A Call to Holiness

Being set apart for God: A Call to Holiness
Numbers 6-10
“The Levites, too, purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord.  Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them.”
For almost a year (11 months and 5 days), Israel had remained encamped at the foot of Sinai.  During this time, they received instructions from God regarding His requirements if they were to be His people.  In one of the great acts of grace, God pledged that He would be their God and they would be His people.  However, before they departed from Mt Sinai, one final act needed to be done.  For the people to enter into a relationship with God, they needed to be holy.  The term “holy” is more than just a moral characteristic of God.  It is the one word used to describe the totality of God’s being.  It is the attribute of God that is continually praised and proclaimed in the throne room of heaven.  In Isaiah 6, we read that the most majestic angels of heaven, the Seraphim (or Burning Ones), continually proclaim God’s holiness in a never-ending resounding anthem of praise.  The holiness of God speaks of His transcendent separation from all of creation, His uniqueness, and His absolute untarnished purity.  The concept of holiness means that God is entirely separate from all creation, including the most majestic angels in heaven. It also speaks of His moral purity, that God is untainted by sin and utterly separate from anything sinful.  Everything and everyone who is associated with God must be pure and without any moral defect.

Because sin has tainted all humanity and all creation, before anything or anyone could be placed into the service of God, they had to be purified by an offering.  Therefore, before Israel could enter into a permanent relationship with God and before the Tabernacle (including all its furnishings) and the priests could enter into the service of God, they had to be purified and consecrated.  When the text states that “he anointed them and consecrated them also” (7:1), it means that “he made them holy.”  This included not only the Levites and all the people but also all the utensils and furnishings of the Tabernacle.  Holiness is the unwavering requirement of a holy God.  Only when the guilt of sin is removed can they stand in the presence of a Holy God,

This requirement, woven throughout the requirements of the law, pointed to one undeniable truth: We are sinful, and God is Holy, and the only way we can come before God is if our sins are forgiven and we are cleansed from its guilt.  In the Old Testament, this came through the sacrificial system.  However, this system was only temporary, showing how our sins would be forgiven in Christ.  The requirement for holiness is still a requirement for us.  1 Peter 1:15-16 reminds us that we are to holy as God is Holy.   Sinful man cannot stand before a holy God.   So how is it possible, and what hope do we have today?  The answer lies in Christ.  Christ’s death and sacrifice were the final and complete sacrifice for sin.  Furthermore, we are all now called to be priests.  The priests were those set apart solely for God’s service.  In the Old Testament, this privilege was given only to the Levites.  Today, it is given to all of us.  However, just as the priests were required to live a holy life, we also must live a life of dedication to God and separate from sin.  We are required to reflect His holiness and purity in all aspects of life.  The question we must continually ask is not only  “Am I saved from sin?”  We must also ask, “Am I living a live separate from sin and dedicated to God’s service?”  This is the life that God calls us to live today.  Are we living that kind of life? Is God an afterthought, or is he central to all we do?  Are we living a life dedicated to him or living a life devoted to our desires, wants, and goals?