God's Holiness Is Dangerous

And the LORD said to me, “Son of man, take careful notice. Use your eyes and ears, and listen to everything I tell you about the regulations concerning the LORD’s Temple. Take careful note of the procedures for using the Temple’s entrances and exits. [Ezekiel 44.5]

Why? How does the use of Temple entrances and exits affect anything?

Verses 17-19 give us some insight into why:

“When they enter the gateway to the inner courtyard, they must wear only linen clothing. They must wear no wool while on duty in the inner courtyard or in the Temple itself. They must wear linen turbans and linen undergarments. They must not wear anything that would cause them to perspire. When they return to the outer courtyard where the people are, they must take off the clothes they wear while ministering to me. They must leave them in the sacred rooms and put on other clothes so they do not endanger anyone by transmitting holiness to them through this clothing. [Ezekiel 44.17-19]

The Old Testament Temple was where God chose to dwell. And, because God chose to dwell there, His holiness was there. God's holiness is dangerous. God's holiness will not tolerate sin in any way, shape, form, or fashion. God's holiness will consume and annihilate sin and the person or persons upon whom it is found. God's holiness is no joke and certainly not to be carelessly considered.

It is because of God's holiness in the Temple that the requirements for the use of its entrances and gates were so important! God wasn't just piling rules upon the people - He was protecting them!

With this in mind, it is important to consider that when Jesus died on the cross, it was documented that the veil in the current Temple was torn. Jesus made it possible that man could enter into God's presence by the condition of faith in Christ preventing man therefore from being consumed by God's holiness. Genuine faith in Christ brings God's holiness into the believing man.

This is why faith is so important. This is why faith cannot be regarded casually! This is why faith must be paramount. This is why Jesus demanded faith. 

This is why Jesus demonstrated faith. He wanted there to be no mistaking what faith looks and acts like. Too much was at stake to leave anything to human interpretation! Jesus had to show us the way! Any other way would trespass against God's holiness and result in annihilation.

Apart from faith in Christ there is no way man can come to God. The sin nature of man qualifies him for immediate and thorough destruction in God's presence. The only way God can look upon a man and not destroy him is to look at him through the sacrificial blood of Jesus.

God's holiness is serious. It was serious in the days of the Temple and it is serious today in the age of grace through faith.

Father, I want to be serious in my estimation of Your holiness. I know I cannot be good enough to come to Your presence. I know that faith in Jesus is my only hope. Help my unbelief!!!