What is it to be holy?
I think we may say that holiness is one of the words of Scripture, to which most of us attach but a vague meaning. We know for example that a saint means a holy person. But the expression “a saint” conveys to many people an idea of superior goodness, so that were you to say to them, “Are you saints?” they would understand it to mean, “Are you specially good?” “Are your ways, and your hearts, and your tempers better than those of most people?” And naturally they would hesitate, and ought to do so, as to whether the word saint, could in any degree apply to them. I am referring now to Christians only, to whom the word saint is not a nickname expressing contempt and dislike. We know that to many it is nothing more than a term of reproach.
Let us look into the Word of God, to see in what manner the word is there used. We first find the expression in Genesis 2:33And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (Genesis 2:3). We there read that God hallowed a certain day. In other words, He set it apart for Himself.
In Exodus 3:55And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. (Exodus 3:5), we next find it, “Holy ground,”—holy, because of the Lord’s manifested presence. The same in Joshua 5:1515And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:15). If you look carefully into the Hebrew Concordance, you will meet the word again, in speaking of the following days, persons, or things;1St & 7th Days of Unleavened Bread.
The Firstborn of Israel
The habitation of Jehovah.
The nation of Israel.
The Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle.
Garments for Aaron (especially the Crown).
Gifts of the children of Israel to the Lord.
Aaron and his Son.
His son’s garments.
The Wave Breast.
The Heave Shoulder.
The Brazen Altar.
Whatever touched it.
The Tabernacle.
The Incense Altar.
The Anointing Oil.
The Ark.
The Table and his Vessels.
The Candlestick and his Vessels.
The Laver and his foot.
The Perfume.
All the vessels of the Tabernacle.
The Meat Offering.
The Sin Offering.
The Trespass Offering.
The Peace Offering.
Every one that touched offerings of the Lord made by fire, or that touched the flesh of the Sin Offering.
The Linen Coat.
The Fruit of the 4th year.
The Priests.
The Holy Convocations, viz. — The Sabbath. The Passover. Unleavened Bread, 1St & 7th days. Day of First fruits. Feast of Trumpets. Day of Atonement. Feast of Tabernacles (1St & 8th days).
The Shewbread.
The Year of Jubilee.
Any beast, clean or unclean, presented to the Lord.
The exchange of any such beast.
A House, or Field dedicated to the Lord.
The estimation of such a field till the year of Jubilee.
Every devoted thing.
Tithes of seed or fruit, herd or flock.
Exchange of the two latter.
The Nazarite.
The Man whom the Lord chooses to come near to Him.
The Censers in Numbers 16, because “they offered them before the Lord.”
The firstling of a Cow, Sheep, or Goat.
The Camp.
The 3 Cities of Refuge west of the JorDaniel
Things set apart for the Temple service by David and others.
The places whereunto the Ark of the Lord had come.
The Temple itself.
Heaven.
The Levites.
The Sheep-gate.
Zion.
The Lord’s Throne.
The Spirit.
Sinai.
The Arm of the Lord.
The Promise of the Lord.
The Remnant of Israel.
The Covenant.
In the future, it is applied to restored Israel-The Cities of the Lord—The oblation of the Land—The whole limit around the house of the Lord—Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah.
Above all, we find the word applied to the Lord Himself, and to His Name.
Of these things, we find seven called Most Holy, or Holy of Holies,—and seven more which become Most Holy by anointing. The former are: I The Holy of Holies. —2 The Perfume. —3 The Meat Offering. —4 The Sin Offering. —5 The Trespass Offering. —6 The Shewbread. —7 Every devoted thing.
The latter are: —1. The Tabernacle. —2. The Ark. —3. The Table and all his Vessels. —4. The Altar of Incense. —5. The Altar of Burnt Offering, and all his vessels. —6. The Laver and his foot.
Besides this, in the future, the Oblation of the land, and the limit round the house, are called Most Holy.
(To be continued.)