Over the past several weeks we have been looking at the various ways that God has revealed Himself to us in Scripture indicated by His names. Each name that God uses for Himself reveals to us an aspect of His character that helps us to know Him better.
Tonight we will look at another of His names. He is Jehovah M'Kaddesh = Jehovah is the One who sanctifies us. Read: Leviticus 20:1-8
Leviticus is the book of life, a book explaining the walk and worship of a people already redeemed. The name Jehovah-M'Kaddesh is used seven times in three chapters.
I. "Sanctify" = Use and Definition
A. It appears 700 times in the Bible.
1. "Sanctify" primarily means to set apart or separate.
2. The words "holy" and "hallow" are often used for "sanctify" and stand for what has been set apart unto God.
3. The word "saint" speaks of an individual who has been sanctified.
B. Examples of things set apart because of contact with God.
1. The first mention of God's sanctifying power is in Genesis 2:3 where God declares the seventh day as sacred.
(Genesis 2:3) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
2. He sanctifies various times and seasons.
(Leviticus 23:1-5) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.
(Leviticus 25:10) And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
3. God sanctifies places and things.
(Joshua 6:19) But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.
(Leviticus 27:14) And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.
4. God sanctifies people.
(Leviticus 20:26) And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
(Jeremiah 1:5) Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
(Exodus 13:2) Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
II. Jehovah-M'kaddesh Is Sanctified
A. Jehovah is apart from and holy above all else in the universe.
(Deuteronomy 4:35) Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.
(1 Samuel 2:2) There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
(Isaiah 44:6) Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
B. Jesus Christ is Sanctified.
(Hebrews 4:15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
(Hebrews 7:26) For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
(2 Corinthians 5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
C. The Spirit of God is called the Holy Spirit. D. God is so holy and set apart He cannot be in the presence of sinners.
(Habakkuk 1:13) Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
(Revelation 15:4) Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
III. Application for the Believer
A. Three aspects of Sanctification for the Believer
1. Positional = Justification
2. Progressive = Sanctification
3. Permanent = Glorification
B. The positional change occurs the moment we trust in Jesus Christ.
1. (1 John 3:14) We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
a. The technical term is 'Justification'.
b. This speaks of our standing before God.
c. That change is completed the moment we trust Christ.
2. There is also a permanent change that awaits every believer.
(1 Corinthians 15:50-52) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
a. This speaks of the time when we will exchange our old bodies for new bodies.
b. This is a future event and will be our glorification.
3. Between these two is where we live right now.
a. We call it sanctification.
b. It is the progressive growth of each believer as they become more like Christ.
c. It begins when we are saved and continues until we die or are raptured.
(Romans 8:29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
d. How are we conformed to His image? e. By the working of all things. v28
C. We are sanctified on the basis of our redemption in Christ - No redemption-No sanctification.
(2 Timothy 1:9) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
(Hebrews 10:10) By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
D. How does Jehovah-M'Kaddesh bring about our sanctification?
1. Through the Word of His truth.
(John 17:17-19) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
2. Sometimes through chastisement.
(Hebrews 12:10-11) For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
3. Through our personal discipline.
(Psalms 139:23) Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
(2 Corinthians 6:17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
(Romans 12:1-2) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
God demands holiness…we cannot be holy in and of ourselves. So how can we meet His demand? He is our Jehovah M'Kaddesh…He is the One who sanctifies us. It begins with our salvation, it continues daily as we live for Him, and it will see its fulfillment in glory when we become like Him.