God is Holy

Introduction

The anthem resounds continuously in the throne room of heaven. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” This threefold declaration of God's holiness echoes throughout the scriptures. His holiness permeates his name, his law, his presence. From the burning bush to the crashing waters of the Red Sea, God revealed his unmatched purity to the Israelites. He is utterly unique, transcendent, set apart. There is no one like our God.

The response of sinful humanity to God's holiness is awe, reverence, and bowed heads. Isaiah cried out “Woe is me!” when confronted with the blinding holiness of God. God's purity reveals our own depravity. We are utterly unworthy to stand in his presence on our own merit. We desperately need atonement.

Yet this holy God loves us with a passionate longing. Through Christ, God makes reconciliation possible. His holiness is no longer a consuming fire but a redeeming flame. When we come to him in humility, acknowledging our sin, he sanctions us as his own children. In Christ, we are made holy and called to a life set apart for his purposes. Though we remain imperfect, he is transforming us into his holy likeness. One day we will be with him in glory, perfectly holy.

God's holiness shines brilliantly throughout scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. The pages of the Bible testify to his peerless perfection, majestic splendor, and purity of character. To begin to comprehend the holy nature of God Almighty, we need look no further than his own Word. What follows is a selection of verses that unpack the wonder of God's supreme holiness. May they lead us to greater reverence, awe, and love for our transcendent yet intimate God.

God's Holiness Declared

Exodus 15:11

"Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?"

1 Samuel 2:2

"There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none beside you: neither is there any rock like our God."

Psalm 22:3

"Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel."

Psalm 47:8

"God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne."

Psalm 99:3

"Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!"

Psalm 99:5

"Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!"

Psalm 99:9

"Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!"

Isaiah 6:3

"And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”"

Isaiah 40:25

"To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One."

Revelation 4:8

"And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”"

Revelation 15:4

"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”"

God's Name is Holy

Psalm 105:3

"Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!"

Psalm 111:9

"He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!"

Luke 1:49

"For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name."

God is the Holy One

Psalm 71:22

"I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel."

Psalm 89:18

"For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel."

Isaiah 12:6

"Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”"

Isaiah 29:23

"For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel."

Isaiah 43:15

"I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”"

Isaiah 49:7

"Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”"

Hosea 11:9

"I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath."

Habakkuk 1:12

"Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof."

Mark 1:24

"“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”"

John 6:69

"and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”"

Acts 3:14

"But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,"

Revelation 3:7

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.'"

Revelation 6:10

"They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”"

Revelation 16:5

"And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments."

God Shows Himself Holy

Isaiah 5:16

"But the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness."

Ezekiel 39:7

"And my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel."

God Dwells in Holiness

Psalm 77:13

"Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?"

Isaiah 57:15

"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite."

A Prayer for Sanctification and Holiness

Holy, holy, holy, are You, Lord God Almighty. In adoration, we bow before Your throne of grace, acknowledging Your incomparable and everlasting holiness. The heavens declare Your majesty, the earth reflects Your beauty, and the seas roar out Your greatness. Yet, beyond Your creation, You have revealed Your holiness to us through Your Word and through the life, death, and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

You, O Lord, are set apart in Your purity and perfection. You are the only true and living God, faultless in all Your ways. From age to age, Your holiness remains the same, a beacon of light guiding us closer to You. Your righteousness outshines the sun, Your justice is deeper than the deepest ocean, and Your mercy is more vast than the cosmos. Your holiness is the solid rock on which we stand, the foundation of our faith.

God of all holiness, we praise You not only for who You are but for the work of sanctification that You have begun in us. Thank You for choosing us, for setting us apart, and for calling us to a life of holiness. As we walk this path, we pray that we would reflect Your character more each day, becoming vessels of Your love, mercy, and righteousness to a world in need.

We ask all of this in the precious and holy name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.