Our God is Holy (Part 2)

And so so don’t get that confused. When you see the word holy, what we’re trying to do is we go through this theological portion, we’re trying to understand what the Lord means when he says holy. So that when we see it later, we we don’t just think righteous. We think of not only righteous, but things more than righteous. And so, that’s that’s why we go through these verses and we have a number of verses I want you to look at, this morning.

We talked about last week how that holiness, as I said, is more than god’s just god’s moral purity but it means just as the definition, it means kept or regarded as inviolate from ordinary use, appointed, or set apart for religious use or observance. It means consecrated, dedicated, or sacred. We also looked at the the idea of being hallowed or just other ways to think about the idea of being holy, think about Moses at the burning bush. He says, the place where on thou standest is holy ground. We talked about how the ground is not moral but yet it was holy and that idea of this ground is unique.

This ground is hallowed. In other words, it is apart. It is distant and that’s what he told Moses in a visual sense. He said, back away. You need distance between the holy and the common, between the holy and the profane. And so that’s that’s the visual we we get from this.

So so that’s kind of where we’ve we’ve gotten so far. We’ve looked at a number of verses. We’re gonna start in Leviticus 10. If you wanna go ahead and look at at Ezekiel 22, we’re gonna be there as well but we’re gonna start in Leviticus chapter 10. So, let’s get there and then we will pray and look at the scripture. Alright, Leviticus 10, let’s pray together and then we will look at the at the Bible. Our father, thank you for the chance to study your word once again. Thank you for the truths that yields to us Lord when we cultivate, your word in our hearts and minds and we study.

Lord help us understand and know you, Lord. That’s why we’re studying these things, not to make us smarter, not to give us 10¢ words to to brag about or anything like that but we study these attributes of god because we wanna know god better and we want to understand him and we want his Lord, we want your attributes in as much as is possible to rub off on us, to change us.

And so, Lord, we pray that you would guide our study of your holiness. Lord, we give thanks that you are a holy God and none can approach you and none are like you and we give you thanks for that fact in Jesus name. Amen. Look at Leviticus chapter 10 verse number verse number eight. The Bible says this, and the lord spake unto Aaron saying, do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou nor thy sons with thee when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die.

It shall be a statue forever through throughout your generations. Now, here, now, notice the words of verse number 10 because again, we’re building a case of what holiness refers to. What does it mean? And that ye may put difference between, what does it say? Holy and unholy. What do you see in that word difference? So if you if you kind of visualize it, if you’re a visual thinker, think of put the word holy on this side of the building and the word unholy on that side of the building and in the middle is the word difference.

There’s but visually, what is that? Distance. Distance between holy unholy and he goes on to say this and this overlaps with righteousness like I was saying before. Verse 10 continues and between unclean and clean. So, I know I know we talk a lot about, you know, the Old Testament dietary laws and ceremonial laws about what’s clean and unclean. Listen, and and people have taken that and have run with it and created doctrines and tried to say that, the New Testament believer in Jesus who is a Gentile must keep those things and have these Seventh day Adventists still hold to those things to some degree or another, although it’s kind of hit and miss.

But really the idea of clean and unclean was not so much that eating pig was a moral question, eating bacon was a moral question, but it really was a matter of making that distinction. And that’s where we get into the idea of holy. Because when God told Israel not to eat the things from from unclean animals as an example, and this was not the only thing, but there were many things like the their clothes they were wearing, how they farmed, and all of these things were were dealt were spoken of as matter of clean and unclean. Do you do you all remember as you’ve read your Bible how and you might have wondered, why does it matter? Why does god care whether you wear a mixed thread in your garment in your clothes? Why does god care? Is a big moral issue? And the answer is no.

But God gave those things to make a distinction between his people and everyone else. That distinction is the core of the idea of holy. They were different, they were separated, they were at some distance from everyone else around them and in that way they’re holy. Does that make sense? Same thing with the animals. It’s just separate the two out. And of course we know clean and unclean has to do also with the sacrificial system and all those things. It touches on a lot of things but even those laws and regulations regarding the sacrifices and all of those things, a lot of that had to do with separating out the things of God from common, from that which is common.

And because the children of Israel had such a, if I could say a religious life that dealt with the temple and dealt with sacrifices and they had to be distinct. They had to be separated in that way for that purpose. So, you have verse number 10, that you may put difference between holy and unholy and between unclean and clean. Look at Ezekiel 22, Ezekiel 22, Ezekiel 22.

Look if you would at verse number 26. Verse 26, the Bible says this, her priests have violated my law and have profaned my holy things. Profane. Now you might think the word profane means so what does the word profane mean in your mind? Profane. Desecrate something? Right and yeah, and so you see how we mix that meaning? In other words, you set up an idol in the temple of God, you would be profaning the temple.

But the word profane doesn’t necessarily mean, it doesn’t necessarily imply the moral aspect, although that’s definitely immoral. So there you see how they’re mixed, mixed, but it means you brought something that’s common into a place that is holy, right? And that’s the idea of profaning. And this is something they weren’t supposed to do. Now, notice what what verse 26 says as it continues and they have put no, what does it say?

Difference between the holy and profane. Neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am profaned among them. Now, look at chapter 30, I’m sorry, 44, Ezekiel 44.

Ezekiel 4four 23, And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. Again, just trying to show you, the lord wanted a a big gap between those two things and and we’re not, again, we’re not always talking about moral things. Sometimes, we’re talking about ceremonial things but the idea is difference, distinction, remoteness, distance.

Okay. Now, there’s a number of things if you would turn to Exodus 20, there’s a number of things that we see in in the Old Testament and I feel like it’s important for us to cover these. These things are described as holy in scripture. These are objects or events or commandments if you will that are described as holy in scripture. And again, the reason why we’re going over these is not only to get a better breadth of what we mean when we say holy, but also to help us to understand that when we use the word holy, we’re not necessarily talking about a moral question.

Notice Exodus 20 verse number eight. Exodus 20 verse number eight. You’re familiar with this? The Bible says this, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. It says, now now understand, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Now, the explanation is in the next verse. Look at the next verse. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.

In it, thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant nor thy maidservant nor thy cattle nor thy stranger that is within thy gate. So when the bible says to keep the Sabbath day holy, it is not not with huge emphasis, it is not saying don’t sin on the Sabbath day. Is a huge, listen, I’m telling you, this has huge implications.

Here’s what people think. I should and I know I’ve heard this in my own family. Okay, you might have heard it too. Well, we shouldn’t do that on Sunday. First of all, Sunday is not the Sabbath, but I digress. But that’s the thinking. The thinking is, well, we shouldn’t do that on Sunday. Listen, if something is morally wrong and a transgression of God’s commandment, it is morally wrong every day of the week. This commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy is not saying you need to make sure you don’t sin on this one day. That is not what it’s saying but you see how that’s a little vicious, this idea of Because if you say, Devin on Sunday, you can’t sin.

What are you implying? Exactly. Exactly, that’s a lot of the history of that. It comes down to that understanding of keeping the Sabbath day holy and that’s built upon an idea that the word holy means righteous.

If you’re gonna be righteous, you need to be righteous Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday and Saturday too, right? Then what does this mean? Well, he tells you. Keeping the Sabbath day holy wasn’t so much about not sinning, although of course the Lord didn’t want to sin any day of week, but it says they weren’t allowed to work. You see, but if holy means righteous, then that means working is wrong Because the Lord doesn’t want you to work on on the Sabbath because it’s holy? No no no. You see the question, work is good.

Work is commendable. Work is right. He says, all the other days of the week work. On the Sabbath, you don’t work not because work is evil, but because you’re making a distinction between the days. You see what I’m saying? It’s to be dedicated for a different purpose and that purpose, the Lord’s looking out for the Lord’s looking out for Israel, that purpose was rest. Rest. And so in this way, the Sabbath day was holy. Look at Exodus 22.

We’re just gonna take a little browse through Exodus. Exodus 22 verse number 31. You say again, mentioned the alcohol sales on Sunday, and that’s really the basis because again, Sunday is not the Sabbath, Sabbath’s a Saturday, but anyway, that’s the basis. But the question is, why sell it any other day?

Like, is it okay to get hammered on Tuesday? No, is it okay to buy it? And then you see, it’s just a basic misunderstanding that men have. Alright. Exodus 22, look at verse 31. And you shall be holy men unto me.

Neither shall you eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field, ye shall cast it to the dogs. Now, now follow. This is he’s saying, this is the way you you are holy unto the lord. This is for Israel now. This is the way you’re holy unto the Lord is you are careful about what you eat. You eat according to my laws, you see that distinction being made.

Alright, look at Exodus 28. Exodus 28. Verse number four, And these are the garments which they shall make a breastplate and an ephod and a robe and embroidered coat, a miter, it’s like a hat, and a girdle like a belt and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother and his sons that he may minister unto me in the priest office. See that? Holy garments. Now, clothing is in essence, clothing is one of those objects that’s not like bad or good, like cloth, like this suit is not somehow morally good or bad, objects are not like that. But this was special clothing that was dedicated only for the priests to wear while they were serving God in the temple.

Because of that, they’re holy. Again, not not a moral value, but a usage question. Dedication, sacredness, hallowedness. Look at chapter 29, Exodus 29. Exodus 29 verse 37. The Bible says seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar and sanctify it and it shall be an altar most holy. Whatsoever, here it is, toucheth the altar shall be holy. And I honestly, to be honest with you, I think what we’ve done in our the way we think in our religious thinking is we’ve gotten this idea that something is holy and it’s like magic.

It’s it’s almost like a magical blessing that is passed from one thing to another. So if you touch that altar, if you anything that touched the altar because the altar was holy, it became holy. That’s you would become holy. That’s sort of like what you have the idea with holy water that’s used in Catholicism. Know, when you go into a Catholic church, there’s a little, at every entrance there’s a little, I’m not sure the exact word they use, there’s a word for it I’m sure. You dip your hand in it and do the sign of the cross with the holy water and I was that, I was that, okay? I did that.

And I remember thinking, well you have to do this because there’s some efficacy that is passed to us because you’re touching something that, know, it’s like magic. I mean, I remember thinking that. I mean, other people might not think that, but I’m telling you, that’s what I was thinking. Holy water. You have holy water in your house because it comes from the River Jordan, dirty as it might be. It’s all of a sudden holy.

Well, it’s holy in the sense that it’s not from a local water source, be it cleaner, So in that way it’s holy but not in the sense of some sort of moral idea.

Right. So it actually reaffirms the idea that there’s supposed to be a distinction between the common and the hallowed, alright? Let’s continue. Chapter 30, look at verse 31. Chapter 30 verse 31.

And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying, this shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. Now, notice the reason it’s holy is because of the way it’s used. Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured. Neither shall you make any other like it. After the composition of it, it is holy and it shall be holy unto you. That’s why I was saying when god says he’s holy, that means none like him.

He is distinct. He is separate. He is far far separated from everything that is called god. He stands alone. Just like in in that sense, like this anointing oil. Only to be used for that one thing. Look at Exodus chapter six.

Exodus chapter six Exodus six verse 26, the Bible says, the priest that offerth it for for sin shall eat it and the holy place shall it be eaten and in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation. Notice, the holy place. Holy place of the temple, you know that’s where the what’s in the holy place? Pop quiz? What’s in the holy place? There’s three things in the holy place. The table of showbread.

No? No? Table of showbread? Candle. The candlestick, and the altar of incense. Now you gotta go into the holiest of all to get to the ark, right? Which actually there are sometimes where the Bible says holy place referring to that as well, so caveat. Did you say that verse again? You said Exodus six twenty six. Six twenty six.

It’s Leviticus. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know that I said Exodus by Leviticus? Stupid people. Can’t read my mind. Yeah, I don’t think my mind’s holy right now, right?

Alright, it’s not working like it’s supposed to. But the holy place, that is the place where the table of show bread and the candlestick and the altar of incense is called a holy place because not anybody can go there. It’s distinct, okay? Let’s hurry through the rest of these. Leviticus 22. Look at Leviticus 22. I said, Leviticus 22. Leviticus.

I’m actually very glad you guys pointed out because if you didn’t, then I would continue on to say the wrong thing. Alright, Leviticus 22 verse number 32, that’s another thing that’s holy. Verse 32, the Bible says, neither shall you profane my holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel, I am the Lord which hallow you. Now, I’m gonna just keep going, but notice god’s name is called holy and I’m coming back to that in just a minute. Let’s continue. Chapter 23 of of Leviticus. I said it. I was about to say it again.

Leviticus 23. Leviticus 23. Verse number seven. The Bible says this, In the first day, ye shall have an holy convocation. A convocation is a meeting. Not just any meeting, this is a special meeting, you shall do no servile work therein. And so that idea of holiness even in the meeting. In that way, what we have every Sunday is holy.

Is it not? Biblically speaking, it doesn’t mean like if you come to church you go to heaven, but it means that it’s hallowed, it’s dedicated to Christ and for that reason it is not for common use. That’s why our hearts ought to be different when we come to church. It’s not like going to a city council meeting or something like that, this is a meeting for, especially for the people of God, it is distinct and so we should come at it with a holy mind. Does that make sense?

Alright, look at Nehemiah, we got two more. Nehemiah 11 and then I wanna go back to Exodus to finish. Nehemiah 11. Nehemiah 11 verse one. And the rulers of the people shall dwell at Jerusalem, the rest of the people also cast lots to bring one of 10 to dwell in Jerusalem, what it called, the holy city and nine parts to dwell in other cities. Why is Jerusalem called the holy city, especially considering how wicked it was?

Can something that is wicked be called holy? Yes. That might sound funny. Jerusalem was a city that was condemned by Jeremiah and other prophets as wicked and vile. It’s even referred to as Sodom in scripture, but yet it’s the holy city. You see what I’m saying? Why holy and righteous don’t always overlap. It’s still holy because Jerusalem is the city that God chose and for that reason it is distinct from every other one, okay?

Last one, look at Luke two, Luke chapter two. Luke two. I was gonna read 23, but it just occurred to me there’s another one in here. Look at Luke two twenty three.

As it is written, in the law of the Lord, every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. Firstborn men children are not better than first born lady children, say Amen Sam, but this is how the Lord separated them off as a sacrifice, they were to be given to the Lord, that’s this principle, holiness. But there’s another thing, let me see if I can find it.

It just occurred to me. Look in chapter one of Luke verse 35. And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. You know, a baby being born is a pretty common thing, right? Pretty normal thing, but not this baby.

This baby is holy. And not because He’s righteous, although He is. He’s holy because there is no baby like this baby who is God manifest in the flesh. Alright, let’s Alright, go back to Exodus and finish up here. Basically, just read it. Read the section, Exodus 19.

Look at verse 10. Now, you know Exodus 20 starts the 10 commandments. So, this is the lead up to that moment. Exodus 19 verse 10. The Bible says this, and the lord said unto Moses, go into the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow let them wash their clothes and be ready against the third day for the third day, the lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai.

Now shall set bounds unto the people round about saying, take heed to yourselves that you go not up into the mount or touch the border of it. Whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely be put to death. You know what the Lord is doing? They have to wash their clothes, they have to prepare themselves, they’re not even allowed to have the physical relationship with their husband or their wife.

The Lord is making a distinction for what He’s about to do. He’s separating, this is a special moment and this is a special mountain. There’s a fence around it, you come near, you die. You know what that does? That makes it special, right? That’s why Area 51 is special. That’s why. Holy as it were. And so, I won’t read all of this but there’s verse 16, there’s thunderings and there’s lightnings, there’s warnings, death threats if they come near.

Verse 19 and when the voice of thunder sounded long and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake and god answered him by a voice and the lord came down upon Mount Sinai on on the top of the mount and the lord called Moses up to the top of the mountain. Moses went up. Verse 22, and let the priest also which come near to the lord sanctify themselves, lest the lord break break forth upon them.

Again, distance, just like with the burning bush. Keep away from this mountain. God’s coming down on the mountain. You stay away. You can’t be on the same mountain as as he. You’re not allowed. He is holy. Keep your distance. Now on that basis, start in verse chapter 20 verse one.

And God spake all these words, these are audible now from the mountain. I am the lord thy god which had brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them. For I, the lord thy god, am a jealous god.

Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The first four commandments deal with man’s relationship to God and in all four of them, this idea of holiness, though not mentioned explicitly except with the Sabbath, it is clearly indicated. First of all, he’s just demonstrated, don’t come to the mount, stay away, it’s holy, you’re not, there needs to be distance. And then he says these commandments and he says, thou shall have no other gods before me. You know why? I am holy, none is like me, I am jealous.

There’s a lot of women in the world, but my wife is holy to me. Right? My wife is holy to me because none is like her. She is my wife, right? And the Lord says, I am God, None is like me. This idea of of visual representation of holy, right? As he gives his holy commandments, thou shalt not make into thee any graven image, none of those are like god and then he says, thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. You know what that is? God’s holy name being used commonly.

Right? Again, the holiness of God’s name. The Sabbath day, that holy day, that’s supposed to be set aside, all of that paired with the visual representation of holiness with that distance from the mountain you see.

So this is kind of the idea the Lord’s conveying both visually and in words to the children of Israel that he is to be kept holy. He and His things are all holy and are not to be mixed with anything else that is common. Let’s pray together.