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SET APART The True Meaning of Holiness Download a PDF version of this article
According to Jewish tradition, there are two main elements that inaugurate the Sabbath: the lighting of candles and the reciting of a blessing over wine known as kiddush, meaning "sanctification." It is a custom that has developed over time. Originally, back in biblical times, Shabbat was centered around the home. There were no public services on Friday evening. Jews would cease working and then gather as families beginning with a special meal. After the setting of the sun, which signified the onset of Shabbat, the head of the household would recite the blessing known as kiddush. Using a cup of wine as a symbol, it was a way of acknowledging God's blessings and the special nature of the Sabbath which had begun. But when the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D., local synagogues took on a greater focus in Jewish life. So during Talmudic times (2nd-5th centuries A.D.), synagogue services began taking place on Erev Shabbat—Friday evenings. And the practice of saying the kiddush moved to the synagogue as well. Only it was moved to the end of the service. That is a practice that has carried forward to this day. It's interesting to note that according to Halacha (Jewish law), some foods have a higher degree of importance than others. In this custom, bread is given a higher precedence over wine. So normally the blessing over bread would come before the blessing over wine. But since kiddush had such a prominent historical association with Shabbat, it was determined that the bread would be covered, symbolically "removing" it from the table, thus not calling for a blessing right away. Then, after the blessing over the cup, the bread could be uncovered and thus ready to be blessed. The way that Shabbat candles are lit is similar. In Jewish custom, a person may not enjoy the benefits of a practice until a suitable blessing is recited. So the normal order is bless first then enjoy second. But once the blessing over the candles is recited, Shabbat is considered to have begun, and doing work like kindling fire is not permitted. So the solution was to light the candles first, then to say the blessing with one's eyes covered. And when you remove your hands from your eyes, you can now enjoy the benefit of the light without doing any work. That, then, is the how of these practices. What about the why? Lighting candles and saying the kiddush blessing on Shabbat, are based on a biblical principle that is essential for godly living. It is the concept of holiness and sanctification. If you were to ask the average person what the word holiness means, you would probably hear something about God's majesty and glory. Or they might think of a devout and pious human being like the Pope or the Dali Lama or an esteemed rabbi. But that is not what the word for holiness actually means. The Hebrew concept of holiness is based on the verb kadash. Usually this word is translated as "sanctify, consecrate or hallow." But the root of this verb literally means "to separate" or "to set apart." It is a picture of something or someone being divided with a gap in between. This concept of holiness as separation is graphically illustrated in the way that God separated Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden after they sinned. He placed a flaming sword at the entrance to the garden that turned in every direction and would quite literally separate their bodies into pieces if they attempted to return there (Gen. 3:24). They had become separated from God's presence and in a short time they would be separated from the living because death is the consequence of sin (Ezek. 18:4). Another passage that demonstrates the seriousness of separation from sin is found in Leviticus 20 in which God warned the people of Israel against the evil of the Canaanite nations that worshiped the false god Molech:
Several ancient writers in the Greco-Roman world describe the idol representing Molech (Gr. Moloch) as being a bronze statue with the head of a bull and arms extended, and it had a place at the bottom for building a fire that escaped through openings in the statue. Parents would offer the children as sacrifices in order to appease Molech, And it was common to sacrifice your firstborn child as a way of securing financial prosperity and fertility for subsequent births. Sholem Asch, the early 20th century Jewish writer, wrote what is considered to be the most dramatic depiction of Molech worship in his historical novel, The Nazarene. He tells the story of one such offering to Molech in which priests of the cult led a mother and her child in a procession through a city of the Ammonites. They came to the idol and offered up prayers before lighting the fire in its hollow belly. Asch goes on to say:
Sholem Asch, The Nazarene (337-338) God was calling the people of Israel to separate themselves from that degree of manifest evil. He especially declared His opposition to anyone participating in such an evil act and then defiling His sanctuary (Lev 20:3). Whether it would be the Tabernacle or the temple later on, it was abhorrent to Him that anyone could blend together such things. And in the same verse, the reason He opposes this behavior is that it profanes or damages His holy name. And that is never a good thing. So this warning against mixing any kind of false spirituality with true biblical worship should not be taken lightly. God's people are to be set apart from involvement in any form of ungodly worship because it brings a stain upon His name. Ultimately all forms of sinfulness defile God's purity and perfection, and thus cause separation from Him, unless our sinfulness is cleansed. And that can only be done with the blood of Yeshua that "cleanses us from all sin" (1 Jn 1:7). So the vital promise that we share as believers is that we will be able to remain in God's presence throughout eternity, never separated from Him, when He completes our spiritual transformation and changes our nature so that we are no longer capable of sinning. But until that day, we are called to maintain separation in a number of ways that is consistent with humanity's present separation from God. In Scripture God has decreed four ways that establish separation that is functional in nature:
All of these ways could only be used for the purposes established by God, not for any common purpose. So in that culture, it was easy to set yourself apart from the rest of the world and testify that you were truly dedicated to Adonai. In that way, it seems wise to ask how well we are set apart from this world today? If someone was to compare our lives to that of those who reject Adonai as being Lord over their lives, could they see a difference? It is also important to ask what holiness is not. When we consider the various ways of practicing holiness across the ages, we can see that many groups have withdrawn completely from the world. Monks who cloister themselves in monasteries are dedicated to lives of prayer and what they call theosis, or "union with God." And there are cults in which charismatic leaders require that their followers remove themselves from all other sources of information and listen only to them, sometimes with tragic results. But when we consider the full measure of God's Word, we can see that holiness is not isolation. God has called for us to avoid the sinful practices of other people, but not to avoid people altogether. In fact, He sets us apart to be His witnesses to those who have not yet believed in Yeshua. Repeatedly in Scripture we see how persons who become redeemed are then called to go to others with the message of salvation:
In the Tanakh (Old Testament), Israel's calling was to be a kingdom of priests and a light to the nations. The exact same admonition is given to believers in the New Testament. Being holy means we can be both of these things. Like priests, we can minister to the needs of others. And as light to the world, we can reach out to others with the Good News. In order to do both of those things we cannot live in isolation. We have to become involved in the lives of others, but at the same time being wise about how they can influence us in return. To put it another way—we are called to engage the world as a witness while not acting in a worldly manner. That's what it means to be set apart for His service. And that is an aspect of true holiness that applies to all of us. So the question then becomes—what does it look like in a practical sense when we make holiness a high value in our lives? With the Bible as our guide, we are given: A Messianic profile of holiness Biblical Principle—God is absolutely holy
Biblical Principle—Believers are called to a life of personal holiness
Biblical Principle—Congregations are called to uphold holiness as a body
It is mistaken to assume that the ways of holiness established by God are irrelevant today. At no place in the Word of God has any concept that has been declared holy by God, ever being declared as no longer being holy. This fact is consistent with the entire principle of holiness involving people being based on the holiness of God and "I, the LORD, do not change" (Malachi 3:6). So these are some things that should not be taken lightly. All that we do individually or as a body needs to reflect faithfully the holiness that God requires from us. Is there something different about you that others will notice? For Yeshua has declared: "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Mat 5:16). I was once approached by a ten year-old boy after I spoke at a church. He told me: "My dad is Jewish but he doesn't believe in Jesus. I try telling him what the Bible says, but he tells me that he's not interested in what that book has to say. I love him and want him to be with me in heaven, but I don't know what to do." I replied that sometimes people won't listen to our words or read the Bible. So I encouraged him to be a ‘living book'—living our lives just as the Bible teaches us to do by being obedient, loving, kind and serving others. I told him: "When we do that, sooner or later they will want to know what makes us different. That's when we can say how believing in Jesus makes us different. So don't forget, your dad is reading your ‘living book' everyday. Let's make sure he gets the right message." I am persuaded that our attempts to be different or holy are often misguided. It is not just about going to church or a messianic congregation while your neighbors stay at home or go to the movies. It's not just about keeping kosher or the feasts or taking a stand for Israel or the many other aspects that are part of our believing culture, even if they are worthy of our attention. It's about having a holy character that sets you apart from others.
These are the characteristics of a life that has been changed by the power of the Holy Spirit and brightly reflects the very nature of God. And that is the kind of holiness that God desires from us.
Dr. Galen Peterson |