Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh -

Holy is the LORD God of hosts

Isaiah 6:3

Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts:
the whole earth is full of his glory.
(Isaiah 6:3 KJV).

In Jewish thinking, "The Holy One, blessed be He,"
(ha'kadosh, barukh hu) is one of the most commonly used designations for God.

The idea of the holy (kadosh) implies differentiation: the realm of the holy is entirely set apart from the common, the habitual, or the profane. The holy is singular, awe-inspiring, even "terrible" or dreadful (see Neh. 1:5; Psalm 68:35).

HaKadosh - The Holy One

Hear it Chanted!

As the Holy One (ha'kadosh), the Lord of Hosts (Adonai Tzeva'ot) is utterly unique, distinct, sacred, and set apart as the only One of its kind. He alone is worthy of true worship and adoration, since He alone is utterly peerless, without rival, and stands in relation to the world as Creator and Lord. Yes, only the Lord is infinitely and eternally Other -- known to Himself as "I AM THAT I AM" (Exodus 3:15).

And yet, as this verse says, the whole earth is full of His glory (kavod). That is, the handiwork of Adonai reveals His Presence and bears His signature. In the case of man, the image of God (tzelem elohim) (Gen. 1:27) communicates this sense of God's holiness and denotes that the essence of man -- his spirit -- is also to be set apart as sacred and uncommon. In God's world, no human being is considered "common" or ordinary.

Man was created to reflect the truth about Who God is. But the Fall of man distorted the image of God and corrupted the ability of man to reflect this truth. When we confess Jesus as our Lord and are born again, the power of the Holy Spirit begins to conform us to the image of Mashiach (see 2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 8:29).

Like the Seraphim in Isaiah's vision, this witness and confession of the holiness and glory of God is worship -- ascribing to God the truth of His infinite worth and glory. May you join the refrain in adoration of the Lord of hosts today!


Hebrew Lesson
Isaiah 6:3b Hebrew reading (click):

Isaiah 6:3b Hebrew Lesson
 



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