The Holiness of God
Written by Ed Allen
Sunday, 24 May 2009 09:00
Sermon Notes: Main Points
Today's Passage: 2 Samuel 6:1-11
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
1 David again brought together out of Israel chosen men, thirty thousand in all. 2 He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4 with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. 5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
8 Then David was angry because the LORD's wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
9 David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, "How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?" 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.
Quote from The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
Today, we are discussing two profound theological truths about God’s holiness:
1. God is Dangerous
- Example of Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia:
"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
Chapter 8,
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,
The Chronicles of Narnia - God is dangerous in part, because he detests sin.
- Proverbs 15:26 “The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.”
- Our faith can be extremely discomforting at times. An awareness of God‘s holiness can bring fear, reverence, awe...
2. God is Mysterious
- God isn't like us at all.
- Definition of Holy: 1) Other than, set apart; 2) Moral purity
- mysterium tremendum ... The Idea of the Holy by Rudolph Otto
God got specific in Jesus
- Jesus calms the storm: Mark 4:35-41