Sanctification

This week's Sabbath reading titled B'ha'alot'cha, meaning "When you step up or go up", sent me on a journey into sanctification, and what it means in my walk as a believer in Christ. Although this reading begins in Numbers 8, the story of sanctification begins earlier. When the LORD was about to release the tenth plague upon the Egyptians, death of the firstborn in every household, He also had to set apart the firstborn of the children of Israel: "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast...Now the blood (of the lamb, see Ex. 12:7) shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt." (Ex. 12:12-13). The LORD set apart from the plague, or sanctified, the firstborn of Israel by the sign of the blood of the Passover Lamb. All other firstborn in Egypt were destroyed. This plague broke the stubborn will of Pharaoh, and he let the Hebrews leave Egypt. The concept of protection through sanctification was also revealed by David in praying to the LORD concerning his enemies: "But know that the LORD has set apart (pala - sever, separated, put a difference, marked out, be distinguished from) for Himself him who is godly; the LORD will hear when I call to Him...For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." (Ps. 4:3, 8). We can also see the meaning of sanctification as protection in the new covenant as well: "...To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved (tereo -to guard from loss or injury, hold fast, keep) in Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:1). The word "sanctified" above, is the Greek word hagiazo meaning "to separate from profane things and dedicate to God, to purify by expiation, to free from the guilt of sin, to purify internally by renewing of the soul". At its root meaning, "sanctified" has to do with celebrating, dancing, making a holiday, and keeping a feast. So we also see that keeping the feasts of the LORD is part of the sanctification, or setting apart, of His people. As we turn to Numbers 8, we will see the LORD do a new work concerning those of the firstborn of Israel who had been set apart or sanctified in Egypt. In this Sabbath reading portion, the LORD will redeem or replace with the Levites those firstborn of Israel who had been set apart in Egypt. The Levites were to be like a wave offering (v. 11) before the LORD in order to set them apart: "For they are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the children of israel. For all the firstborn...are Mine...on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself. I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel." (Num. 8:16-18). The LORD connected the original setting apart, or sanctification, of the firstborn of Israel with the time of the plague of death in Egypt. Another important point to learn about sanctification is that we are set apart, like the Levites (see v. 15), for service unto the LORD. Regarding this sanctification and service connection, Paul wrote, "Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter (dishonor), he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work." (2 Tim. 2:20-21). Good works unto the LORD come out of our sanctification. Like the Levites we have been offered unto the Lord in sanctification according to Paul: "...that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering (consisting) of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 15:16, see also the prophecy in Isa. 66:20). Here is another point to learn about my sanctification - according to Isaiah's prophetic word, and Paul's fulfilling ministry, I was sanctified or set apart by the Holy Spirit in order to be an offering to God, as the Levites were. This holds an important meaning which we may not have considered. Paul wrote of this again in Rom. 12:1 when he told us to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (logikos latrreia - pertaining to the soul: perform sacred services and worship to God according to the sayings of God; to officiate and discharge the priest's sacred office)". As we look further into the sanctification found in this Sabbath's reading, we are told Zechariah's vision of Joshua the High Priest in Zech. 3: "...Joshua (Yehoshua - "Jehovah is Salvation") the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan (satan - adversary, withstand, resist, oppose, attack, accuse, lie in wait) was standing at his right hand to oppose (satan) him." (v. 1). The Hebrew word satan appears several times in scripture describing a lying, cursing, speaker of words of hatred without cause, rendering evil for good, not showing mercy (see Ps. 38, Ps. 109, Ps. 71, Ps. 109). Ps. 109:18-20, a Psalm of David, says, using the word satan: "As he clothed himself as cursing as with his garment, so let it enter his body like water, and like oil into his bones. Let it be to him like the garment which covers him...Let this be the LORD's reward to my accusers, and to those who speak evil against my person." So Satan is standing on Joshua the high priest's right side, and Joshua is covered in excrement-filled filthy garments (Zech. 3:3). He is wearing the garments of lying accusation and cursing that has been put upon him by Satan, as he opposed Joshua before the LORD. However, Joshua is standing before the Angel (malak - king, representative) of the LORD. This upper case title is used in reference to the pre-incarnate Messiah, Jesus Christ, who appeared throughout scripture before His physical birth. And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke (ga'ar - restrain and deter from wicked efforts) you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" (v. 2). Joshua had been set apart from those who were meant for the fire. He had been plucked out (nasal - deliver, recover, escape, take out, snatch away, rescue, preserve, deliver from sin and guilt) of it. The LORD then orders to have the filthy garments removed from Joshua, and to be clothed instead "with rich robes (mahalasot/halas - robes of state, splendid or costly garments, a garment for a special occasion/armed, army, prepared, to be equipped (for war), make strong, despoil an enemy, plunder)". (v. 4). "...and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the LORD stood by." (v. 5). The Angel began to admonish (ud - relieve, restore, bear witness, surround, go round and round, say again and again, testify, invoke, affirm solemnly) Joshua: "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here." (v. 6-7). Then the Angel of the LORD prophesied the coming of the Messiah to Joshua: "...For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH (semah - sprout, shoot (of Messiah from Davidic tree)." (v. 8). No wonder Satan had tried to oppose Joshua the high priest! He was to stand before the Angel of the LORD and receive a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. Joshua and his companions were to be "a wondrous sign" of this prophecy (v. 8). As a high priest, Joshua would have been one who was set apart, sanctified, for his office. He stood before his Sanctifier, as the lies of Satan were rebuked from off of him. We also have been sanctified in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:2). The Book of Hebrews teaches us more about our sanctification: "By that we will have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all...For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren...For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." (Heb. 10:10, 2:11, 10:14). If you would like to know and experience more of or sanctification through Christ, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You have given Your Son as a sacrifice of sanctification for me. You have set me apart from out of the people to serve You in Your spiritual house. You have rebuked Satan, removed my filthy garments, and clothed me in rich robes of office. You, the LORD who chooses Jerusalem, have sanctified me for a wondrous sign of the appearance of Your Servant, the BRANCH of David, Jesus. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and Your Word, so that I can learn to walk in Your sanctification. I ask these things in the name of my Sanctifier, Jesus, AMEN."