TEACHING NOTES Introduction As we continue our study of biblical words, the concept of holiness and sanctification is certainly necessary to understand. Throughout the Bible, God is referred to as holy and God calls His people to be holy. However, if we have the wrong (or limited) definition of holiness we will misunderstand our calling. So, today we’re going to take a journey through the Bible and let the text tell us the meaning of holiness and sanctification. ‌ God is Holy ‌ Exodus 15:11 ESV 11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? ‌ Who is like you, O LORD? = This gives us a clue to the biblical meaning of holiness. For Moses, there is no other being like Yahweh and he calls that “holiness.” ‌ Modern View of Holiness We often think of being holy as being religious or as being morally good or even moral perfection. This makes holiness seem impossible. ‌ Biblical View of Holiness ‌ Holy = HEB. קדשׁ (qadosh), GRK. ἅγιος (hagios) - sacred, consecrated, dedicated to God, set apart, different, unique. Being unique/set apart is the primary meaning. ‌ Holiness/sanctification is about being unique or set apart for God, which leads us to be morally different, but is not limited to morality. ‌ When we survey how the Bible uses the word “holy” it becomes clear that it cannot be limited to moral goodness. ‌ A Holy Day ‌ Genesis 2:3 ESV 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. ‌ The 7th day is made holy = This tells us clearly that holiness is not about morality. A day (unit of time) cannot be moral or immoral. It means that the seventh day is set apart as unique from the other six days. Why is the seventh day unique? Because God did something different on the seventh day than He did on the other six days. So, the seventh day was unique because God did something unique and then declared that day’s identity as unique. ‌ The seventh day was holy because God made it holy. ‌ A Holy Place ‌ Exodus 3:1 ESV 1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ‌ Horeb, the mountain of God = This is later called Mt. Sinai. ‌ Exodus 3:2–3 ESV 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” ‌ Exodus 3:4–5 ESV 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” ‌ Do not come near = Apparently, the radiant glory/presence of God can be dangerous to humans who are corrupted by sin. ‌ This place is holy ground = Why? Because any place where the presence of God is located has become a completely unique (holy) place. Wherever God’s Holy presence is becomes a Holy Place. ‌ The place was holy because God’s holy presence was there. ‌ How does Moses respond? ‌ Exodus 3:6 ESV 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. ‌ Moses hid his face = Moses is afraid because he knows that he is in the presence of a completely unique (holy) God. Moses feels that he is unworthy to be in God’s presence. People respond an encounter with God this way throughout the Bible. They know they are too sinful and impure to be in God’s perfect presence. ‌ After God delivers Israel from Egypt, He tells them to construct a Holy Place that will house His presence among them. Why? Because God wants His people not to hide from His presence, but to approach and live with His presence. ‌ Exodus 26:33–34 ESV 33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. 34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. ‌ The Holy Place and Most Holy Place = In the tabernacle, there were three sections: (1) The outer court, (2) The Holy Place, (3) The Most Holy Place. As you enter the tabernacle each section increases in holiness as you get closer to the presence of God. Only priests were allowed in the Holy Place and only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place and only on the annual Day of Atonement. The closer you get to God, the more set apart (holy) you must be. ‌ Analogy: Think about the Sun, which is a huge radiating light. In our solar system, the Sun is completely unique from every other planet. And every other planet is kept in their orbit by the gravitational force of the Sun. The Sun is also the source of life for our planet. But the Sun is also dangerous to humans. The closer you get to the Sun, the more heat you experience. Without some kind of protection covering your vulnerable body, you would burn up. Essentially, that’s what the tabernacle and the rituals were—a way to cover impurity so God’s people could get closer to His radiant presence. ‌ A Holy People ‌ Exodus 19:5–6 ESV 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” ‌ Israel was holy because God’s holy presence was with them. ‌ Exodus 34:34–35 ESV 34 Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him. ‌ Moses’ face was shining = The radiant glory of God is now on Moses, shining from his own face. God’s holiness made Moses holy. We see something similar in Isaiah, where God’s holiness purifies him to do God’s will (see Isa. 6:1-7). ‌ What can be holy? ‌- God is Holy. ‌- A day of the week is holy. ‌- A place of God’s presence is holy. ‌- God’s chosen people are holy. ‌ In the New Testament, Jesus came to accomplish the goal of the Old Covenant. God wanted to be with His people, but they continued to reject Him. Before the cross, Jesus prayed that His disciples would be sanctified (made holy). ‌ John 17:17–19 ESV 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. ‌ Sanctify = Grk. ἁγιάζω (hagiazō) - dedicate, make holy (unique). Jesus is praying for the disciples to be set apart to house God’s presence. Just as the tabernacle was holy because it housed God’s presence, now the disciples will be the new tabernacle on earth. ‌ After the cross and resurrection, Jesus meets with the disciples to commission them into the world to take God’s presence to all people. ‌ John 20:21–22 ESV 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ‌ Receive the Holy Spirit = Through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, believers are purified and set apart to receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus made us the temple. We are now the Holy Place where God’s presence dwells. ‌ Jesus gives holiness to His followers. ‌ A Holy People are Called to Be Holy (Unique) ‌ 1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ‌ 1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. ‌ 1 Peter 2:11–12 ESV 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. ‌ God gave us a unique identity and calls us to be unique. ‌ Conclusion As we approach Communion today, we remember that we need the presence of God living in and through us. As we take Jesus in, we pray that He will set us apart for His will and transform us to be more like Him. ‌ 2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. ‌