Worship in Heaven – Part 2, Holiness

David W Palmer

(Isaiah 6:1–4 NKJV) “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. {2} 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. {3} And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!’ {4} And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.”

We read here that the seraphim in their worship focused on God’s holiness and his glory. Today, we will look at their remarkable response to God’s holiness every time they glimpse it.

A friend of mine travelled to a major international revival. When he returned, I asked him what it was like. He said, “I saw God in his holiness, and I want to be just like him.” I believe that what he said sums up what worship does for us.

According to the Holy Spirit, holiness is not an option; it is essential for us if we want to see the Lord:

(1 Peter 1:15–16 NKJV) “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, {16} because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”

(Hebrews 12:14 NKJV) “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”

Whenever the seraphim lift their wings from over their eyes to glimpse God, they receive a fresh revelation; again and again they cry the same thing: “Holy, holy, holy is the lord of hosts …” This gives us the impression that God’s holiness is an inexhaustible source of overwhelming revelation. As my friend found, God’s holiness is so attractive and desirable, that when we glimpse it—even fleetingly in our worship—we too will want to be just like him.

This reminds me of a family I knew. The mum was tireless in trying to train her son to be clean, well dressed, and well mannered: “Have you showered? No! Go now and clean yourself. Those clothes are filthy! Go and change them! You smell terrible; you know better than that; go take a bath, and don’t come back until you are clean, have clean clothes, and smell good.” Day after day she kept up the training without any perceptible change. Then, out of the blue, one day her teenaged son came in looking right, all cleaned up, and smelling wonderful. What happened? You probably guessed it; he met a girl.

The young man’s mother was like the Old Testament law: to train us, it laid down the law of what to do, but didn’t have the power to make us change from the inside. Like a schoolteacher, it did however; train us in what is right and wrong:

(Galatians 3:24–25 WEB) “Wherefore the law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. {25} But after faith is come, we are no longer under a school-master.”

Love, romance, and the potential for relational intimacy changed the young man in my illustration; and the same power can change each of us—empowering us to live the holy life we see in Jesus and want. This is called grace. When we worship like the seraphim, we too will begin to see God in his holiness. Each time we glimpse him—although from earth it may be like looking through smoky glass—we will receive fresh revelation that will continually have us hungering for his holiness. The pull of potential closeness and intimacy with him will draw us deeper and deeper into worship and into holy living in a way that no law ever could—no matter how well intentioned.

Today, I encourage you; press on in worship. Overcome the flesh’s resistance; join the 24-7 heavenly worship that is in progress right now. Come right in to that holy place to look upon his face. When you do, his grace will do a miraculous work in your heart; sin will lose its allurement, and holiness will dominate your appetites, desires, and focus. We truly do become like what or whom we worship:

(2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV) “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Truly, when we see God, we will want to be like him. Each new discovery of his person will enhance our desire for holiness. Then, by our faith in his grace, the Holy Spirit’s omnipotence will empower us for the holy living that is absolutely necessary to see him face to face. This in turn brings on more change and an even greater desire for intimacy with him. Hallelujah!

“In seeing him, become like him.” (1 John 3:2 MSG)