“Holiness, as taught in the Scriptures, is not based upon knowledge on our part. Rather, it is based upon the resurrected Christ in-dwelling us and changing us into His likeness.”
A W Tozer
The Nature of Jesus – Holiness
Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”
Exodus 3:5
Our God is a holy God and both His nature and character is Holy. We read in Revelation as follows:
The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” Revelation 4:8
The God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush was with him when he brought the people of Israel out of slavery. In the wilderness, when the Israelites became thirsty and grumbled for water, the Lord told Moses to strike the rock and He provided water from the rock. However, when the Israelites grumbled a second time for water, God asked Moses to only speak to the rock but Moses, being angry with the people, disobeyed God and struck the rock twice.
We could assume that Moses sinned merely by striking the rock, like the burning bush which was a manifestation of the presence of God. However, the root sin was irreverence and that irreverence was the cause of Moses’ disobedience in striking the rock. Moses’ anger with the people overcame his fear of God. His fear of God should have been greater than his anger with the Israelites. God took Moses’ irreverence most seriously and therefore he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.
Let not our emotions overcome the fear of God, causing us to be irreverent toward His holiness.
Dear Lord,
I thank You that You have made me aware of Your holiness. I will now worship You in reverence and Godly fear. Amen.
God bless you,
Theo & Manju