We are being set apart, consecrated and sanctified:-
1. Firstly by HIS EXTREME LOVE for US
IN this blog we are doing a brief study from scripture on the principles of being set apart, consecrated and sanctified. If we look at PALAH, the Hebrew word for being “set apart” the following descriptions are linked to this word. PALAH stands for ‘to be distinguished’, ‘to be shown to be marvelous’, ‘to be separated’, ‘severed’ and ‘to be made wonderfully‘.
Luk 15:7
(7) I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Luk 15:21-24
(21) And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
(22) “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe(anointing) and put it on him, and put a ring(covenant) on his hand and sandals(calling) on his feet.
(23) And bring the fatted calf(abundant provision) here and kill it (by Christ’s sacrifice), and let us eat and be merry(joy of the Lord-our strength);
(24) for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost(destroyed, perish, marred, die) and is found(find, get, obtain, perceive, see).’ And they began to be merry.
2Ch 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD run to and for throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal(full, just, made ready, peaceable, perfect, quiet, whole, complete) to Him.
2. WE ARE SET APART TO FULFILL GOD’S PURPOSES AND PLAN; TO UNITE IN HIS PURPOSE
Psa 4:3 But know that the LORD has set apart (PALAH; to distinguish, show to be marvelous, separate, sever, make wonderfully) for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him.
Exo 28:3 So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate (KAWDASH; to be/pronounced/observed to be clean, purify, sanctify, keep holy, proclaim) him, that he may minister to Me as priest.
Jer 29:11-14
(11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of PEACE (well, safe, happy, friendly, favor, prosperity, safe at mind, full, wholly, welfare, rest, health, perfect, salute) and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
(12) Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
(13) And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
(14) I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
Php 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Php 1:10-11
(10) that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
(11) being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
3. WE ARE SET APART TO MINISTER UNTO THE LORD
WE come to the Lord to offer a sacrifice on the altar by fire. The offering we bring to the altar is ourselves. We are called by the Lord to bring ourselves as a living sacrifice. This means that we lay down our lives and this presents a sweet smell to the Lord. As the bread is pleasing to our pallets, just the same is our consecration a sweet smell to our Father.
Exo 28:41 So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him. You shall anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests.
Lev 20:7 Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.
Lev 21:6 They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.
Lev 21:8 Therefore you shall consecrate him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I the LORD, who sanctify you, am holy.
John Gill: “and the bread of their God do they offer; the shew-bread, which they set every week before the Lord on the shew-bread table, …, the “minchah”, which they continually offered along with the sacrifices: or the word “and”, being a supplement, may be left out; and so this clause is put by way of apposition, and as interpreting the fire offering to be the bread of their God, which being wholly burnt on the altar, and devoted to God, was his meat and food, and accepted by him, see Lev 3:11,” FOOD:(battle, overcome, make war, prevail)
Therefore they shall be holy; separate from all others, and abstain from all impurity both of flesh and spirit, from all uncleanness, moral and ceremonial; it being highly fit and proper that the bread of God should be offered by holy persons.
But God would not permit the blood, that made atonement, to be used as a common thing (Heb 10:29), nor will he allow us, though we have the comfort of the atonement made, to assume to ourselves any share in the honor of making it. He that glories, let him glory in the Lord, and to his praise let all the blood be poured out.
John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Lev 3:16 the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, offered by fire, for a sweet and satisfying fragrance. All the fat is the Lord’s.
1Ch 15:12 He said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark ( presence) of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.
4. WE ARE SET APART TO PURIFY AND CONSECRATE ONE SELF
IN YOUR WOUNDEDNESS and AFFLICTION / SICKNESS & DISEASE
– An example of being set apart, consecration and sanctification is when A BABY BOY is being circumcised on the eight day
– A LADY AFTER CHILDBIRTH and IMPURITY has to sanctify herself
Exo 13:2 “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”
Exo 19:10 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.
Jos 7:13 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the LORD God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.
5. WE ARE SET APART AND CONSECRATED FOR WAR AND AT SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Jdg 7:5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.
Joe 2:13-17
13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.
14 Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him—A grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;
16 Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.
17 Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”
Mic 4:13 “Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.”
Jos 3:5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
New King James Bible
6. GOD SANCTIFIES HIS OWN NAME and SETS US APART FOR HIS NAMES’ SAKE
I Will Put My Spirit Within You
Eze 36:22-27
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.
23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.
24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
7. JESUS’S PRAYER TO THE FATHER TO SANCTIFY US – FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MINISTER & LIVE BY HIM; WHO IS THE TRUTH
Joh 17:17-19
(17) Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
(18) As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
(19) And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
Heb 10:29 Welcomed into His presence by the Blood
(29) Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
8. WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO START FULFILLING OUR LIFE’S PURPOSE BY LOVING GOD FIRST & OURSELVES IN ORDER THAT WE CAN LOVE OTHERS
Mat 22:37-40
(37) Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’
(38) This is the first and great commandment.
(39) And the second is like it: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’
(40) On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
9. WE ARE SET APART IN OUR OWN ‘DYING TO SELF’; TO RISE UP THROUGH REBIRTH IN FAITH UNTO LIFE
1Th 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Heb 13:12-14
(12) Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
(13) Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
(14) For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
10. WE ARE SET APART IN OUR DAILY MISSION
GO AND DO WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO TODAY. ONLY YOU CAN PERFORM THAT TASK
HEBREWS 13:15-16
(15) Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
(16) But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
:20-21
(20) Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
(21) make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
:19-24
(19) Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
(20) by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, (21) and having a High Priest over the house of God,
(22) let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
(23) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
(24) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.