"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." (Revelation 4:8)

When we speak of the holiness of God, we mean that He is spiritually and morally perfect in His thoughts, deeds, motives and in every other way. He is absolutely free from sin and defilement. He cannot be anything but pure.

The Scriptural testimony to His holiness is abundant. Here are a few examples. "I the Lord your God am holy" (Leviticus 19:2). "There is none holy as the Lord" (1 Samuel 2:2). "O Lord my God, mine Holy One… Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity" (Habakkuk 1:12-13). "God can not be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man" (James 1:13). "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5 b). "Thou only art holy" (Revelation 15:4).

Even the stars are not pure in His sight (Job 25:5). The priesthood and the sacrificial system of the Old Testament taught, among other things, the holiness of God. They taught that sin had brought distance between God and man, that there must be a go-between to bridge the gap, and that a holy God can be approached only on the basis of the blood of a sacrificial victim.

The holiness of God was also demonstrated in a unique way at the Cross. When He looked down and saw His Son bearing our sins, God forsook His Well-beloved for those three terrible hours of darkness.

The application of all this to us is clear. The will of God is that we should be holy "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). "As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation" (1 Peter 1:15).

Thoughts of the holiness of God should also produce in us a profound sense of reverence and awe. As He said to Moses, "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground" (Exodus 3:5).

T. Binney marveled at the holiness required to stand in the presence of God.

Eternal light! Eternal light!

How pure the soul must be

When, placed within Thy searching sight,

It shrinks not, but with calm delight

Can live, and look on Thee.

Our hearts overflow with worship when we realize that we have that necessary purity imputed to us through faith in the Lord Jesus.