Sanctify. fill the frame The Hebrew word translated as “to sanctify” is qadash (06942). This root word means to make, to observe as or to pronounce something ceremonially or morally clean. Something that was not morally or ceremonially clean becomes morally clean when someone makes a public pronouncement, some sort of dedication or by simply treating it that way. Biblically, this word describes the process whereby we separate from the world and set aside something or somebody for God. The Process When God wants to reveal himself, he does so by using people who are set apart for his purposes. He also uses special days, sacrifices, sanctuaries and their utensils in order to reveal himself through their use. Sanctification is the process used to prepare these things for the purpose God has for them. There are four methods used for sanctification God sanctifies it himself. God commands someone to sanctify it for his use. The people sanctify it so that they can use it for God’s purposes. People sanctify themselves in order to follow after God. In all four cases, a special event or ceremony marks the sanctification process. An observation It appears that man cannot sanctify something unless God has sanctified it first, or gives his permission to have someone sanctify it for Him. In other words, Sanctification evolves from the presence and permission of God. Examples God sanctifies Sanctification first occurs during the creation week. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because in it he had rested from all his work that God created and made (Gen. 2:3). In this case, sanctification occurs through the blessing, resting and presence of God. Speaking of the tabernacle, God says The door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD is where I will meet you, to speak to you there. I will meet with the children of Israel there. I shall sanctify it with my glory. I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will also sanctify both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office (Ex. 29:42-44). Elsewhere I have defined glory this way. “Kabowd is used of the honour and reputation that you receive from other people. As more people give you that this sort of respect, the heavier this mantle of glory becomes”. God uses this glory cloud to bring sanctification. God in and of himself is morally and ceremonially clean. He reveals this purity through the appearance of his glory cloud. As a result, the presence of God sanctifies everything that is in his presence, everything that God touches with his glory cloud. Notice what it says in Exodus. God meets the children of Israel at the door of the tabernacle. Because his glory is there, he sanctifies the tabernacle of the congregation, the altar, as well as Aaron and his sons. God sanctifies everything that is in his presence, and everybody who enters into his presence by means of the glory that surrounds him. This can be of great relief to any person who feels that they are unworthy to enter into an intimate relationship with God. How you feel about yourself, or how you think God feels about you, has nothing to do with it. Rather, as you approach God, it is His presence, His glory, that God uses to separate you from the world and set you aside for His purposes. God sanctifies the Sabbath because God rests in it and blesses it. God sanctifies the tabernacle because God came down and met Israel at its door. In the New Testament God sanctifies Christians because God dwells in them. God commands sanctification The second method of sanctification is when God asks someone to set something aside for his use. Sanctify unto me all the firstborn; whatsoever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast. It is mine (Exodus 13:2). God asked Moses to set aside all the children spared during the first Passover. Some time later, God exchanged these children for the entire tribe of Levi. Numbers 3:39-42 All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were 22,000. The LORD said to Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names. You shall take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel. Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel as the LORD commanded him. All the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered were 22,273 Although God commanded Moses to sanctify the firstborn of Israel, the following passage makes it clear that God sanctified them for himself. Moses was simply acting on God’s behalf. Something else of interest here is that God’s sanctification is permanent, for all time. Israel exchanged the firstborn of Israel for the Levites and gave them to God as an offering. Consequently, the Levites belong to God for all time. Sanctification is permanent. Thus shall you separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. After that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and you shall cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myself (Numbers 8:14-17). People sanctify The third method of sanctification is when people sanctify something to set it aside for God’s purposes. Moses sanctified the people to protect them from the presence of God (Exodus 19:14). Priests sanctified the offerings given at the tabernacle (Exodus 29:27, 36, 37). Priests sanctified the utensils and furniture of the tabernacle as well as the priests who ministered there (Exodus 40:10, 11, 13). Anointing with oil was the usual method used to sanctify both people and things used in God’s service. This speaks of the presence of God, and is a sign that all sanctification flows from him. When people were sanctified, an offering was made as well (Hebrews 9:13). Self-sanctification Throughout the Old Testament there is a common thread asking various people to sanctify themselves. Joshua said unto the people, sanctify yourselves: tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you (Joshua 3:5). He said, Shalom: I have come to sacrifice to the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. Then he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice (1 Samuel 16:5). The law required that the people prepare themselves in order to enter the presence of God. The New Testament never mentions the need for Christians to sanctify themselves. Instead, The New Testament constantly reminds us that Christians are already sanctified. 1 Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Jude 1,2 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy to you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. We are sanctified because of what Jesus Christ did for us Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Hebrews 9:13,14 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 10:9,10 Then Jesus said, “Behold, I come to do your will, O God”... Through his will, we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. God sanctifies everyone in his presence. The Holy Spirit seals Christians unto the day of redemption. That presence sanctifies all Christians. That is why the Bible calls Christians saints, or sanctified ones. Since the presence of God sanctifies us, Christians never have to sanctify themselves. God has already done that. Sanctification revealed through the names of God Sanctification flows from the presence of God. Wherever God is, there is the sanctification of God. The following names of God reveal where he makes himself known through his sanctifying presence. I am the LORD your God, who sanctifies you Exodus 31:13 I am the LORD, who sanctifies my sanctuaries Leviticus 21:23 I am the LORD, who sanctifies my ministry and those who perform it Leviticus 22:9 I am the LORD, who sanctifies your offerings Leviticus 22:16 I am the LORD, who sanctifies myself in you Numbers 20:13 The LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God, who is holy, shall be sanctified in righteousness Isaiah 5:16 I am the LORD, who sanctifies my people through my Sabbaths Ezekiel 20:12 I am the LORD, who will sanctify my great name Ezekiel 36:23 I am the LORD, who sanctifies my people through the sanctuary Ezekiel 37:28 The God of peace himself shall sanctify you completely 1 Thessalonians 5:2 Conclusions God is pure God surrounds himself with his glory The glory of God brings sanctification God sanctifies everything in his presence as revealed by the glory cloud All sanctification evolves from the presence of God We can only sanctify as directed by God Sanctification is permanent The permanent presence of God sanctifies all Christians We can find other places where God dwells with his sanctifying presence as revealed by the names of God
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 01:51:26 +0000
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