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Pastor's Blog February 3, 2019

"Sanctified in Holiness"

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Second Chronicles 31 is one of several biblical chapters that details the reforms King Hezekiah made in Jerusalem.  Among those reforms were the appointing of various divisions of priests and Levites to serve in the temple, for the inhabitants of Jerusalem to contribute resources to the priests and Levites, and for the people of Judah to renounce their idolatry and return to the true worship of God. 

But tucked away in this chapter is an interesting verse about holiness: "And to all who were written in the genealogy - their little ones and their wives, their sons and daughters, the whole company of them - for in their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in holiness" (2 Chronicles 31:18, NKJV).  This passage can be a little tricky to understand. 

The first part is fairly clear; verses 15-17 describe the work of some Levites in equally distributing the material goods that all priests, Levites, and their families were allotted from offerings and sacrifices brought to the temple, and verse 18 simply continues the list of the Levitical recipients. 

It is the second half of verse 18, however, that presents us with the challenge of faith and holiness.  The rest of verse 18 literally says, "that/because in their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in sanctification"; this last phrase can also be translated as "they holified themselves in holiness." 

The idea of holiness in this verse captures a definition of the term that often escapes our notice: to be holy is to be set apart for a special purpose, task, or use by God - and it is to this idea that I want us to direct our focus.  Second Chronicles 31:18 is not suggesting that the Levites made themselves holy; what this passage actually states about holiness is that God had set the Levites apart for a special purpose: to serve in the Jerusalem temple, thereby prophetically pointing to the priestly ministry of Jesus Christ. 

The Levites and their families could always choose to be faithful to the purpose for which God had set them apart (like the Levites listed in 2 Chronicles 31:15-18), or they could always choose to be unfaithful to that calling and purpose (like the Levite in Judges 19).  The Levites of 2 Chronicles 31:18 were faithful in executing their responsibilities; and it was only by being faithful to those responsibilities that they found themselves "sanctified in holiness." 

Today we find ourselves in the same situation.  God has set us apart for a special, holy purpose: to love others by witnessing to Jesus Christ and proclaiming with tenderness and boldness the three angels' messages to those around us.  As we worship, let us continually remember this God-given mission and ask God to make us participants in his holiness, as well as strengthen us in faithfulness to Jesus Christ.