O God! we have again heard the wonderful revelation of Thyself, 'I am holy.' And as we felt how infinitely exalted above all our conceptions Thy Holiness is, we heard Thy call, almost still more wonderful, 'Be ye holy, as I am holy.' And as every thought of how we were to be holy, as Thou art holy, failed us, we heard Thy voice once again, in this most wonderful word of all, 'I make you holy.' I am 'your Holy One.'
Most Holy God! we do beseech Thee, give us in some due measure to realize how unholy we are, and so to take the place that becomes us in Thy presence. Oh that the sinfulness of our nature, and all that is of self, may be so discovered to us, that it may be no longer possible to live in it! May the Light that reveals this, reveal too, how Thy Holiness is our only hope, our sure refuge, our complete deliverance. O Lord! speak into our souls the word, 'The Holy One, your Redeemer,' 'Your Holy One,' with such power by Thy Spirit, that our faith may grow into the assured confidence that we can be holy as Thou art holy.
Holy Lord God! we wait for Thee. Reveal Thyself in power within us, and fit us to be the messengers of Thy Holiness, to tell Thy people how holy Thou art, and how holy we must be, and how holy Thou dost make us. Amen.
1. This Holy One is God Almighty. Before He revealed Himself to Israel as the Holy One, He made Himself known to Abraham as the Almighty, 'who quickeneth the dead.' In all your dealings with God for holiness, remember He is the Almighty One, who can do wonders in you. Say often, 'Glory to Him who is mighty to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think.'
2. This Holy One is the Righteous God, a consuming fire. Cast yourself into it, that all that is sinful may be destroyed. As you lay yourself upon the altar, expect the fire. 'And yield your members unto God as instruments of Righteousness.'
3. This Holy One is the God of Love. He is your Father; yield yourself to let the Holy Spirit cry in you, Abba Father! that is, to let Him shed abroad and fill your heart with God's father-love. God's Holiness is His fatherliness; our holiness is childlikeness. Be simple, loving, trustful.
4. This Holy One is God. Let Him be God to you; ruling all, filling all, working all. Worship Him, come near to Him, live with and in and for Him: He will be your holiness.
[4] 'I am the Lord your God; ye shall therefore _make holy_ yourselves, and _be holy, for I am holy_' (Lev. xi. 44).
'I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God: ye shall therefore _be holy, for I am holy_' (Lev. xi. 45).
'Ye shall _be holy_, for _I the Lord your God am holy_' (Lev. xix. 2).
'_Make holy_ yourselves therefore, and _be ye holy_, for I am the Lord your God; ye shall keep my statutes and do them: I am the Lord which _make you holy_' (Lev. xx. 7, 8).
'Ye shall _be holy_ unto me, for _I the Lord am holy_, and have separated you from other people, that ye should be mine' (Lev. xx. 26).
'The priest shall be _holy_ unto thee, for _I the Lord which make you holy, am holy_' (Lev. xxi. 8).
'I will be _hallowed_ among the children of Israel; I am the Lord _which make you holy_' (Lev. xxii. 32).
'I am the Lord _which make them holy_' (Lev. xxi. 15, 23; xxii. 9, 16).
[5] See Note C for some account of the different definitions that have been given.
Twelfth Day.