Before Thanksgiving day, 2022 a friend of my wife and I gave me an interesting assignment.  She said: “Merlin, here is a scripture I’d like to have you ponder upon.”  She then shared with me this scripture – Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness (1 Chronicles 16:29)  Linda, I have pondered upon this scripture and here are some ideas that have come to me:

Worship in the Beauty of Holiness

2 Chronicles 16:29

Holy One of Israel

“Let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it” (Isaiah 5:19).

     1. Christ is the Holy One of Israel.

Holy

• See also Holiness; Pure, Purity; Sanctification

Sacred, having a godly character, or spiritually and morally pure. The opposite of holy is common or profane.

• Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation, Ex. 19:5–6 (1 Pet. 2:9).
• The Lord commanded Israel: Be holy, for I am holy, Lev. 11:44–45.
• Those with clean hands and a pure heart shall stand in his holy place, Ps. 24:3–4.
• Teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, Ezek. 44:23. (Topical Guide, Scripture helps, ChurchofJesusChrist.org

2.  The Lord wants us to be Holy also.

What is the meaning of perfect in the Bible?

The term rendered “perfect” in most English translations is τέλειοι (téleioi), the same word used in the Septuagint for תָּמִים (tamím) and meaning “brought to its end, finished; lacking nothing necessary to completeness“.

9 ¶ These are the ^agenerations of Noah: ^bNoah was a just man and ^cperfect in his generations, and Noah ^dwalked with God.  (cross reference to this scripture is as follows:)  HEB complete, whole, having integrity. 

      3. Noah was a just man and perfect.  Perfection and Holiness work together to refine us and help us become like God. (see Matthew 5:48 – be ye therefore perfect)

integrity

See definition of integrity on Dictionary.com

• nounhonor, uprightness

• nouncompleteness

SYNONYMS FOR integrity

Compare Synonyms

• honesty
• principle
• probity
• purity
• rectitude
• sincerity
• virtue
• candor
• forthrightness
• goodness
• honestness
• honorableness
• incorruptibility
• incorruption
• righteousness
• straightforwardness

ANTONYMS FOR integrity

MOST RELEVANT

• deceit
• dishonesty
• corruption
• disgrace
• dishonor
• incompleteness

Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

 

     4. Let us strive for perfection, becoming whole (holy) and develop integrity and strive to become more godlike. God votes for us, Satan votes against us, and we cast the deciding vote.

 

Summary:

Jesus Christ was the only sinless and perfect man who ever lived.  He desires that we become like him and become holy (whole) and perfect – meaning Complete, whole, having integrity. The Savior exemplifies the qualities of Heavenly Father, who, like his only begotten son, desires that we too become holy.

In order to accomplish what God wants for us we must accept Jesus Christ as our mediator and keep his commandments.  The more we accomplish that awesome, worthy goal the more beautiful we become as we radiate God’s goodness.

Therefore, let us “Worship in the Beauty of Holiness (2 Chron. 20:21).”  Striving each day to become a little better.

Someone once said, “Live the best you can until you know better – and when you know better, be better.

Someone once said:  God operates a beauty parlor.  (The more we become like Him, the more beautiful we become).

Merlin Frei

p.s.  Thank you, Linda, for your assignment to ponder upon this scripture.  It meant a lot to me.