JEHOVAH M'KADDESH

The holiness of God is revealed through one of His Hebrew names, Jehovah M’Kaddesh which means “Jehovah Who sanctifies”.  This name is first found in Leviticus 20:7-8, “You shall consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am the Lord your God.  You shall keep My statutes and do them. I am the Lord (M’Kaddesh) who sanctifies you.”  In this scripture God is declaring He is sanctifying us and we are also to sanctify ourselves.

Some of the definitions of sanctify are: to dedicate, make holy, and set apart.  God is telling His people He is setting us apart, by making us holy, and sanctifying us for Himself.  God loves His creation and desires a holy people that He can have a relationship with.

Sin separates God’s people from Him, but when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are set apart and called out from this world.

Romans 12:2 says “ Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how His ways will really satisfy you.”

In 1st Peter 1:14-16 we are told to, “Obey God because you are his children; don’t slip back into your old ways—doing evil because you knew no better.  But be holy now in everything you do, just as the Lord is holy, who invited you to be his child.  He himself has said, “You must be holy, for I am holy.”

How are we to become holy?  God has provided the means for our growth in holiness.  Jesus said in John 17:17 God’s Word will sanctify us.  “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth.”  Sanctification begins as we obey God’s Word and surrender our habits, wrong mindsets and behaviors to Him.  This is called working out our salvation.  Paul tells us in Philippians  2:12-13, “ work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;   For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey Him, and then helping you do what He wants.”

What a beautiful picture of a loving God.  As we allow God to influence our heart and we obey His directions, we are changed.  

Father, It is a privilege to be loved and set apart for You.   I pray we surrender our hearts to You.  Help us to become all You have created us to be.