“This is the law of the temple, all its surrounding territory on top of the mountain will be especially holy. Yes, this is the law of the temple.” Ezekiel 43:12 HCSB
R.C. Sproul in his classic work, The Holiness of God, puts the holiness of God in its proper and central place in the Christian life. He paints an awe-inspiring vision of God that encourages Christians to become holy just as God is holy. Central to God’s character is the quality of His holiness. Yet, most people are hard-pressed to define what God’s holiness precisely is. Many people today don’t quite know what to do with words like “awe” or “fear”. When someone encounters the holiness of God, his life is never the same. R.C. Sproul says, “The holiness of God affects every aspect of our lives – economics, politics, athletics, romance – everything with which we are involved.”
The restored temple would be the physical manifestation of the holiness of God for all to see. With the glory of God entering the temple, the holiness of God would be restored among the people of Israel. When we encounter the holiness of God, we have a better understanding of how unholy we are and how much we need God’s love and mercy. We don’t deserve to have a relationship with a holy God, but our loving Heavenly Father wants to forgive our sins and make us holy so we can have fellowship with Him.
Challenge: Think about the holiness of God. He is perfect without any sin. He is perfect love, grace, and mercy. Thank God that He is a holy God and that He wants to have a relationship with you – someone unholy and undeserving of His love. Listen to Francis Chan as he addresses the holiness of God on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQVkVRAnjvg