door to God’s throne room. What would you say to people who were about to enter? Be sure you really “know” Him before entering. Get on your knees before Him and cover your eyes. Listen and do not speak. Do exactly as He says. He is Holy, Holy, Holy – Lord God Almighty and Righteous Judge. CAUTION, CAUTION, CAUTION! “Holiness rightly understood demands caution” (MacDonald pg. 28). We should approach God with extreme caution coupled with humility, contriteness, reverent fear, awe, praise, hope, love and trust. Revelations 19:12 tells us that the Lord’s eyes are “like a flame of fire.” Even the seraphim angels in heaven cover their eyes – ever serving, never seeing our sovereign and supreme God. No one questions God! He has the last and final word. Hebrews 12:29 – “For our God is a consuming fire.” Deuteronomy 6:13 – “Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.” Psalm 33:8 – “Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.” Psalm 33:18 – “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.” Luke 1:50 – “His [Lord-God] mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.” Luke 12:5 – “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” Revelation 14:7 – “He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Revelation 19:5 – “Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!” FALLOW GROUND Why is it important to sow righteousness, reap love, and break up ground in order to be ready to seek the Lord? Ground that has been broken is plowed and ready to receive new seed to provide a new crop. The soil is no longer hard. Our hardened hearts need to be been tilled so it can be prepared to welcome the Lord into it. What do you think it means for God to “rain righteousness upon you”? As a newly seeded field needs rain to produce crop, so too our heart and spirit need righteous rain in order to grow, mature and yield fruit. On page 34 of MacDonald’s workbook, he uses the life of Hezekiah as a portrait of God’s Holiness. God’s Holiness is shown in Hezekiah’s reverence to God and God’s responses to Hezekiah and the nation of Judah. Hezekiah became king of Judah at 25 years of age. He took over from his evil father king Ahaz who led the children of God astray and caused the nation to lose its sovereignty, prosperity and protection. Hezekiah’s reign in Jerusalem spanned 29 years. He was faithfully obedient to the Lord. He instituted sweeping reforms and was considered Judah’s best and most illustrious king. He assembled the priests and Levites for sanctification, cleaned the house of the Lord of pagan idols, and re-established a covenant with the Lord by sacrificing bulls, rams and goats and sprinkling the blood on the altar for a sin offering. Hezekiah’s first prayer is a national request for the Lord to save Judah from the threat of invasion and enslavement from the Assyrian ruler Sennacherib. The second prayer is a personal request for the Lord to save Hezekiah’s life when it is under threat from a deathly illness. First Prayer 2 Kings 19:15-19 (KVJ) – “And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubim’s, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.” Second Prayer 2 Kings 20:1-3 (KVJ) – “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he [Hezekiah] turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.” God’s holiness and glory is displayed in his response to Hezekiah’s prayers. 2 Kings 20:6 (KVJ) – “And I [God] will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I [God] will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I [God] will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.” Source: 2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chronicles 29-32; Isaiah 36-39 (MacDonald 34) MY PERSONAL INSIGHTS I find it humbling to see in Hezekiah’s prayers how he acknowledges God as creator and sovereign king above all, appeals to God’s justice and holiness, and how he shows deep trust in God’s promises. He recognizes God’s Holy name, reputation, faithfulness and covenant promises to the people. I love God’s many attributes: Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Eternal, Divine, Loving, Pure, Just, Truth, Righteous, Forgiving, Sovereign, Self-existent, Faithful, Longsuffering, Merciful, Jealous, Impartial, Immutable, All-powerful, All-knowing, Gracious, and Goodness. But, in this week’s study I thoroughly enjoyed MacDonald’s emphasis on one of God’s most humbling and awe inspiring attributes….His Holiness. Throughout the Bible, we see God’s Holiness manifested in His works, His laws and at the cross. In His works because excellence proceeds from all He does. In His laws because His governing rules are fair and just. At the cross because His atonement displays His immense love for us and gives us the gift of grace. Source: MacDonald, James. Downpour. Nashville, TN: LifeWay Press, 2006. Reprinted 2007.
Posted on: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 14:27:23 +0000
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