"Holy, Holy, Holy Is Jehovah" - Why Jehovah's Holiness Draws Us to Him

It is not hard to see, then, why the Bible makes a connection between the holiness of God and godly fear on the part of  man.  For example, Psalm 99:3 reads:  "Let them laud your name, Great and fear-inspiring, holy it is."  This fear, though, is not a morbid dread.  Rather is it a profound sense of reverential awe, respect in its most ennobling form. It is fitting to feel that way, since God's holiness is so far above us.  On the contrary,  a proper view of God's holiness  will draw us closer to him. Why?

For one thing, the public associates holiness with beauty.  At Isaiah 63:15, heaven is described as God's "lofty abode of holiness and beauty." Beauty attracts us.  For example,  look at the picture on page 33, which is picture of a landscape with water flowing down a hillside with grass and some rocks on each and trees scattered (in case you don't have the book)  Are you  not drawn to that scene?  What makes it so appealing? Note how pure the water looks. Even the air must be clean,  (Note: I know I would like to be there and put my feet in that water and just sit for a long time and enjoy the peace it provides) for the sky is blue and the light seems to sparkle.  Now if that same scene was altered-the stream clogged with garbage, the trees, and rocks defaced with graffiti, the air befouled with  smog-we would no longer be attracted to it; for we would be repelled.  We naturally associate beauty  with cleanness, purity, and light.  These same words can be used to describe Jehovah's holiness. No wonder that visionary description of Jehovah enthrall us! Beaming  with light, dazzling gemstones, glowing like fire or the purest and brightest precious metals-such is the beauty of our holy God. -Ezekiel 1:25-28; Revelation 4:2, 3. 

However, should God's holiness make us feel inferior by comparison? The answer of course, is yes.  After all, we are inferior to Jehovah-and that is an understatement of epic proportions.  Should  knowing that alienate us from him?  Consider Isaiah's reaction upon hearing  the seraphs proclaim Jehovah's holiness.  "I proceeded  to say:  "Woe to me! For I am as good as brought to silence because a man unclean in lips  I am, and in among a people unclean in lips I  am dwelling; for my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of armies, himself!' " (Isaiah 6:5) Yes, Jehovah's infinite  holiness reminded Isaiah of how sinful and imperfect he was.  Initially, that faithful man was devastated.  But Jehovah did not leave him in that state.

A seraph promptly consoled the prophet.  How?  The mighty spirit flew to the altar, took a coal from it, and touched the coal to Isaiah's lips. That may sound more painful than comforting. Remember, though, that this was a vision, rich in symbolic meaning. Isaiah, a faithful Jew, well knew that sacrifices were offered at the temple altar to make atonement for sins. And the seraph lovingly reminded the prophet that although he was indeed imperfect,  "unclean in lips," he could still come into a clean standing before  God.  Jehovah was willing to view an imperfect, sinful man as holy-at least in a relative sense. -Isaiah 6:6, 7.

Next time: "Holy, Holy, Holy Is Jehovah" - Conclusion of Why Jehovah's Holiness Draws Us to Him

From the book:  Draw Close to Jehovah