The Hill

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭24:3-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is holy

I remember having a hearty chuckle at my cousin visiting from out of town as he expressed absolute disbelief and disgust at his experience at a local club he had visited the night before.His gripe? The bar didn’t sell beer! Beer fell short of its exclusivity standard! He was made to feel like he wasn’t good enough - he didn’t belong. “The pretentiousness of this city!” He exclaimed!

It made me reflect on what places or settings or people I felt legitimately carried such gravitas that I would feel out of my league or out of place. There are in fact things out there that are so excellent, so full of virtue and goodness, so brilliantly inerrant, so beautiful and perfect that they command honour and obeisance. In their presence one can experience a sense of awe, feel small or even unworthy. Perhaps places where significant achievements were accomplished. Perhaps people who have made great sacrifices or championed great causes or wield great power.

I can think of a few places, people and contexts like that, but now consider the following scene:

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Something about what Jesus did exposed to Peter who Jesus was and he couldn't handle it. Peter, in a moment of clarity, somehow saw the gulf that existed, on some deep existential level, between the two of them and it was too much for him. I understand reverence and awe; recognising greatness and perhaps feeling small in its presence, but this is something else entirely. What kind of presence is able to make mature, skilled men want to escape in discomfort? Run and hide in unworthiness? Peter couldn't even run away. All he could do was fall to the ground and plead for Jesus to leave instead!

This, friends, is a glimpse of what true holiness is! True holiness makes you want to run the other way because of the surpassing excellence of the thing you are encountering.

True holiness makes you want to run the other way because of the surpassing excellence of the thing you are encountering.

How, then, are we to respond to the One who is the reference for all of existence? The standard of perfection. The pinnacle of morality. The exemplification of beauty. He is eternal and in all these -perfection, morality, beauty - He is infinite and therefore unapproachable. The magnitude of God's greatness should fill us all with terror. The idea of even comparing the uncreated God with anything in creation is nothing short of blasphemous. There is none like Him. His Word is the definition of life. His work is perfect and all His ways are just. His presence is unfathomable glory. Our mortal bodies cannot take in the sight of His face and live. He represents an existence that is entirely set apart from anything else. This is holiness. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty!

There is nothing in the universe that can stand in the presence of God. There is no room for it there. Creation itself knows it and responds accordingly...

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

Revelation 20:11 NIV

The wonder of relationship with God

This is why it is the mystery and marvel of men and angels alike that sinful humanity can call God friend and Father and draw near to Him. The highest heavens in all their glory, magnificence and majesty flee from His presence - pitifully unworthy to take up adjacent space - yet room is found for us. It is inconceivable, but because God set His great love upon us, He found a way to make it so, where God himself paid the greatest price, an unthinkable sacrifice to bring a rebellious people close.

It makes sense, then, that scripture says without holiness no one shall see God. Nothing short of holiness can stand His presence. So, those who would worship Him must worship Him as the Holy One. Those who would draw near to Him must necessarily be holy as He is holy.

Through the work of Christ on the cross, we who believe in Christ have positional holiness. This is in exactly the same way that we have positional authority - seated with Christ in heavenly places. And similarly,the invitation of heaven is for us to enter into a place of practical holiness. Holy in all of our conduct, heart posture and mind attitude. Like God. This is impossible, of course, except for Jesus, through whom we can do all things. As we step out, in faith to be like him - in response to His call and invitation - in the knowledge that the great I am who is above all things and holds all things - including us - is with us - we will find ourselves doing the impossible - walking on the water - living out holiness.

The Hill of the Lord

Scripture uses the imagery of holiness as a hill or a mountain so many times, both literally and metaphorically. In Psalm 24 it puts out the rhetorical question, "who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place?". Psalm 15 says it this way:

“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭15:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The picture painted here is not just the summit of the mountain being holy, but the entire thing. Seemingly implying that even within holiness, like everything else in God, there are degrees! As the song goes, God is "endless ocean, bottomless sea!"

It seems to me that ascending the hill represents higher degrees of holiness. It reminds me of the Old Testament tabernacle which had the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies - the last place being where God Himself would physically meet the high priest. When Psalm 24 asks, “Who can stand in His Holy place” It seems to me its asking, “what does it take to stand in the Holy of Holies - face to face with God? Is there anyone willing to do what it takes - willing to ascend the hill?”

" Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?" is an invitation to get to and live in the holy of holies. To practically live out holiness and to experience, in ever-increasing measure, the glories hidden therein. To encounter God in a tangibly physical way. It's a call to go on a journey in pursuit of lofty ideals. separating oneself from the lowly and common, taking the more costly route of ascending difficulty in order to apprehend an uncommon prize. Its a call to do what it takes to be found standing in God's holy place in order to indulge in the delights of His holy presence.

Psalm 24 answers its own question, "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place"

'The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. '

Psalms 24:4 NIV

Basically, the one who shall ascend the holy hill and who shall stand in His holy place is the one who uses God as their reference for how they should live and aligns their hearts and actions to His holy standard, and remains continually in that place. There is only one standard and source of perfection, morality and beauty - those who would ascend the hill of the Lord dare never settle for any other standard.

The Pursuit of Holiness

To be like God. To align our lives with His Word. To seek His will and esteem it above all. In loving others sacrificially. In treasuring and desiring Him single-heartedly. In decidedly shunning all that is not like Him. In choosing His way over our selfish will. This is the pursuit of holiness. And make no mistake, a pursuit is exactly what it is. It is a hot, passionate pursuit. It is an intimate pursuit. Like a lover longing to be with their lover...

“See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The ESV translation uses unholy instead of godless in the above scripture. Why is sexual intimacy being used here to allegorise holiness? Holiness is to God what sex is meant to be for married lovers. It is the ultimate expression of love, desire and commitment. Its an act of consummation of the covenantal pledge of allegiance to your soul mate. It is a becoming “one” in a way that involves body, soul and Spirit. To be holy is to become like God - in body, soul, and Spirit. Sexual immorality is giving that which was to be reserved for your life partner - the most passionate and intimate expression of your essence - to someone else. Unholiness is giving that which was to be reserved for God - intimacy and allegiance - to things in the world. Sex is an uncommon act reserved for an uncommon context - marriage. It is meant to be holy - separated as something reserved for a single person. Just like we are to be towards God. There is nothing more allegorical to unholiness than sexual immorality. It is an illicit affair with the world. By giving what was to be reserved for God to the world, you are making it common. God forbid that we make common what was intended to be holy.

Holiness is to God what sex is meant to be for married lovers. It is the ultimate expression of love, desire and commitment

Friends, there are no words that exist that can describe or explain the reward of holiness. Power, authority, glory, eternity. How does one describe what it is to become like God? All this world’s best delights, if they were to be all summed up and poured into one person at the same time, would amount to no more than the equivalent of a single ordinary meal when compared to the riches of holiness. What is one meal in an eternal timeline? Nothing.

I leave you with a final scripture:

“In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:20-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There is a great work to be done. The establishing of the City of God. Let us cleanse ourselves from what is common. Let us ascend the hill of the Lord. Let us stand in His holy place. Let us become like God. With man this is impossible. But as we attempt it - put action to our faith, looking to Jesus, He will enable us. This is grace, His enablement within us.

Last up in this five-part series: The Crux