Understanding God's Holiness, Grace, and Wrath

 

Summary

In our time together, we have delved into the profound and often unsettling aspects of God's character—His holiness, justice, and wrath. These attributes are frequently overshadowed by His love, mercy, and grace in contemporary discourse, both in the world and within the church. However, understanding the fullness of God's nature is crucial for a genuine relationship with Him. We explored the narrative of Uzzah from 1 Chronicles 13, where Uzzah was struck down for touching the Ark of the Covenant. This incident is often misunderstood as an example of God's capriciousness, but it underscores the seriousness with which God regards His holiness and the reverence He demands from us.

The story of Uzzah teaches us that God's holiness is not to be taken lightly. The Ark was not to be touched by human hands, as instructed in Numbers 4, because human sinfulness is a greater defilement than the dirt of the earth. This narrative challenges us to reconsider our assumptions about what is truly profane. Similarly, the account of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10, who offered unauthorized fire before the Lord and were consumed by fire, further illustrates the importance of approaching God with reverence and obedience.

Jonathan Edwards' sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," serves as a stark reminder of the reality of God's wrath and the precariousness of our position without Christ. Edwards' vivid imagery of the sinner's peril is not merely about fear but highlights the grace that holds us from falling into eternal separation from God. This grace is not something we deserve or can demand; it is a gift that should lead us to humility and gratitude.

In our modern context, we often grow accustomed to grace, assuming it as a right rather than a gift. This assumption can lead to a dangerous complacency regarding our spiritual state. We must remember that God's justice and holiness are as real as His love and mercy. To approach God rightly, we must be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, acknowledging our need for His grace and the seriousness of His holiness.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Holiness of God: God's holiness is not a concept to be taken lightly. It demands reverence and obedience, as seen in the story of Uzzah. Our sinfulness is a greater defilement than the earth itself, reminding us of the need for Christ's righteousness to stand before a holy God. [14:13]

2. The Danger of Familiarity with Grace: Over time, we can become so accustomed to God's grace that we begin to assume it as a right. This assumption can lead to spiritual complacency and a misunderstanding of grace, which is undeserved and freely given. [52:40]

3. The Reality of God's Wrath: God's wrath is a necessary aspect of His justice and holiness. Without it, God would be indifferent to evil. Understanding His wrath should lead us to a deeper appreciation of His grace and the salvation offered through Christ. [54:55]

4. Approaching God with Reverence: The accounts of Uzzah and Nadab and Abihu teach us the importance of approaching God with the reverence and obedience He deserves. Worship is not about what pleases us but about what pleases God, who must be regarded as holy. [31:43]

5. The Urgency of Reconciliation: Without reconciliation through Christ, we stand on the brink of God's wrath. This reality should drive us to seek His grace and to live in a way that honors His holiness, recognizing the seriousness of our spiritual condition. [56:05]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:38] - Opening Prayer
- [01:20] - Introduction to God's Holiness
- [02:50] - Misconceptions About God's Nature
- [04:17] - The Story of Uzzah
- [07:57] - The Celebration and Tragedy
- [09:32] - Misunderstandings of God's Wrath
- [12:08] - The Significance of the Ark
- [14:13] - Uzzah's Arrogance and Consequence
- [20:46] - Jonathan Edwards on Uzzah
- [22:53] - Nadab and Abihu's Profane Worship
- [28:44] - The Consequences of Strange Fire
- [35:37] - Jonathan Edwards' Sermon
- [45:00] - The Lie of Assuming Grace
- [54:55] - The Necessity of God's Wrath
- [56:05] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Chronicles 13:1-14
2. Leviticus 10:1-3
3. Jonathan Edwards' sermon reference: Deuteronomy 32:35

---

Observation Questions:

1. What was the significance of the Ark of the Covenant in the story of Uzzah, and why was it important for it to be handled with care? [07:19]

2. How did David and the people of Israel react to the death of Uzzah, and what does this reveal about their understanding of God's holiness? [08:36]

3. In the account of Nadab and Abihu, what was the consequence of offering unauthorized fire before the Lord, and what does this teach about God's expectations for worship? [25:06]

4. How does Jonathan Edwards' sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" illustrate the precariousness of our position without Christ? [38:02]

---

Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the story of Uzzah challenge contemporary views of God's character, particularly His holiness and justice? [09:32]

2. What does the reaction of David and the people to Uzzah's death teach us about the human tendency to misunderstand God's actions? [08:36]

3. In what ways does the account of Nadab and Abihu highlight the importance of approaching God with reverence and obedience? [25:06]

4. How does Jonathan Edwards' vivid imagery in his sermon serve to emphasize the grace that holds us from falling into eternal separation from God? [38:02]

---

Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you may have taken God's grace for granted. How can you cultivate a deeper appreciation for His grace in your daily life? [52:40]

2. Consider the ways in which you approach worship. Are there aspects of your worship that might be more about personal preference than reverence for God? How can you shift your focus to what pleases God? [27:08]

3. How do you respond to the idea of God's wrath as a necessary aspect of His justice and holiness? What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of this aspect of God's character? [54:55]

4. In what ways can you ensure that you are clothed in the righteousness of Christ as you approach God? What practical steps can you take to acknowledge your need for His grace? [56:05]

5. Reflect on the urgency of reconciliation through Christ. How can this reality drive you to seek His grace and live in a way that honors His holiness? [56:05]

6. Identify one area in your life where you might be experiencing spiritual complacency. What specific actions can you take to address this and renew your commitment to God? [52:40]

7. Think of a person in your life who may not understand the fullness of God's character. How can you engage them in a conversation that highlights both His love and His holiness? [54:55]

Devotional

Day 1: Reverence for God's Holiness
God's holiness is a profound and awe-inspiring aspect of His character that demands our utmost reverence and obedience. The story of Uzzah, who was struck down for touching the Ark of the Covenant, serves as a stark reminder of the seriousness with which God regards His holiness. This narrative challenges us to reconsider our assumptions about what is truly profane and to approach God with the reverence He deserves. Our sinfulness is a greater defilement than the earth itself, highlighting the need for Christ's righteousness to stand before a holy God. [14:13]

"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." (Revelation 15:4, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a deeper sense of reverence for God's holiness in your daily life, especially in your times of worship and prayer?


Day 2: The Gift of Grace
Over time, we can become so accustomed to God's grace that we begin to assume it as a right. This assumption can lead to spiritual complacency and a misunderstanding of grace, which is undeserved and freely given. Recognizing the danger of familiarity with grace is crucial for maintaining a humble and grateful heart. We must remember that grace is not something we deserve or can demand; it is a gift that should lead us to humility and gratitude. [52:40]

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively remind yourself of the undeserved nature of God's grace today, and how might this change your attitude towards others?


Day 3: Understanding God's Wrath
God's wrath is a necessary aspect of His justice and holiness. Without it, God would be indifferent to evil. Understanding His wrath should lead us to a deeper appreciation of His grace and the salvation offered through Christ. Jonathan Edwards' sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," vividly illustrates the precariousness of our position without Christ and the grace that holds us from falling into eternal separation from God. [54:55]

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." (Romans 1:18, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you witnessed or experienced injustice. How does understanding God's wrath against sin and evil influence your perspective on justice and mercy?


Day 4: Approaching God with Reverence
The accounts of Uzzah and Nadab and Abihu teach us the importance of approaching God with the reverence and obedience He deserves. Worship is not about what pleases us but about what pleases God, who must be regarded as holy. These narratives remind us that God is not to be approached casually or with a sense of entitlement, but with a heart of humility and reverence. [31:43]

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29, ESV)

Reflection: Consider your current approach to worship. What changes can you make to ensure that your worship is centered on reverence and obedience to God?


Day 5: The Urgency of Reconciliation
Without reconciliation through Christ, we stand on the brink of God's wrath. This reality should drive us to seek His grace and to live in a way that honors His holiness, recognizing the seriousness of our spiritual condition. The urgency of reconciliation is a call to examine our lives and ensure that we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, acknowledging our need for His grace. [56:05]

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a relationship in your life that needs reconciliation? How can you take a step towards healing and restoration today, in light of the reconciliation you have received through Christ?

Quotes

Thank you for your detailed instructions. Here are the 12 selected quotes from the transcript:

1. "We live in a culture, and sadly in a church that, if they believe in the existence of God, does not consider God to be holy. But if, per adventure, some may acknowledge that he is holy, they don't add to that holiness any idea of divine justice. And if, with the lamp of Diogenes we are able to find a handful of people who agree that God is both holy and just, it is next to impossible to find someone who will add to these elements the idea that God is a God of wrath." [00:01:56]

2. "The assumption in the world and in the church today is that the love of God, the mercy of God, and the grace of God either swallow up the justice and wrath of God or certainly trump it. Even on national occasions where noted people are buried out at the national cathedral in Washington, it is commonplace to hear choirs sing, or bagpipers play a hymn called 'Amazing Grace.' But nobody believes that grace is amazing. It is something we assume." [00:03:06]

3. "When they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to hold the ark for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and he struck him because he put his hand to the ark and he die there before God. And David became angry because of the Lord's outbreak against ASSA. There fore that place is called Perez-uzza to this day, and David was afraid of God that day, and he said, 'How can I bring the ark of God to me?'" [00:08:24]

4. "Evidently these people never read the fourth chapter of Numbers. You realize that when God divided the tribes and he gave the responsibility of the priesthood and the teaching to the tribe of Levi, that the tribe of Levi was a pretty large tribe and it was broken down into clans, and clans into families. And among the Levites there was the can of the Kohathites, and the sole responsibility of the Kohahthites was to look after the sacred vessels for the tabernacle." [00:16:45]

5. "And in Numbers chapter four - that means do I need something to drink right? I do but I'm not going to interrupt this for it. They were instructed in order to regard the vessels as holy, and under no circumstances were they ever to touch the Ark of the Covenant. And again, in Numbers four it says explicitly that He who touches the Ark of the Covenant, the holy throne of God, must die. Every Kohathite knew it." [00:19:21]

6. "Edwards says that herein was the arrogance, Uzzah assumed that contact with the mud would be a greater sacrilege than contact with the hands of a sinful human being. Edwards says - wait a minute. What is mud but the earth mixed with water? There is nothing innately sinful about dirt. There is nothing innately corrupt about the mixture of dirt with water turning it into mud." [00:21:50]

7. "Worship is to be determined not by what is pleasing to us, but what is pleasing to God. God never counts noses in the Old Testament. Thank you - keep going. The most successful worship service ever recorded in the Bible was found in the Old Testament. It drew more people in attendance, broke all attendance records and the singing was so full of gusto that when the voices of the singers were heard, miles away on a mountain, one of the men who heard the noise of this celebration and this singing thought a war had broken out, and thought that the noise that he was hearing was the tumult that accompanies battle." [00:27:19]

8. "You know the most famous sermon ever preached in America was preached in the eighteenth century in Enfield Connecticut by Jonathan Edwards. You all know the name of that sermon, 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.' I had to read that sermon for the first time in college where it was required reading as an example of sadistic preaching. I thought even then, if Jonathan Edwards was sadistic, which he wasn't, and if he believed in hell, which he did, a sadistic preacher would do everything in his power, gleefully to tell his congregation that there was no such place, and secretly enjoy the inevitability of their being plunged into it." [00:35:54]

9. "Edwards says that the wrath of God is stored up like water behind a dam. Noting the apostle Paul’s teaching that we are storing up, heaping up, treasuring up, racking up wrath against the day of wrath, where the unsuspecting person goes to bed at ease in Zion, with no fear that the dam will ever burst. Then he used the metaphor of the bow, again barrowing from Old Testament imagery where Edwards said to the people, 'God's bow is bent.'" [00:40:59]

10. "The greatest lie, the most monstrous lie, the most brazen lie of all is the lie that people tell themselves, 'I have nothing to worry about, from the wrath of God. My God is a God of love.' Your God is an idol, and no God at all. Edwards challenged the congregation. He said, 'Come on, let's reason about this. Can you give me any reason, since you got out of your bed this morning why you haven't fallen into hell?'" [00:45:00]

11. "I took that occasion to explain to my class, I said, 'You know what you've done when you say, 'That's not fair.' You have confused justice and grace. The minute you think that anybody owes you grace, a bell should go off in your head that reminds you that you are no longer thinking about grace, because grace by definition is something you don't deserve. It is something you can't possibly deserve." [00:53:41]

12. "God must be regarded as holy by anyone who comes near him. So my beloved, if you would come into the presence of God, consider the nature of the God whom you are approaching, that you may come covered by the righteousness of Christ." [00:55:52]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from May 12, 2015. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?