HOLY

Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!”

Revelation 5:8 “And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

Revelation 4:11: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being". 

Psalm 145:3: "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable". 

Psalm 18:3: "I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies". 

In the Bible, incense symbolizes the prayers of the saints ascending to God, representing a pleasing and acceptable offering. It was used in Old Testament worship, where the high priest burned it daily in the Tabernacle and Temple to symbolize prayers rising up to God, a tradition that continued through the time of Jesus.  Though now we come boldly into the throne room, incense is our prayers, of praise, petition. Constant communion with God.

English Standard Version Psalm 115

115 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2  Why should the nations say,

“Where is their God?”

3  Our God is in the heavens;

he does all that he pleases.

4  Their idols are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

5  They have mouths, but do not speak;

eyes, but do not see.

6  They have ears, but do not hear;

noses, but do not smell.

7  They have hands, but do not feel;

feet, but do not walk;

and they do not make a sound in their throat.

8  Those who make them become like them;

so do all who trust in them.

How do you explain color to a person who was born blind? PAUSE

Explaining color to someone born blind is challenging because they’ve never experienced it visually, so you’d need to rely on their other senses and imagination to convey the concept. Here’s a way to approach it:

Color is a way that sighted people perceive light, which is energy that bounces off objects and enters our eyes. Different colors are like different "flavors" or "tones" of light, each with its own unique feel or character. Since you can’t see light, think of colors as similar to how things feel, sound, or smell in distinct ways.

For example:

- **Red** is warm and intense, like the heat of a fire or the spice of chili on your tongue. It’s bold and grabs attention, like a loud drumbeat.

- **Blue** feels cool and calm, like the touch of water or a soft breeze on your skin. It’s soothing, like quiet music or the smell of rain.

- **Yellow** is bright and cheerful, like the warmth of sunlight on your face or the sound of laughter. It’s energetic, like a lively tune.

- **Green** feels balanced and alive, like the smell of fresh grass or the texture of leaves. It’s refreshing, like a walk in a forest.

- **Black** is the absence of light, like silence or the feeling of a dark, quiet room. It’s heavy but neutral.

- **White** is all light combined, like a mix of every sound at once or the feeling of clean, crisp air.

Colors also carry emotions and meanings in culture. For instance, red might signal danger or love, while blue often means calm or sadness. Sighted people use colors to describe and organize the world, like how you might use textures or sounds to identify things.

You could also use analogies with music: colors are like different notes or chords, each with a unique vibe. Red might be a loud trumpet blast, while blue is a soft flute melody. Encourage them to imagine colors as sensations or emotions they already know, tying the idea to their own experiences.

If they’re curious, you could explore further by comparing colors to specific objects they can touch or smell, like associating green with the scent of pine or red with the warmth of a blanket. The key is to make it vivid and relatable through their senses.

—Speaking of God’s holiness is like seeking to explain, and describe color to one who has been blind from birth. ......

AND YET- We MUST learn of His holiness. We must contemplate it, We must observe it, consider it, discuss it, and sit with it.

Why? Because He is God. The one and only. Our creator, and He has revealed Himself to us, more than we can fully comprehend, but He is not unknowable. He knows us fully, and wants us to know Him. To be lost in Him.

God is Holy 400-600 times

Holy- means completely unique, set apart from all else, when spoken of God it means there is NO ONE LIKE HIM. He is absolutely righteous, intrinsically pure, Perfect in all His attributes.

English Standard Version Chapter 57

15  For thus says the One who is

Philippians 2:9–11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Isaiah 6:1–7 “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.””

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 6:2–4

The threefold repetition of the word holy suggests supreme or complete holiness.

TREMENDOUS EMPHASIS.

RC Sproul said in his book on the Holiness of God: “The Bible never says that God is love, love, love; or mercy, mercy, mercy; or wrath, wrath, wrath, or justice, justice, justice. But it does say that He is holy, holy, holy, that the whole earth is full of His glory. “

Here then again in revelation.

v.4- the foundations of the thresholds shook, and the house was filled with smoke.

the awesome power and presence of God

He pronounced woes on Israel, then upon seeing the Lord he pronounced woe on himself.

Isaiah could not clean himself. In light of the glimpse of the Holy God he was undone, torn apart, ruined, lost, left without any pretense that he was good. In the presence of the HOLY God, we are helpless.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!”

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

English Standard Version Chapter 4

11  “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.”

“To be holy He does not conform to a standard. He set that standard.

Exodus 15:11 ““Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?”

-Moses is leading the Israelites out of Egypt, but they are being pursued. We will get them. God tells them He will fight for them. After God does the mighty, unbelievable act of parting the sea, an all the Israelites are through, at God’s instruction, Moses stretches his hand back over the sea, and it comes back and destroys the Egyptian armies that were pursuing them.

God’s holiness defines His power, majestic, wise, awesome, doing wonders. Never an abuse, A power that accomplishes His perfect purpose, a power that is righteous, a power that is for His people.

1 Samuel 2:1–10 “And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world. “He will

English Standard Version Chapter 2

guard the feet of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,

for not by might shall a man prevail.

10  The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces;

against them he will thunder in heaven.

The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;

he will give strength to his king

and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

Hannah- barren, desires to be a mother, has a taunter who is having children easily, Cries out.

God gives her a child, which she as she promised, gives directly back to him, he doesn’t live with her.

God’s holiness gives color to His mercy and grace.

He gives kindness.

God’s holiness and other attributes

Declare it, Gaze upon it, Marvel, Get lost in it, Bow to it.