Skip to main contentHistorical Examples — Holiness
292 illustrations
Seek Good and Not Evil: The Path to Divine Friendship
First, it demands a *specific pursuit* (*zēteō* – to seek diligently).
Ezekiel 5:14Universaldivine friendshipmoral choice
The Merciful Man Does Good to His Own Soul
Since He is full of mercy Himself, He delights when we exercise the same toward our fellow creatures.
Proverbs 11:17UniversalThe paradox of self-interest in mercy
The Renewal of God's Law: From Stone to Heart
Initially, when God inscribed the law upon man's heart at creation, the preparation and writing belonged exclusively to Elohim.
Exodus 33:1
Four Paths of Examination: Private, Social, Sacred, Public
First, consider your *private* ways—those moments in solitude when no eye observes but Yahweh's.
Psalms 119:59
Self-Examination Before the Lord's Table
This is not peculiar to Christianity—the ancient Greeks inscribed "Know thyself" on their noblest public buildings.
1 Corinthians 10:28Universalself-knowledge
Sin as a Veil: The Mirror of the Soul Shattered
The human mind's finite grasp of the Infinite does not account for our blindness to Yahweh; rather, our sinful moral nature darkens His countenance and dulls our spiritual perception.
Isaiah 25:7
The Spirit's Voice and the Church's Character
The Spirit speaking to the Church reveals three foundational truths: First, certain great moral elements alone determine the character of individuals or communities.
Revelation 1:22Universalspiritual authenticity versus formalism
Hidden Things Revealed: Providence and the Day of Judgment
Our Lord justifies His parabolic teaching method on the principle that immediate revelation is not always desirable.
Mark 4:22Universaldivine timing and providence
The Buyer's Boast: Fraud Exposed in Commerce
This proverb exposes the merchant who deprecates goods to negotiate a lower price, then brags of his shrewd bargain once the transaction concludes.
Proverbs 20:14Universalcommercial ethics
The Sun That Never Sets: Heaven's Eternal Light
Jesus becomes the Sun Himself, shining immediately upon all inhabitants.
Isaiah 58:20
God's Quiet Method of Destroying: The Moth as Divine Judgment
Keil and Delitzsch note that moths destroy garments (Isaiah 51:8; Psalm 39:12), while worms corrupt both wood and flesh—figures of insidious decay working without announcement.
Ezekiel 5:12
The Cart Laden with Sheaves: Sin's Burden Upon God
This image captures Amos's declaration: "Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves." God does not speak in literal terms—the Almighty cannot be physically oppressed—but rather as a great father addresses his...
Ezekiel 2:13
Departing from Evil Company to Preserve Piety
A godly person cannot maintain spiritual vitality while dwelling among those who mock the ways of Adonai.
Psalms 119:115
Scripture's Wonder: A Threefold Reason for Obedience
Spurgeon identifies three compelling reasons woven into Scripture's wonderful character.
Psalms 119:129
The Burning Bush: Reverence Guards Against Presumption
As the burning bush appeared ordinary yet blazed with divine presence, so the Church contains the extraordinary glory of Elohim.
Exodus 1:58
Mirrors of Christ: Reflecting His Glory Through Unveiled Faces
We are not merely *beholding* (*theaomai*) Christ's glory as observers; we are ourselves becoming mirrors that *reflect* His image.
2 Corinthians 1:18Universaltransformation through Christ's presence
The Exclusivity of Divine Service: Choosing Whom You Will Serve
The service of Elohim is exclusive; it admits no interference, competition, or divided homage.
Judges 19:16
Salt of the Earth: The Christian's Calling to Purify Society
The Church exists for the world's sake more than for its own comfort.
Matthew 5:13UniversalChristian witness and moral influence
The Threefold Cord of God's Eternal Nature
Righteousness means God cannot deviate from what is right and just—He is the eternal standard of moral perfection.
Psalms 119:142
Love and Righteousness: The Spectrum of God's Nature
He employs no qualifying phrases such as 'loving though righteous' or 'righteous yet loving'—language that suggests tension between these attributes.
Psalms 25:8-9
The Fear of God: Restraint and Direction in Righteousness
The fear of God operates as a restraining influence upon the heart.
Psalms 25:12Universaldivine guidance through reverence
Affliction as God's Severe Mercy: Reclaiming His Wayward People
Yet Yahweh employs affliction not as abandonment but as severe reclamation.
Ezekiel 5:15
The Godly Man Meets God in Rejoicing
First, he worketh righteousness—not confined to manual, commercial, or professional spheres alone, but in all his labors rectitude governs him, not expediency.
Isaiah 63:5
Partial Repentance: Returning Without Return to God
Their repentance was fundamentally defective—a *nostos* (return) of behavior without a *epistrophe* (turning toward) Adonai.
Ezekiel 6:16
Joseph S. Exell
Conscience shaped by compassion
Universal
divine mercy and restoration
the internalization of God's law
Universal
self-examination
spiritual transformation
Charles H. Spurgeon192 words
spiritual readiness
Universal
moral blindness
the knowledge of God
Alexander Maclaren261 words
character development through struggle
hidden sin revealed
the eye of God
Universal
God's direct presence in eternity
the permanence of heaven versus earthly transience
Universal
divine judgment
silent decay
Universal
divine sorrow over human rebellion
the weight of transgression
Universal
separation from evil
spiritual integrity
Charles H. Spurgeon203 words
Universal
God's character
Scripture's authority
Charles H. Spurgeon196 words
Universal
reverence as spiritual protection
limits of human inquiry
the veil of unbelief
Universal
undivided devotion to God
rejection of false alternatives
Preservation of spiritual character
Universal
God's immutability
divine righteousness
Charles H. Spurgeon204 words
Universal
divine character
harmony of God's attributes
Alexander Maclaren220 words
the dual nature of godly fear
Universal
divine justice tempered with mercy
affliction as redemptive tool
Universal
divine encounter
righteous living
Universal
the danger of surface-level spiritual reform
God's demand for wholehearted return