"Holy And Reverend Is His Name"

by J. Taylor, Crowborough, U.K. | Category: General | May 1983

The absolute holiness of God is emphasized throughout the whole of the Scriptures.

Sometimes it was necessary for the Lord to bring this home in a very particular way. Moses learned something of it when the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush (Exod. 3:1-5). The very sand of the desert became holy ground by reason of the presence of the Holy God. Jacob too felt the awe-inspiring presence of the living God when he had that wonderful dream at Bethel. He exclaims, "Surely the LORD is in this place" and he goes on to say, "How dreadful is this place"' (Gen 28~l2-l7) Why did he say this9 Surely because he felt his nearness to the Holy God and realized his own sinfulness and unworthiness. There were also times when men had to be taught in a tragic way that the Lord and His things are not to be trifled with or regarded lightly, as in the case of the men of Beth-shemesh who had the presumption to open and look into the Ark of the Living God (1 Sam. 6:19). Then there was the tragic case of Uzzah, who apparently treated the Ark of God as though it were an ordinary piece of furniture (2 Sam. 6:6-7).

From this incident David learned that he too had made a mistake in not treating the holy Ark of the Lord according to the instruction the Lord had given concerning the carrying of it (1 Chron. 15:2).

The Lord God, of whom the psalmist wrote, "Holy and reverend is His Name" (Psa. 111:9), is just the same now as He was in that far off day. He is the unchanging God; His holiness remains the same today as ever it was. There seems to be, in the day in which we live, an increasing disregard of this fact. In days gone by there was, at least outwardly, a certain show of reverence for the things of God, but sadly this is not much in evidence now.

And what of the people of God? Do we appreciate as we should the absolute holiness of our God? While realizing that the building in which we meet is of little importance, for we are told that the Lord "dwelleth not in temples made with hands" (Acts 17:24), it is nevertheless where we come for the worship and collective service of the Holy God and where his Holy Name is exalted. When gathered together for this high and holy service our demeanor should be suitably reverent, for surely the Lord's people know in their hearts something of the holiness of the God whose we are and whom we seek to serve. May we ever remember that "our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29).

J. Taylor, Crowborough, U.K. | May 1983
General