(27) Be Holy as God Is Holy

Immanuel Fellowship Church

The conclusion to the book of Ezekiel is a vision of God's holiness. In the middle of the holy land was a holy city. Within the holy city was a holy temple. And in this temple was a most holy place. These places are not like ordinary places. That's the basic idea of holiness; what is holy is distinct from what is common. These holy places teach us about God. He is holy; so holy—so unlike anything else we can know—that the Israelites needed concrete symbols of his holiness. These symbols that Ezekiel witnessed still teach us about the difference between God and everything else.In this way they also teach us about ourselves. We are to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:16). That was true in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were like God. But sin marred a world of good. Holiness is no longer the norm but the exception. Good will once again be separated from evil, in the age to come. Until then God is saving sinners to make them again like him. Our text shows what that means and urges us to come out from the world and be holy.