Holy is a Four-Letter Word

Lord, who is like You among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
revered with praises, performing wonders?

Exodus 15:11

Holy. This is a word that is largely ignored, misunderstood, and forgotten. Today, holy has become a Christian four-letter word that is often used without regard to what it really means. Think for a moment of what image comes to mind when you think of the word holy. What do you see? A bright light? This? If you’re like me, you have a hard time putting your finger on just what exactly holy looks like, but for a word with so much significance, we sure seem confused. The Bible is clear that God is holy, but are we clear on what that means? Here are a couple of examples of what God’s holiness is like:

Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. Then the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed. So Moses thought: I must go over and look at this remarkable sight. Why isn’t the bush burning up? When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!”
“Here I am,” he answered.
“Do not come closer,” He said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then He continued, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. – Exodus 3:1-6


In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His robe filled the temple. Seraphim were standing above Him; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts;
His glory fills the whole earth.”
The foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke.  Then I said:
“Woe is me for I am ruined
because I am a man of unclean lips
and live among a people of unclean lips,
and because my eyes have seen the King,
the Lord of Hosts.” – Isaiah 6:1-5


Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was set there in heaven. One was seated on the throne, and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne. Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads. Flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were in the middle and around the throne. The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like a calf; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God, the Almighty,
who was, who is, and who is coming.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say: 
“Our Lord and God,
You are worthy to receive
glory and honor and power,
because You have created all things,
and because of Your will
they exist and were created.” – Revelation 4:2-11

After reading these passages, I have a hard time understanding how people can call God holy, and yet live as though He is ordinary. I think this is because we have wrongly attributed holiness to holy actions, but holiness is not about action, it is about substance. Unlike other characteristics of God (like his omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence) that point to what God does, God’s holiness points to who He is.
Does God’s holiness bore you? Excite you? Terrify you? Amaze you? This week I would encourage you to challenge your own view of God’s holiness. He alone is God.
I’ve included an incredibly beautiful song by David Crowder called After All (Holy) that I would strongly encourage you to stop and listen to (lyrics can be found here).