2 Peter 1:21

2 Peter 1:21: “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” What made those men holy? They were holy because the Holy Spirit spoke his Word through them. We have an example in Isaiah: he saw God seated on his glorious throne and despaired, “‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to [him], having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched [his] mouth with it, and said, ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin is purged’” (Is. 6:5-7). Because something holy from God came and touched Isaiah, he was made holy, forgiven, and able to share the Word. That Word itself is a holy thing from the altar of God. Where it goes it sanctifies. It is a living and active Word, “sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). It is natural for all human beings since Adam and Eve to look for God or holiness somewhere other than God’s revealed means. He “does not want to deal with us in any other way than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. Whatever is praised as from the Spirit—without the Word and Sacraments—is the devil himself” (SA III.viii.10). Through the blessed Word and Sacraments, though, the Holy Spirit makes you holy, purges your sin, and unites you with the holiness of Jesus. In the Word and Sacraments, Jesus comes to you, having paid for your sins, and gives you his righteousness and life. Amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.