Holy, Holy, Holy

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two, he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

The whole earth is full of His Glory”

Isaiah 6:1-3(NKJV).

There is a beloved old hymn that begins with the words of Isaiah. “Holy, holy, holy!” You’ll find it on page 64 of our Hymnal. It was one of my father’s favorite hymns, just after “How Great Thou Art.” Both were sung at his funeral, so they both have special meaning to me. Both praise the holiness of God. 

Holiness is what I would like us to think about this week. What does “holy” mean? Where can we find it? How can we (or in fact, can we) obtain it? It is one of those words we use a lot, but do we really know what it means?

The Hebrew words for “holy” are קָדוֹשׁ (kadosh; adjective used to describe holy people, places, or God Himself) and קֹדֶשׁ (kodesh; noun used for sacred objects or places). Both stem from a root that means to separate or set apart. So, someone (or something) is set apart, separated, for the purpose of veneration or worship, they become holy. If that is the case, then who can set apart or separate, someone or something to make it holy? 

The obvious answer, of course, is God Himself. In the scripture reading, God is praised by the seraphim as being holy. God is holy, and the origin and source of holiness. He can bestow holiness by His presence, by His actions, and by His words. 

 “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:3). Later, God commanded Moses and the Hebrew people to “Remember the Sabath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). So, specific days can be holy. (Factoid: Holy Days became shortened to Holidays, just in case you didn’t know that.)

At the burning bush, God tells Moses to “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). The ground itself is made holy by God’s presence. So, specific places and things can be holy. 

After the Exodus out of Egypt, God tells Moses, “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6a). So, specific people can be holy.

Days can be holy. Places and things can be holy. Even people can be holy. Another old hymn tells us to;

“Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;

Abide in Him always, and feed on His word.

Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,

Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.”

How often do we take time to be holy? 

Maybe today would be a good day to try. 

Rejoice always,

Jerry Lipscomb