Holy, Holy, Holy: The God We’ve Forgotten

Jada Farmer

Isaiah 6:1-7; Hebrews 10:19-22; 2 Corinthians 7

What would you actually do if you came face to face with God? Most of us picture a warm reunion, because the God we've come to expect is comfortable, affirming, and easy to approach. Jada turns to Isaiah 6, where the prophet sees the Lord on his throne and can only say “Woe to me,” to make the case that God's holiness is the forgotten foundation of his character, and the thing that makes his love safe. If you've gotten casual with God, or you're hiding something out of shame, this message is for you.

COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS MESSAGE

What does “holy, holy, holy” mean in Isaiah 6?

The seraphim cry it over God's throne in Isaiah 6:3. The Hebrew word, kadosh, means set apart, wholly other, with no one like him. Jada points out that Hebrew repeats a word for emphasis, and three times is the highest degree, so it's holiness, not love, power, or mercy, that these sinless beings can't stop saying.

If God is holy, is he still loving?

Yes, and the message argues the two belong together. Holiness is the foundation every other quality of God flows from, so his love is a holy love: pure rather than permissive. In Jada's words, his holiness is what makes his love safe, his justice good, and his rule trustworthy.

What's the difference between shame and godly sorrow?

Jada contrasts Adam and Eve hiding in the garden with Isaiah standing exposed and telling the truth. Shame says to cover it up and fix it on your own. Godly sorrow, which Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 7, is grief over sin that pulls you toward God instead of away from him, because it trusts his goodness rather than your own.

What was the burning coal in Isaiah 6 all about?

Isaiah expected judgment, but a seraph touched his lips with a coal from the altar and said his guilt was taken away and his sin atoned for. Isaiah brought nothing; heaven moved toward him. Jada connects the altar to the cross, where she says Jesus took the judgment we deserved, so cleansing is costly but freely given.

How can I come close to a holy God without being afraid?

The message points to Hebrews 10:19, which says we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus. God didn't lower his holiness; Jesus made a way. So we come with reverence, not casually, and with confidence, not fear, bringing honestly whatever we've been hiding or trying to carry on our own.