Dangerous Beauty: Encountering God’s Holiness
Isaiah 6 is one of those passages many of us know well. We’ve heard it in sermons, sung parts of it in worship songs, and maybe even memorized a few verses. But let me challenge you—don’t let the familiarity dull your sense of awe. This chapter is meant to shake us.
To help us grasp what Isaiah saw, let’s picture a nuclear reactor. Now, don’t worry—this isn’t about God exploding in destruction. More often than not, nuclear power is used for good. But still, no one enters a reactor room casually. If something goes wrong, the results are devastating. At the same time, there’s a mesmerizing beauty at the reactor’s core—an otherworldly blue glow that is both captivating and dangerous.
That’s a picture of God’s holiness.
When Isaiah encountered the Lord in chapter 6, he experienced the blazing, dangerous beauty of God’s holiness. Even the mighty seraphim, heavenly beings far beyond us, cried out:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3, NIV)
The Hebrew word for glory is kabod—meaning weight, heaviness, significance. God’s glory carries a weight so great that it fills the earth. Just as no one would approach a reactor casually, we cannot come before the Holy God with indifference. His presence is powerful, weighty, and beyond compare.
But here’s the tension: while God is a holy King of dangerous beauty, we live in a world of casual spirituality.
Casual spirituality says, “I believe in God, but He has no say in how I date, spend money, or live my daily life.” It shows up when we treat worship as entertainment, prayer as a last resort, or church as just another consumer choice. If we’re honest, most of us fall into these patterns without even noticing.
But imagine if we viewed worship prayer and devotion as walking into the reactor room of God’s holiness. Would we scroll through our phones? Would we mumble half-hearted lyrics? Or would we fall to our knees in awe, realizing we are in the presence of the Living God?
This truth struck me during a conversation with my oldest daughter. She looked me in the eye and said, “I don’t want you to be my friend … I want you to be my dad.” In that moment, I caught a glimpse of what it means to relate to God. Yes, He is near and loving, but He is not our “buddy.” He is our holy Father, our King.
Dr. R.C. Sproul once wrote:
“The holiness of God affects every aspect of our lives—economics, politics, athletics, romance—everything with which we are involved. We cannot understand sin until we understand what holiness is. Holiness is the centerpiece of God’s attributes.”
Holiness is what makes God, God. And like Isaiah, sometimes we must be undone by it before we can be remade.
So here’s the question for today: Have we grown too casual with the dangerous beauty of God’s holiness?
4-Day Reading Plan:
- Isaiah 6:1-4
- Isaiah 6:5-8
- Isaiah 6:9-13
- Isaiah 7
MBC's Bible Engagement Plan
MBC’s Bible Engagement Plan: Isaiah – From Ruin to Redemption
As a church community, our desire is to move from hearing God’s Word to living it out daily. This Bible Engagement Plan is designed to help us walk through Isaiah together in a weekly rhythm that deepens our understanding while also cultivating habits of daily reading and reflection.
- LISTEN TO THE SUNDAY SERMON
Each week begins with the Pastor’s Sunday sermon on a passage from Isaiah and includes
- Pastor’s Outline: A guide to follow along and take notes. We also suggest picking up the Isaiah scripture journal from the Welcome Center.
- Discussion Questions: Provided to encourage reflection and conversation in small groups, families, or personal study. If you are not already part of a small group, consider joining one this Fall: Click here to explore one of MBC’s small groups
- READ AND REFLECT ON THE WEEKLY PLAN
Monday through Saturday, follow the suggested reading plan outlined in the Saturday eNews Bulletin. As you read and reflect on your passage each day, ask these two guiding questions and jot down your thoughts in your Isaiah journal.
- What does this passage reveal about God—His character, His purposes, or His promises?
- How should I respond in light of what I’ve read—through trust, obedience, repentance, or worship?
- MEMORIZE THE WEEKLY KEY VERSE
Every week, one key verse from the sermon will be highlighted for memory. You are invited to use the free Bible Memory app and join the “Millington Baptist Church” Bible memorization group: Click here to join
- READ AND REFLECT ON THE PASTOR’S DEVOTIONAL BLOG
Each Wednesday, one of our pastors will share a devotional expanding on the sermon theme helping to connect Isaiah’s message to everyday life.
Why This Rhythm Matters
- Immersion: This plan helps you engage learning in multiple ways—hearing, reading, memorizing, and reflecting—so you gain a richer understanding of Isaiah’s message.
- Transformation in Community: Discussion questions and shared readings create space for us to learn together and nurture application of the biblical principles into our daily lives.
Questions or comments?
Contact Amy Huber, Director of Discipleship and Connections: ahuber@millingtonbaptist.org
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Pastor Bob Erbig and Pastor Dave Hentschel
