The Bible refers to God as “holy” over 600 times. But what exactly does it mean when the Bible calls God holy? The word “holy” means set apart, sacred, and spiritually pure. When the Bible emphasizes God’s holiness by saying “holy, holy, holy” it is stressing the supreme sacredness and moral perfection of God’s nature. Let’s take a closer look at the biblical meaning of God’s holiness.
The Seraphim’s Declaration of God’s Holiness
The most famous occurrence of the phrase “holy, holy, holy” is in Isaiah 6:3, where the seraphim are declaring the holiness of God:
“And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!'” (Isaiah 6:3 ESV)
This scene is the prophet Isaiah’s vision of the throne room of God. The seraphim are six-winged angelic beings who were attending the throne and calling out about God’s supreme holiness. The threefold repetition “holy, holy, holy” is a way of expressing the superlative – emphasizing that God’s holiness is unsurpassed and supreme.
Holiness as an Essential Aspect of God’s Nature
Holiness is an essential aspect of God’s nature and character. 1 Samuel 2:2 states: “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” As this verse indicates, God’s holiness means He is absolutely unique and set apart from all of creation. There is no one like Him.
Holiness is also closely related to God’s perfection. Because God is morally perfect and completely without sin, He is distinguished from all creation and set apart as holy (see Habakkuk 1:13). The Bible often connects God’s holiness with his righteousness, justice, and purity.
Holy Means Set Apart
The fundamental meaning of holy is to be “set apart”. Places, objects, and even people can be considered holy if they are specially dedicated to serve God. For example, priests and the temple were referred to as holy because they were set apart for God’s purposes (see Exodus 29:37). But God’s holiness is intrinsic to His being. He is altogether holy – completely distinct and transcendent above all creation.
Leviticus 11:44-45 says “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy… For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” God’s people are called to strive for holiness because He Himself is holy.
Holy, Holy, Holy Suggests the Trinity
Many theologians see an allusion to the Trinity in the threefold declaration of God’s holiness. Though the doctrine of the Trinity is not fully developed in the Old Testament, God’s triune nature can be seen in passages like Isaiah 6:3. The New Testament makes clear that God exists in three co-equal and co-eternal Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Saying God is “holy, holy, holy” may be a way of broadly hinting at the three Persons while maintaining the truth that God is one God. Each person of the Trinity – Father, Son, and Spirit – shares fully in the holiness of God’s divine nature.
Human Beings Cannot Enter God’s Holy Presence
God’s holiness presents a problem for sinful human beings who wish to approach Him. Scripture teaches that due to God’s moral purity, unholy creatures are unable to stand before Him. After Isaiah encounters the holy Lord in his vision, he cries out:
“Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!'” (Isaiah 6:5)
Isaiah realizes his sinfulness and need for atonement in order to enter God’s holy presence. His sin is cleansed, allowing Isaiah to stand before the Throne and speak for God (Isaiah 6:6-7).
Jesus Makes Possible Fellowship with the Holy God
As Immanuel (“God with us”), Jesus lived a perfectly holy life and then offered Himself as the atoning sacrifice for sin on the cross. Now believers can be cleansed from sin by faith in Christ and be made holy in God’s sight (Hebrews 10:10). Through Jesus, fellowship with the holy God becomes possible.
The apostle Paul writes that God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing…even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:3-4). Only through Christ’s work are we now able to approach the holy God.
We Are Called to Live Holy Lives
As God’s redeemed people, Christians are called to strive to live holy lives reflecting the character of God. Peter writes, “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy'” (1 Peter 1:15-16). Our holiness will always be imperfect and incomplete in this life. But we are to grow in holiness as we become more Christlike.
Heaven Is Filled with the Holy Presence of God
The climactic vision of God’s holiness is seen in the book of Revelation. The apostle John has visions of worship in heaven where God is surrounded by His heavenly hosts crying out “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8).
One day believers will stand before the throne and join the heavenly chorus declaring the holiness of God. We will dwell in His holy presence for eternity (Revelation 21:3). The triune God’s holiness will be on full display in the new heavens and new earth.
In summary, the Bible’s declaration that God is “holy, holy, holy” highlights the supreme sacredness and moral perfection of God’s nature. His holiness means He is completely set apart from all creation. Understanding the holy nature of God should lead us to approach Him with reverence and awe.
