Having a High View of God
This upcoming Sunday, I will be taking a pause from Philippians and dwell on the glory of God. Isaiah 6:3 says, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” The glory of God is a commitment that I have for the church, not just for myself but for you all.
The Greatness of Our God
In a world, where human achievement is celebrated and self-sufficiency is prized, we often diminish our view of God. We remake him into our own image without even realizing it. We make him convenient, manageable, and non-threatening. But Scripture presents us with something completely different. Through Scripture we get to see a God who is transcendent yet immanent, all-powerful yet loving and personal, holy and just yet merciful and gracious.
The prophet Isaiah encountered this God in a vision that left him utterly undone:
"In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple... And I said: '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 6:1, 5)
This vision came during a time of uncertainty for Judah. King Uzziah recently died, someone who Isaiah admired. But Isaiah saw who truly reigned and not just reigned over Israel, but over the entire universe. What a sight that must have been.
The God Who is High and Lifted Up
The Old Testament consistently gives us a picture of God in His transcendent majesty. In Psalm 97:9, “For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.” The prophet Malachi recording God’s own words, “For from the rising sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations” (Mal. 1:11).
This high view of God is practical. It changes our hearts, it leads us to do things we normally wouldn’t do. For example, it led Moses to remove his sandals in Exodus 3:5; and Job repented in dust and ashes after meeting God in Job 42:6. A high view of God leads us to have a revenant fear of God. One that holds him high in our hearts.
In Hebrew, God is called “El Elyon” - God Most High. He is also called the Lord of Hosts, the one who commands all of heavens armies. He is even called the Holy One, the one who is set apart from all creation. God is a God who is not like anything we can ever imagine! Yet, despite’s his transcendence (his highness), he is immanent(very near).
The God who is High, Yet Near
Jesus who was God, humbled himself to the point of death so that we can have access to the Father and have the Spirit dwell within us as a down payment for what is to come. It is this act that allows us to behold him with an unveiled face (2 Cor. 3:18). Something unheard of in prior times. Something even we today do not always comprehend or live out.
It seems that Christianity today has led so many people to view God in the lens of separateness without his closeness. We tend to view life through the lens of how to please him, instead of trusting him. We put the focus on ourselves, instead of on the one who with us. Why? I would argue that it is because many have lost the view of his highness and his nearness. But we cannot comprehend the one without the other.
It begins with knowing that God is high and lifted up. And when we see him, we then become more like him. When we see him, we begin to trust him better and grow in our faith. It is not about us performing, but us beholding.
A High View of God for Today
How then do we have this high view of God?
Through Scripture: When we read God’s self-revelation, what is often called his love letters to us, we read to see his greatness, his glory. As we read, will will see his mighty acts in history, his perfect attributes, and his sovereign purposes - this, through the Spirit, changes us in ways that perfect us.
Through Worship: Trust worship is not about our experience, but about God’s worth. When we worship, whether that be alone, with our family, or when we gather together, we join the heavenly being who cry, “Holy, holy, holy!” We acknowledge that he alone is worthy of our praise. This changes us as well. We become focused on the one true Being, not ourselves.
Through Surrender: A high view of God leads us to inevitably have a proper view of ourselves. Like Isaiah, we recognize our smallness and sinfulness in light of his greatness and holiness. This leads us to not despair, but to be dependent on him. We need him to live this life. In fact, it is no longer us who lives, but Christ who lives within us!
Through Trust: Understanding God’s glory and sovereignty gives us confidence in his providence. It is not about us pleasing God, it is about us trusting him - he is the one working, not us. When we believe that our God reigns supreme over all circumstances, we can rest in His wisdom and care.
The Blessing of a High View
With our eyes on God, everything falls into its proper place. Our problems, though real, are put into a correct perspective. Our fears, though legitimate, are laid aside by faith. Our worship, though imperfect, is fueled by wonder. We become those who are in Awe.
The prophet Habakkuk helps us see this even when things are difficult. Habakkuk 3:17-18 says, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in God of my salvation” (emphasis mine).
This is the ultimate fruit of a high view of God. There will be joy that transcends our circumstances, a faith that stands firm in trials, and a worship that continues no matter what we are going through.
Conclusion
May we continue to behold God, may we see this exalted vision of God through his Word, our worship of him, and our trust in his will. Then, may we like the Psalmist say, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3). For in seeing him, we find ourselves in the right place - his hands, where we as his children are always in.
