June 17

And in that day a great ram’s horn will sound, and those who were perishing in Assyria will come forth with those who were exiles in Egypt. And they will worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. — Isa 27:13 BSB

When the great trumpet sounds, the perishing and outcasts come. And what do they do when they come? They don’t trifle with sin, mock God, or abuse His grace. Instead, they "worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem" (Isaiah 27:13). They worship Him in spirit and truth, in the beauty of holiness. With purified hearts, cleansed consciences, and spiritual affections, they fall before Him, deeply moved by His great love. Before, they had no such heavenly feelings; they couldn’t worship God in the holy mount or at Jerusalem because they hadn’t heard the great trumpet, nor had their chains been broken and the prison gates opened. But now, with liberty of spirit, they worship God fully and freely.

Where do they worship Him? "In the holy mount," which spiritually signifies Mount Zion, the place where Jesus sits in glory. The Father declared, "I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion" (Psalm 2:6). Jesus reigns from this holy hill, ruling with love in His heart, grace on His lips, and the gospel in His hands. He rules over a holy people with a holy scepter.

Many people talk about holiness, but what kind of holiness are they seeking? Often, it’s a form of holiness that comes from human effort—a legalistic sanctity that relies on doing certain things and avoiding others. This kind of holiness, resembling the works-based righteousness of a St. Dominic, is not the holiness Scripture speaks of.

True holiness, the holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14), is produced only by the Spirit of God in the soul. It is a holiness birthed from the gospel, not the law. When the great trumpet of jubilee sounds in the soul, and the heart comes obediently to its call, true holiness is born within. Spiritual desires, affections, views, and feelings are given, and this is the holiness that the Spirit works in the heart of God’s people. Without this holiness, no one will see the Lord.