And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
Isaiah 35:8 KJV
The desire and move of God since the fall had been to bring man back to Himself and so He created a way. In John 14:6, Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father but by Me”. From the fall, man was subjected to death and so his pursuit was for life. However, life could only be found in the tree of life, which was guarded by a flaming sword. The reason for this is that man was sinful and was approaching a Holy God. The Holiness of God is what sets Him apart. Only that which is Holy can approach God. God’s holiness can be illustrated to a degree by the sun. We are millions of miles away from the sun, yet in the summer, the heat can be excruciating that people die from a heat wave. Imagine being a mile away from the sun. A person would need to be like the sun to approach the sun. In a similar way, God is committed to raising holy men and women who will stand before Him.
God alone is Holy and He is the only one that can call another person ‘holy’. The devil in all of his rage cannot mimic the holiness of God. He cannot even call himself holy because that will result in his faster end. In Numbers 16, there was a controversy between men of renown in the congregation of Israel, for who was Holy and who wasn’t. These men, led by Korah came against Moses, whom God had proclaimed as the meekest man that lived at that time. God Himself sorted out that controversy. There is no point struggling to name yourself Holy, because God decides. He is called the Holy one of Israel because He is the sole custodian and the standard of Holiness in the camp. As they obey His laws, they got to share in His holiness. Seeing that all who approach God must be holy, how then can a sinful man approach God?
God is the only one that is Holy, but in His infinite love and mercy, He has drawn us to Himself via the sacrifice of Jesus. He instituted the highway of holiness for the wayfarers. These men are men who are doing everything in their lives to bring about the perfection of His Holiness in their lives, via His grace. While Salvation is by grace alone, there is such a thing as the works of His righteousness. These wayfarers do not take the grace of God for granted. They look at Christ and see Him as an example in life and godliness and they follow Him. Since they do not know the way themselves, they seek God to learn this way and walk in it. In following this highway, God leads them through the wilderness.
The wilderness as Hebrews 12:4-22 shows is for chastisement. God took the Israelites through the wilderness that the Israelites would realize that Man shall not live by bread alone, but every word that comes out of the Word of God, Deuteronomy 8:3. During this journey, the children of Israel moved for three days without food and water, Exodus 15:22-27. It was not said that there was a secret fountain where Moses drank water. However, he knew to seek God and not to murmur. All who do not learn to depend on God in the wilderness will be buried. The wayfarers are people that are totally dependent on God and have lost the fear of death like Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego. Hebrews 12:4-10 warns us not to despise this wilderness journey. The chastising is for our benefit, although not joyous. While earthly Fathers chastise us for their gain, God chastises His people for their benefit, that they may partake of His life and Holiness. It is impossible to see God without being Holy. In this highway, one of the first things that the Lord will teach the wayfarers is patience. While we seek God for the direction in this highway, He decides when He would give the answer because He is the Lord of the way and we follow His lead.
In conclusion, God himself gave us a promise that we will be partakers of His divine nature. As we give time to ensuring that none of the building blocks listen in 2 Peter 1:4-9 are missing. It is God that makes us holy. Romans 1:1-6 shows that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power. This power is generated by the Spirit of Holiness. Any power received outside this Spirit of Holiness will destroy both the receiver and those around him. God is about to restore power to the Church. However, for this power to not destroy, it must be according to the Spirit of holiness. Since had the Jesus had Spirit of Holiness without measure, He exhibited so much power, that in Luke 8:43-48, a person touching His body could be healed. It is by this same Spirit of Holiness that we will be built up and not destroyed by the latter rain of His power that is to be poured shortly. The rain will simply magnify whatever it meets in the vessel it falls on. Yet, if we submit to the Spirit of Holiness, we will be unlimited in our expression of life.
Prayer for today: Lord Jesus, thank you for making a way for me, who was a sinner and deserving death, to approach a Holy God. Father endue me today with the Spirit of Holiness that I may learn to walk before You and be blameless. Teach me to walk in Your truth, for You are my God. Unite my heart to fear Your name and I will walk always before You, Holy and blameless in love. Amen
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