All things needed God. 
But God did not need to create. He did not need at all. 
(John 5:26) Yet, He chose to create. 
For His pleasure. 
And because it was good. 
(Gen. 1:4,10,18, 25, 31)

He can only do what is good. Whether in justice or mercy. 
He is a holy God. 
(Rom. 9:14-23) 

His holiness is not our holiness. It is unique. 
For there is no other, like God. 
(Isaiah 46:9) 

He is not like us. For God is not made in the image of man. 
But man in the image of God. 
(Gen. 1:27) 

" ' For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 
' As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways 
higher than your ways 
and my thoughts than your thoughts. ' " 
(Isaiah 55:8-9) 

Immutable God. God without change. 
(Malachi 3:6) By His unchanging nature, His holiness is insured. 
In all that He is and all that He does; 
He is holy. 

His holiness exposes. (Isaiah 6: 1-7) Brings punishment. (2 Samuel 6:6-7) Induces great excitement of desire. (Exodus 33:12-23) 
Evokes unending praise. (Rev. 4:8-11) 

It is strange and indescribable. (Ezekiel 1:26-28) Unapproachable. (Exodus3:2-5) Fearful. (Exodus 3:6) 
Overwhelming. (Daniel 10:4-9)

And yet, there was an angel, 
Who turned his eyes away. 
He turned his eyes away. From holiness.

"You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty." Angel among angels! Perfect to behold!
Wondrous reflection of a holy God.

"You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared."
Carefully and deliberately prepared.
Beautifully adorned. 

"You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. 
You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones."
Empowered by God's anointing. Ordained. Positioned. 
He dwelt in the fiery place. 
He beheld the holiness of God!

You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created 
till wickedness was found in you. 
Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, 
and you sinned. 
I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you 
O guardian cherub, 
from among the fiery stones." 

And so, he fell. (Jude vs. 6) 

And he fell. (Luke 10:18) 

And he never really stopped falling. (Rev. 20:10) 

"Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor." (Ezekiel 28:11-17)
His eyes, he turned away from God. The Holy One. 
His vision he turned unto himself. 
His own beauty.
His own wisdom. 

And he fell. 

But as he fell, he reached out..... (Gen. 3:1) 

We turned! We looked! (Gen. 3:2-3) 
And as we looked, we turned our eyes away from the Holy One... (Gen. 3:6) 

And we fell. (Gen. 3:7) 

And we fell. (Gen. 6:5-7) 

And we never really stopped falling. (Gen. 11:1-9) 

Until we saw God die. (John 19:30) 
And wake up from the dead. (John 20:10-31) 
And fly up into the sky. (Acts 1:9)

Now we watch for His return. (Acts 1:10-11) 
And with the eyes of our hearts, we perceive... (Job 38:36) 
Once we were blind, but now we see! (Acts 9:3-18) 

In Christ, again, we see the glory. (Acts 7:55-56) 
With eyes unveiled. Faces turned. (2 Cor. 3:18) 
We behold His glory. 
He is our lamp.
Forever more. (Rev. 21:23-24) 

12/25/00
Copyright © 2000 by R. Thomas Brass 
All rights reserved

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