You Can’t Ignore the Holiness of God and Experience His Presence

Key takeaways

God's presence completes us because we were made for an intimate relationship with Him.
Ignoring God's holiness can lead to spiritual danger, as exemplified by the death of Uzzah.
Understanding and respecting God's holiness is essential to be able to experience His presence safely and meaningfully.
Celebrating God's holiness and living according to His Word deepens our love for Him and our spiritual security.
Seeking daily connection with God gives purpose, strength, and confidence to live missionally for Christ.

Summary

The Longing for Rest in God and the Role of Holiness

This section discusses the deep human longing for rest and fulfillment found in a relationship with God, as emphasized by Augustine's prayer and King David's psalm. It highlights that humans are created to enjoy God's love and presence, which completes and invigorates us. The episode emphasizes that God’s presence is vital for our purpose, strength, and daily joy, and that a life centered on Christ is rooted in experiencing this intimate relationship with God.

The Significance of God's Presence in Scripture and History

This section explores the biblical narrative of God's presence, from creation through the fall, to redemption and restoration. It covers the Old Testament themes of God's presence in the Garden of Eden, the covenant with Abraham, and the tabernacle with its holy spaces and rituals. The narrative underscores that God's presence is associated with holiness and that without sanctification, no one can stand in God's holy presence, exemplified by the story of Uzzah’s death while trying to keep the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem.

Lessons from the Death of Uzzah and the Holiness of God

This part examines the incident where Uzzah was struck dead for touching the Ark, emphasizing that God's holiness is incompatible with sin or impurity. It teaches that God's holiness demands reverence and careful obedience, especially in how we relate to the sacred. The episode explains that uncleanliness cannot coexist with God's holiness, and that only through proper procedures and respect for God's commandments can we safely approach God’s presence.

Celebrating and Respecting God's Holiness

This section discusses the importance of recognizing and revering God's holiness, describing it as a sovereign attribute that sets God apart from humans. It contrasts God's moral perfection with human moral failure and emphasizes that understanding and respecting holiness leads to a deeper love for God and a commitment to live according to His Word. The lesson underscores that neglecting God's holiness can lead to spiritual danger, but honoring it fills us with security and purpose.

Practical Applications for Daily Life

The episode concludes with practical takeaways, urging believers to celebrate God's holiness, to hate evil, and to engage deeply with Scripture and His Word. It encourages reflection on what God's presence means personally, and how a continual awareness of His holiness can transform daily attitudes, actions, and priorities. The overarching message is that living in reverence and awareness of God's holiness enables believers to experience His presence fully and to live missionally for Him.

Show notes

Episode Summary: The great theologian Augustine prayed famously, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” King David would have been the first to affirm Augustine’s observation about human nature in general and his own longings. He begins Psalm 63 with the words. You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you. David knew that he was created to enjoy a love relationship with God. But the event from David’s life that we study in this episode reveals David learning an important lesson about God’s presence: You can’t enjoy that presence if you ignore the holiness of God.

For Further Prayerful Thought:

What does God’s presence in your life mean to you?
How would you summarize the lesson David learned when Uzzah was struck dead as they moved the Ark to Jerusalem.
What are your thoughts about remembering the holiness of God in our everyday lives. Why might that be important?

For the printed version of this message click here.

For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.

For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.

To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)