Jehovah Mekadesh

Today in Bible Study Arlene taught on Jehovah Mekadesh, The Lord Who Makes You Holy.  Many of us, me included, find the concept of holiness hard to grasp. What exactly is holiness? What does it look like in my life? Why is it important? The message today answered these questions and brought holiness into a much sharper focus.

WHAT IS HOLINESS?

The LORD makes Himself known as Jehovah Mekadesh to the Israelites in the book of Exodus: "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy” (Ex. 31:13).  Holiness is not just relevant to the Israelites of the Old Testament; it is just as important to us today. In 1 Peter 1:15-16 God says: “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy.”  From the Hebrew, holiness can be defined ‘to be set apart or made hollow’.  Arlene gave us four characteristics of holiness to show us what it should look like in our lives.

1) Holiness is characterized by rest. As we just read, the Lord made Himself known by Jehovah Mekadesh in Exodus but the first mention of holiness is found in Genesis 2:3: “And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Gen. 2:3).  We have been reminded throughout the year that first mention is important and ‘context is king’.  God expresses that the there is a connection between holiness, rest and blessing. This rest could be characterized in our lives the following ways:

Relinquishing our sovereignty-A realization that I am not the god of my own life.

Relinquishing our agenda. I need to make room in my life for the surprises of God.

Relinquishing our striving.  I need to trust God and let go of self-sufficiency.

Relinquishing our self-righteousness. God makes me holy; I can’t make myself holy.

Relinquishing our work. God tells us to come to Him when we are weary. Sometimes we just need to stop. He wants us to have times of rest, recreation and refreshment.

2) Holiness is characterized by distinctiveness. In Exodus 31:13 in the Amplified Version this verse reads: “that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you (set you apart for Myself).”   We can see once more that it is the Lord at work. We can also see that there is a close relationship between being made holy and being set apart to Him.  Being set apart makes us distinctive.  He sets us apart so that we will look like Him to the outside, watching world.

Leviticus 19 opens with the following: "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:2).  The remainder of the chapter details commands from the Lord regarding the behavior of the Israelites. God is giving them commands so they would live differently than the pagan people they were surrounded by. He wanted them to look like Him and reflect His character.  This is God’s desire for us as well. We should look different.   

How do New Testament Christians look different?  a) We don’t suffer the same; “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:5-6);  b) We don’t view success the same. In the world. acclaim and material wealth signal success; as Christians, doing what God has called us to do marks a successful life;  c) We love our enemies; and d) We forgive.

3) Holiness is characterized by possession and identification.

We are God’s possession. “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5).  In Isaiah 43:9 it says “But now, this is what the LORD says--he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” Isaiah 43:9).

Our identity also lies with Him. “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Col. 3:12).

4) Holiness is characterized by process and change.

As we have just learned, it is God who makes us holy. So what is our part? We have to cooperate with Him. Arlene shared an equation to bring this point home:

Grace + Truth + Time = Change

Grace – “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12). 

Truth – “Sanctify  them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

Time –“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor. 3:18 KLV)

Arlene explained that when we have grace but no truth, licentious is the result. Conversely, truth without grace is legalism.  When we go to God we do not deny our sin or try to fix ourselves. We don’t put ourselves under the law and condemnation. We confess our sin to God and ask for His grace to overcome.  We then pour God’s Word of truth into us. We meditate of those verses that speak to our struggle and even commit them to memory.  The more we are in God’s word the more it will work in us. Over time God will change us. As Arlene pointed out, change is a process. In our society quick-fixes are the norm. This isn’t how God works. He wants us to cooperate with Him and over time there will be change.

WHY IS HOLINESS IMPORTANT?

1) Holiness increases the awareness of God’s presence and activity in our lives. “make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). I want to see the Lord!

2)  Without holiness we may miss out on the amazing things that God is doing. “Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you” (Joshua 3:5). The more we cooperate with God the more we will see His awesome works!

“In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.  If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Tim. 2:20-21).