Home> Ministries> The Pastor Nathaniel's Blog> The Pastor's Blog Archives> Pastor's Blog Archives, 2019> Pastor's Blog March 31, 2019

Pastor's Blog March 31, 2019

"The Beauty of God’s Holiness"

{Scroll over scripture reference to read the scripture or reference.

"O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth" (Psalm 96:9, KJV).  We've seen this expression before: the beauty of holiness.  Psalm 96:9 is the fourth Old Testament passage that utilizes this language; the others are 1 Chronicles 16:29, 2 Chronicles 20:21, and Psalm 29:2.  In all of these passages, the "beauty of holiness" is cited as the overarching reason to praise and give glory to God. 

First Chronicles 16:29 and Psalm 29:2 are the exact same verse, with the passage from 1 Chronicles recounting the psalm that David composed to celebrate the ark of the covenant being placed in a permanent temple in Jerusalem, and the passage from Psalm 29 being part of another, similar psalm. 

Second Chronicles 20:21 is part of the song the priests sang (and led all of Israel to sing) as God's people went out to face the threat of the Ammonites and the Moabites; instead of fighting, King Jehoshaphat followed the instructions of the prophet-priest Jahaziel and told the people to praise God and let him defeat their enemies, as he had done for Israel in the days of Moses and the Exodus.  And Psalm 96:9 is part of a larger declaration for the people of God to bless and praise his name, as well as announce to all the nations that God is worthy to be praised because he reigns over the creation and judges nations and people with justice and righteousness. 

The beauty of holiness - more specifically, the beauty of HIS (God's) holiness - is repeatedly given as the reason for why it is good, right, and fitting to praise and glorify God.  The beauty of God's holiness means that the order of creation is established and kept from disintegrating: that we don't have to worry about the world mysteriously disappearing tomorrow or the next day (cf. Psalm 29:2 and 1 Chronicles 16:29). 

The beauty of God's holiness also means that justice will be done and judgment in interpersonal disputes will be given fairly (cf. Psalm 96:9 and 1 Chronicles 16:29).  And the beauty of God's holiness also means that we are not abandoned - that God will fight for us because he is on our side, and that God will prove himself to be our Savior by rescuing us from those who would do us ultimate harm (cf. 1 Chronicles 16:29 and 2 Chronicles 20:21). 

Today, and every day, think about the beauty of God's holiness for you.  The holiness of God means that he is your Friend and Rescuer.  And to those of us who know we need friendship and rescue, God's holiness looks supremely beautiful.