Ezekiel 41:4
“…And he said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.”
The deepest chamber within the temple housed the Ark of God and the the Mercy Seat. It was here, the high priest would enter only once a year to bring the blood of the sacrifice, and intercede on behalf of the Nation. It was here, God had originally explained to Moses, they could meet with the Lord and talk to Him about anything.
Exodus 25:22 “And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.”
I think it is worth noting, this chamber is called the Holiest Place. It is only in holiness that we can meet with God. That is particularly concerning when we realize we are not holy. The prophet made it abundantly clear, even our best attempts at doing good, lack true holiness in the sight of God.
Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind! Have taken us away.”
If God is holy, the meeting place between God and man is holy. We, at our best, are not holy; we are in need of help. That is where the cross comes in. Under the old covenant, this was solved through sacrifice on the altar. The priest would confess his sins and that of the people, and would enter the holiest place. Now under the new covenant, this is solved by Christ. His sacrifice provides atonement for all our sins. We, like the priest, must accept the sacrifice, by accepting Christ and confessing our sin. When we do, we are forgiven, made holy, and have access to God.
If you have received Christ, there is nothing keeping you from the holy meeting place. You may attend there regularly, bringing yourself, your life and your needs before the Lord.
Pastor Jim
Revelation 4 and 5 takes us on a heavenly tour, and with an all access pass, we are brought into the throne room of Jehovah God. There, we are privileged to observe as the saints and angels worship at His feet. Suddenly, the scene shifts from the throne to a scroll in the hand of God. All of Heaven seems fixated on this scroll and its contents. John is never told exactly what this scroll is, but it has been suggested by some, that it is the title deed to the earth.
ude warns of those who turn grace into lewdness. The word lewd is somewhat outdated, but refers to something vulgar or obscene, especially that which is sexually immoral. Jude is referring to those who think the grace of God allows for behavior which is clearly forbidden in the Word of God. It is important to remember, grace does not excuse sin, but provides forgiveness when we fail.
Light is used to illustrate holiness. John is declaring that God is perfectly holy and without sin. This creates a problem, since we are all sinners. In this text, John explains how sinful people can have a relationship with a holy God. In the opening verses of the chapter, he refers to Christ becoming a man and making fellowship with God possible. That was accomplished through the cross, where Jesus died as a substitute for us. The sinless, in place of the sinner, so we might be saved. John is now writing to the one who recognizes his sin, and begins to follow Christ.
“Holier than thou” is defined by a modern dictionary as, “having a superior attitude or view of one’s self.” It is most commonly used as an accusation against a Christian who calls out sinful behavior. Have you ever been accused of being ‘holier than thou’? If you have, it was probably because you attempted to share Christ with someone. This verse is often coupled with Jesus’ command not to judge lest we be judged, and is used as a defense mechanism by those who are involved in ungodly practices. I think it is worth noting, this statement was actually first used by unbelievers who claimed they were holy enough on their own, and did not need a savior. In fact, anyone who refuses Christ and the cross, is essentially claiming to be ‘holier than thou’.
Certain garments are necessary for certain activities. People wear football apparel to play football, a suit for the office, and a wedding gown for the wedding day. In the same way, appropriate apparel is required for entrance to heaven. Isaiah called these the garments of salvation. These clothes can only be purchased by placing faith in Christ. When we do that, our old filthy rags of self-righteousness are replaced with a robe of righteousness, and we are welcomed into the banqueting hall of the Lord. Jesus put it this way;
“The Branch of the Lord” is a messianic title, meaning it is a description of Jesus our Savior. This phrase is used often by the prophets to speak of the work of Christ.
In addition to being a love story, Song of Solomon also illustrates the love God has for us. Perhaps, nowhere is that more evident than in this verse. It has been stated, love is blind; because when two people are truly in love they do not focus on what is wrong with one another. It is not that God’s love is blind and He does not notice sin in His children, but through the cross, He has washed our sins away. When God looks upon those who have been born again, He sees us as holy and blameless. Two different applications cry out to us from this one verse.
Righteousness is a biblical word that speaks of standing before God. A person who is righteous is one who has met God’s standards, is living pleasing to Him now, and will be accepted into heaven when this life comes to an end. When it comes to views of righteousness there seems to be contrasting positions. Some people, like the Pharisees of old, consider themselves to be righteous because of their heritage or accomplishments. They believe they will be accepted because they are inherently good. They neglect to fully understand the far reaching effects of sin or the holiness of God. Paul wrote,
In the midst of all his suffering, Job comes face to face with his own sinfulness. He realizes he is guilty of violating the laws of God and asks,
Jim Gallagher 