Scripture: Isaiah 8:12-17; Revelation 3:7-11
God is holy!
That seems to be a powerful theme of the Christian faith, but how
powerful is it in the lives of humanity?
For some, the power of God is very evident in their lives, but for others,
it seems to be so obviously lacking. God’s
Holiness does not mean that the LORD is unapproachable, it doesn’t mean that He
is indifferent to our needs and concerns, and it definitely doesn’t mean that He
doesn’t care whether we live a life with Him or not.
The word “holy” simply means that God’s way is pure
and right – a way that He also calls each one of us to live. It isn’t a way that is kept secret, and it
isn’t a way that is easy to live! But holiness,
God’s way for all who believe in His Son, is a call that is placed in the
hearts and souls of His faithful.
But if the LORD calls all to follow in
His holy way, why would so many refuse
to accept that call? The truth is that
the way of earth is in constant conflict with the way of God, and people will
always see it as an easier and more sensible option for their lives. And many will always choose the easy way out.
But the plan that our holy God has put in motion
will never fail those who faithfully believe, and it will never surrender to
the lies of earth.
Read Isaiah 8:12-17
Israel had split into two nations – the Northern Kingdom
of Israel, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
The Assyrians were knocking on the door of both of these people, and
destruction was growing ever nearer. And
why would the One who had selected these people to represent Him in the world
allow this to ever happen? Because the
10 tribes of the Northern Kingdom, and in time the remaining tribes in the south,
had chosen to follow the ways of earth instead of the holy way of their LORD!
The prophet Isaiah, as well as others, had been called
to reveal the failures that the people had committed, as well as the promise
that could restore them to the grace and love of God. In this passage, the prophet begins by saying
that the words he was about to speak were not his own, but rather those that had
been given to him by Jehovah God. And
the general message? That he was never
to follow the ways that the people around him were living, that the only way
for him was the true and divine way. And
the prophet realizes that these words were never meant solely for his own life,
but for the lives of all who would listen.
The people are then told where they had missed the
truth that God had given them. They were
living in the lies of earth, they were afraid to worship except in the ways
of earth, and the only thing they truly feared was the change that they would
have to make to come back to the purity, the holiness, of the LORD. He had been offering His word
and love to them throughout the ages, and even though they had turned away, holiness
could even be theirs again, if they would only come back to the Truth.
And if they return, the LORD’s
protection – His “sanctuary” – will surround them and protect them from the
coming disaster. But if they won’t, the
very words that they are hearing will become all too real for their lives. Some believe that the hatred and pain that
enters our lives is God’s vengeance at work for the sinful ways that we live. But the truth is that the LORD’s
way has nothing to do with retribution and punishment. In John 3:16-17,
we read that Christ came to earth for salvation, not condemnation – “For God
did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world
through Him.”
Is this promise too good to be true? Apparently for some, it is! Do some want condemnation? Do some want God to be vindictive and
hateful? Or do they just think God’s way
is wrong, and want Him to change His mind!
None of this is true, and none of it will ever come to be. Holy is holy, regardless of what anyone may
think, and the holiness of God is so pure, and so perfect, and so incredibly
generous that we can only stand in awe of it.
We are to hold this truth tightly, but even while we
do that, we are to share it with all who will trust that the LORD’s
word is true and is pure – and is
holy beyond our greatest imagination!
But is it forever?
In the early chapters of Revelation, the LORD opens
a letter to each of seven of His churches.
Some are chastised, some are forgiven, and 2 of them, Smyrna and
Philadelphia, are praised for their faithful service in the holy name of Jesus.
Today we consider one of those letters of praise.
Read Revelation 3:7-11
Several points are being made here:
The "key of David" is also referred to in Isaiah 22:20-24 – and the implication of this key is that it
is the key to salvation. It unlocks the
door to heaven, and it is the Christ, and Him alone, who has been given the
authority to possess and use this key.
If He uses it to unlock the door, no one else has the power to lock it again. But if He locks the door to
anyone, it remains locked and will never be allowed to open.
Now while this may, at first glance, seem a bit random
and condescending, the significance is simple – that faith in Jesus Christ is
the key, and without the key, there is no access to the Father. In John 14:6,
the LORD
tells us that “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Eternal life is that simple – faith in Jesus
is the key to eternity, and there is no other way. And this shows the importance of the holiness
of God in Christ. Holy truth never
changes. Holy faith brings
acceptance. And the absence of faith,
the lack of holiness, can result in nothing other than condemnation. Note that the absence of faith and trust and
obedience is our own choice – condemnation is by our own decision, not by
God’s desire or plan.
Jesus Christ – the holy key of God – is before the
people of this world, and whether we choose to claim its power or not, the choice is upon
us and us alone. And the message
continues. Apparently, the church at
Philadelphia was not one of those mighty and powerful bodies, but that didn’t
deter the faithful from rejoicing in the name of Jesus and never turning
against that blessed name. These should
be words of encouragement for small churches all over the world who have little
in the way of resources to minister and reach out to the world. If all will just do what they can, with what
they have, and in the way that God empowers them, the “Key” will turn in
their favor.
And the message that comes to us through John
continues against the “synagogue of Satan”. This refers to those communities who claim
that they are great in the LORD, but who, in truth, are nothing more than “liars”,
and they will suffer the same fate as Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 4:32-5:11. These, throughout the centuries, are those
who have perverted the word of God, who have strived to remake the Almighty
into their own image.
These are the very ones to whom the “key of David” will never
be used to open the door of salvation!
They will plead, they will beg, they will cry out, but when the door is
locked, it can never be opened for them again.
And then there is verse 10 - patience in Christ. It has little to do with turning the key, but
it is a sign of trust in God. The “patient”
Christian is a complete Christian who believes that the word of Jesus is true
(holy!), whenever it is going to be revealed! And for those who are not especially strong,
it helps to strength us in faith and trust that our holy God is our only hope
in this life.
And the final word is “Hold on to what you have”. Notice that the holy word isn’t “work to get
more”, or “change it if you don’t like it”, or “condemn those who don’t believe
what you do”. Whatever God has given us
is enough! And regardless of what we
have, when it comes from God, it brings a blessing of holiness to our lives.
The Father is the Holy whose plan of salvation makes
this life worthwhile; Jesus is the Holy who holds the key of David and will be
our “turn” of the lock; the Holy Spirit is the Holy who continues to remind us
that Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life, and that He is the only one
who will see us safely through that door and into eternity.
Isn’t holiness something that we all should truly be
rejoicing over? And if so, why aren’t we
doing it more often?
