The Names of God #12
Jehovah – Mekaddishkem –MECA KISH DIM
“The Lord who sanctifies”
(Lev. 20: 23-27)
Intro: We have before us an often neglect name of God…an often neglected book of the Bible and an often neglected subject.
--But today we are going to dive right into all three!! The book of Leviticus is where God clearly call out His people to be set apart from the rest.
--In this book God implores us to a life of sanctification – that of not allowing the world’s viewpoint and way to trespass into our minds.
--So with such treasured information about living a life of holiness before God, Leviticus is one of the most important books in the Bible. Now you know why often neglected!! People don’t enjoy messages on holiness or holy living…but after all - the WOG does say (1 Pet. 1: 16-17)
--The subject of holiness is mentioned over 600 times in the WOG…so it MUST be important!
--We really cannot appreciate the book of Hebrews without really understanding the book of Leviticus. As much of what appears in the book of Hebrews is found in God’s instructions to us in Leviticus.
I. Delivered to be Separate
--As you know at the close of Exodus, the people of Israel have exited Egypt. God’s people have been delivered from bondage and set on the path to the Promised Land.
--In Exodus, we see why God delivered His people – so that they would worship Him freely (Ex. 8:1; 9:1) etc…
--And so we too have been delivered from the bondage of our sin…that we would freely worship God. And the book of Leviticus gives us instructions on how to live and have close fellowship with God.
--Beloved I believe that God has a plan for each one of us. He knows us…He sent us Son to die for us…and so we need to be in proper communication and connected to the will of God.
--So we must understand this subject of separation unto holiness through the process of sanctification. You see when our lives are sanctified, we best reflect the image of God, by whom we have been created and saved.
--This is one reason God delivered the Israelites from the bondage in Egypt, and it’s one reason why God delivers us from the bondage of our sin the sacrifice of Jesus Christ – to sanctify us so that in our intimacy with Him, His glory is shown though us to others.
**A story is told of a child on her way home from church with her mom she turned to her mother and said, “Mommy, the preacher’s sermon this morning confused me” –“Oh? Why is that? She asked.
--The little girl responded, “Well the preacher said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true” – “Yes God is”, her mom replied. “And he also said that God lives in us. Is that also true, Mommy?” – Again her mother said, “Yes”
--“Well,” said the little girl “if God is bigger than us and He lives in us, shouldn’t He show through”
--We should all ponder this little girl’s question…God should show though us each and every moment of everyday!
--Throughout Leviticus, God is getting His children ready for their home in the Promised Land by instructing them how to worship and walk with Him once they get there.
--Beloved if we want to experience a close relationship with the Lord, we need to listen to Him and obey Him.
II. The God who Sanctifies
--So with this we now come to our name of God Jehovah – Mekaddishkem. (Lev. 20: 7-8) –meaning again “The Lord who sanctifies”
--The word “kaddesh” (“to sanctify”) appears hundreds of times in the Bible, but the compound connection of this word with Jehovah appears only twice here in our text and (Ex. 31:13).
--This name of God is important to us in our everyday life because this name takes us beyond our mere existence or motions of life. –it is a life giving name…to be sanctified, set apart to be Holy unto the Lord.
--So this name of God infuses power into our lives when we receive by faith everything that our Lord does in and though us, by His power and His might!
--And sanctification is something that I am still growing in…yes I have it when I am saved, but I am continually being more and more “set- apart” becoming more holy as unto my Lord.
--Leaving more and more of the world behind…to again live a more holy life, that other would see Christ in me!
--So then one definition of sanctification would be: the process of God setting us apart from sin and unrighteousness and to His making us to be more like Hi and His purposes.
--We all understand what it is to sanctify…we might have some fine china in our homes…that is separate from our regular dishes in the cupboard…they are most likely placed in a very special location.
--Or some furniture that is ‘set apart” or a room etc…
--All though the Bible, God sets apart His holy things and people. We are God’s special people, set apart for Him.
III. Sanctification Begins Within (1 Thess. 5:23)
--God is able to wholly sanctify us. Totally transform us to His image. Each and every day becoming more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.
--Beloved when we are saved we are a new creature…old things have passed away and behold all things become new…and God the Holy Spirit begins (as we said) transforming us from the inside out!
--Sanctification goes much deeper than merely conforming to external rules or regulations. It involves aligning our spirit of Christ which dwells in His children.
--It’s not holiness by externalism, but rather a holiness that stems from within and affects the external.
--So in order to enjoy God’s fullness in sanctification…we need to separate from the world and be whole devoted to Almighty God! (Lev. 20:7-8)
-- And so we need the work of the Holy Spirit in us every moment of every day to help us grow in sanctification. (Romans 8:12-17) the work of the Holy Spirit transforms us (Romans 12:2)
--We need to realize that if we are to lean anything or grow spiritually that we need to depend on the Holy Spirit of God to open our minds for us that we may lean and grow their by!
--And then we are strengthened by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 3:16-19) just as physical exercise is necessary for physical growth; so then spiritual exercise is then need for spiritual growth. When we exercise we develop an appetite for food, which we receive nourishment that provides us growth. So then spiritual exercise develops and appetite for the word of God, from which we receive spiritual nourishment that produces growth in grace!
--And when we are growing spiritually then our witness to the world is stronger and we are setting ourselves further and further away from the world and closer and closer to God! So again our sanctification is growing!
--Sanctification is experimental~ we feel and know the working of the spirit is upon us…we experience this feeling…we feel it on our hearts and our souls…brining us closer to God threw: bible study, prayer, and by our witnessing growing stronger.
We will never ever achieve sinless perfection while on this earth! (Romans 7:14-25)
--When we talk about the doctrine we want to point out that we are still sinners by nature and that is why sanctification is a work in progress.
--We need to pray that God will santificty us more each and every day!
--We have here the example of Paul…sinner saved by grace…showing us that he still sins and show us that we are always in need of the grace of God.
--We see in the model prayer that we are to ask God for forgiveness of sins…so this again shows us that we are still sinners
--However the more set apart we become the more we have an increased hatred of sin!—no saved person loves sin, and when a saved person sins we feel bad and ashamed of that sin!
--So while yes we will continue to sin…we will sin less and less the more that we learn and grow in the Lord!
Conclusion: I hope that we have all come to learn about Jehovah – Mekaddishkem. May Almighty God help us each and every day to be more set apart for His service!