The holy God

Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you. “In the morning you must present yourselves by tribes, and the Lord will point out the tribe to which the guilty man belongs. That tribe must come forward with its clans, and the Lord will point out the guilty clan. That clan will then come forward, and the Lord will point out the guilty family. Finally, each member of the guilty family must come forward one by one. The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has broken the covenant of the Lord and has done a horrible thing in Israel.” Joshua 7:13-15 NLT

God’s inherent nature is holiness. He cannot and will not condone sin. In His righteousness and holiness, He must condemn sin. God calls His children to be in fellowship with Him experiencing the holiness that He provides. “‘For the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:16). Fellowship with God is by experiencing His holiness. Without God’s holiness, His character and credibility will be destroyed. Salvation will no longer be needed for sin will be the norm in the world. This is why holiness should always have a major part in our proclamation of God and His Word. We see all around us the corruptions and the effects of uncontrolled sin in the lives of the people. The devastating results are evident in society and in the brokenness of our homes. It tears apart relationships among the fellowship of believers. It may appear attractive and harmless, desirable and necessary, but its goal is destruction and grief. It does not help when we tone down and dilute the message about God’s holiness. Because of Achan’s sin, the whole nation suffered defeat. This is why Joshua was commanded by God to call on the people “to purify themselves.” Be willing to allow God to expose sinfulness. Do not be afraid to what God will discover in our lives as we allow Him to examine us.” Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24).

Blessings,