 Wait, thanks for joining once again Hope you all are doing well Can I request someone to start us off with a word of prayer, please? anyone online can just lead us in Prayer, please Wait, Francis, why don't you start us prayer? Yeah, I'm gonna apologize in advance if you hear me sniffing a lot allergies are not helping So Okay, well, I hope you all are doing well. We've been discussing about the holiness of God We've completed chapter two in the last class on chapter two titled holy, holy, holy how He's thrice holy. There is no one like him. He speaks in holiness, right? So let's just quickly do a Review of what we covered in the last class Right, he's the holy one We the first thing that we saw was that he is the holy one like, you know, the one the one who is the most holy Right, he's thrice holy as we saw in Isaiah chapter 6 and Revelation chapter 4 Hey, good morning, Arnand His name is holy Right and we saw a bunch of scriptures talking about that From Psalm 30 to Matthew chapter 6 is in the in the manner that Jesus taught us to pray It says our father in heaven Hallowed be your name, right? So his kingdom which is the second part of the prayer it continues from there on those first how the first two lines Are a petition, right? It's an address Like our father who are in heaven Hallowed be your name, right? And then it goes into the petition that your kingdom come that you will be done, right? So it goes on to say that his kingdom will not come where his name is not hallowed or where his name is not regarded as holy right so we looked at that and then Another section where it says when he speaks he speaks in holiness. I Will rejoice I will devise check him and measure out the valley of God has spoken in his holiness some 60 says and Psalm 89 verse 35. I really like that verse Once I have sworn by my holiness. I will not lie to David Right think about this. We'll have we really have to think about the significance of God's word, isn't it? so sometimes or most of the times and forgive me for repeating as Bible call the students and us or as Christians or as someone who's been in the faith for so long it is It is but it's very easy for us to take this for granted the word of God, right? Someone who is a being that cannot be confined Who's in finite, right? Who is immutable who is eternal? You know has given us his word, right? Or you know, and he is the word that means so something that is so intangible is made been made tangible for us I've been limited and been confined to this book or 66 books So to say we'll have to treat it every every single word every single number every comma Every semicolon hyphen has to be treated like precious diamonds Right because it's his word and so when we see Are you when you ponder about this particular verse? Some 89 verse 35 it says once I have sworn by my holiness. He doesn't have to add the word holiness You could have just said I have sworn I will not like to David Why does he need to add I have sworn by my holiness? Because there is a distinction right when we say God is holy. There is no one like him. He's set apart There is none like him. It is his otherness like we saw a court last week rights by Sam Stomps He said the holiness of God is his it says otherness like You there is nothing like him like there's no one else like him Right so when he speaks he speaks in holiness when he moves he moves in his holiness, right? Everything that he does is holiness, right? It is in his holiness. He is grace graceful It is in his holiness that he is merciful. It is in his holiness. He is You know just It is in his holiness everything else, okay begins to we begin to understand once we begin to understand his holiness Right holiness adorns his house the scripture says we looked at another section in Psalm 93 verse 5 Your testimonies are very true very sure holiness adorns your house adorn meaning Decorate right Nina gave a very wonderful word last week is Things that you use to decorate your house Right and God's house is decorated with his holiness Isn't that awesome? Right he adorns holiness adorns his house everywhere you look it's holy Right and Then he goes on to command and say I must be regarded as holy I must be regarded as holy and it is somewhere along these lines Where again as Christians have lost the regard For his holiness say that again It is because we have lost our regard for his holiness we have made Christianity or ministry or churches as an area of business is We treat a certain position like we would usually treat in the corporate place If you have x y and z titles You know and then pride sits on top of that Right and arrogance comes in top top on top of that You did not call me by my title a reverend You did not call me, you know, I have so many doctors. Why didn't you introduce me like that? and You know those are just few examples when things like that happens pride comes in Arrogance seeps in or entitlement Right bruise in this week. I am so-and-so so many districts are under me I'm the superintendent of you know all of South India whatever churches this many churches are under me So I will only sit on the stage. I will only travel in a certain car Okay, what I'm trying to say is that is All of this enters in When we have no regard for his holiness We have to be very careful You and I have to be very very careful. I am talking about this. That doesn't mean that it cannot happen to me Right, it can very easily happen to me If I don't if I do not have any regard for his holiness All right, and so in as it says in Leviticus chapter 10 verse 3 by those who come near me I must be regarded as holy those who come near me I mean those who want to come closer to him and another scripture We saw was in parallel was James chapter 4 verse 8. It says draw near to God Yeah, to me and he will draw near to you. So how do we draw near to him? With regards to his holiness Right those who come near me must be regarded as holy, okay? So he is holy his atonement. So This last section of the book of chapter 2 which we saw was which atonement makes us holy now Until that point we see that everything about God is holy from introduction to chapter 1 to Chapter a huge part of tap chapter 2, you know for his name is holy. He is must be regarded as holy Holiness adorns his house He's thrice holy all of that and now suddenly the perspective he it's kind of changing. Yes I am all of this, but you know what? I'm I'm teaching you about all of these things so that I also I want you to be like me as well Yeah, so I it's all of this is nice This is who I am but I'm teaching you I'm revealing all of this to you so that You know, you're my son and you're my daughter. I want you to become like me I want you to be like me. And so that's why his atonement Makes us holy atonement is another word for reconciliation, right? He made a way For us with his blood. He made a way and so his blood cleanses us The what Jesus did for us on the cross And it has made a way for us to enter into his presence with boldness, isn't it? Yeah His blood his righteousness our access into his holiness Okay, what is it? It's very simple But again, we have to be very careful not to lose the significance right the wonder of it So it is what is it's his blood and his? righteousness Gives our access into his Holiness access, right? I mean, you've seen access cards. This is my access to the office If I swipe this it lets me in and so what we've been given is his blood and his righteousness So when we get to heaven Peter stops us at the gate is like, hey, what brings you here like? Yeah, you see my access card But yeah, that's the beauty of it right as we mentioned in the last class we know what we've been forgiven. I Hope so but most of the times we forget what we have been given Right, we know we've been forgiven, but we Jesus just didn't forgive us. He also gave he gave us his righteousness And all of that is a wonder we cannot afford to lose We cannot we cannot afford to let go of you know, forget about all of that and And and and you will only we will only fail the minute you take your eyes off the wonder of Jesus Because he is your righteousness because he is your holiness And if you take your eyes off him things begin to fall Pride seeps in entitlement arrogance Etc etc etc right are you all with me? Yeah, so I know we've spoken about this I'm just doing a quick review of all of this what we did in the last class because it is very very important to us in the very last verse of the Chapter 2 was in second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21 For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us You can do the most cliche thing you can put your name there That we might become the righteousness of God in him But that you nickel that you Francis the youth Srirada me Roshan Right, he he made him who knew no sin so that I can become righteousness of God so he in him Are you with me right? So God is just not holy and sitting on his holy throne and you know All of that is wonderful, but then he's made a way for us. He's given us access to his righteousness and to his holiness. All right Yeah, all good, okay Okay, now let's move on to chapter 3 His holiness in me Okay, so he desires God desires for his nature to be reproduced in us and to be revealed Through us. Okay. He desires for his nature to be reproduced in us and revealed through us Okay Another covenant name that God gave his people is Jehovah Makodesh Which means the Lord your sanctifier the Lord your sanctifier Okay, we get the word sanctuary from this word Latin word called Sanctus Right, which means holy or set apart or consecrated When we say that the Lord is your sanctify. He's the one who makes us holy or consecrates us Who cleanses us who purifies us? Okay? Jehovah Makodesh That's his covenant name That means he doesn't change If he if he told the people of Israel back then that that that he is their sanctifier He hasn't changed now because that's his covenant name Right Jehovah Jaira. That's his covenant name. He is a provider. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want right he provides God shall supply all my needs according to his riches and glory He shall supply he will provide that's what he does. That's his covenant name. He will he will not change Jehovah Rafa He's our Healer. Thank you Right. I've been praying for my healing. I have not received it. I've prayed for hundreds of people for their healing They have not received it does that change who he is Yes, I'm glad y'all paid attention in miracle and healing and deliverance class. Yes, he doesn't change Same way when we say that he is our Sanctifier Jehovah Makodesh. He doesn't change our Weakness doesn't define You know his nature They go I give my life to Jesus. I keep falling down. I keep falling down I'm sinful. How can he sanctify me? That is different, isn't it? Okay, so the Lord your sanctifier. Okay, why don't you say it the Lord my sanctifier? They say it again the Lord my sanctifier Okay, great, let's look at few verses now Exodus chapter 31 verse 13 Exodus 31 verse 13 Speak also to the children of Israel Saying surely my Sabbaths you shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations That you may know that I am the Lord who Sanctifies you Okay, I am the Lord who sanctifies you Leviticus 20 verse 8 and you shall keep my statues and perform them I am the Lord who sanctifies you Leviticus 22 32 you shall not profane my holy name It's another scripture. We saw last class and we saw that you know his name his holy profane the word profane is what? the root meaning of that It means to wound To damage or to puncher Okay, that's the meaning of the word profane, right? So you shall not wound my holy name or puncher my holy name or tarnish My holy name I will but I will be hallowed Among the children of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you see the connection in that worst case I mean God is going from not profanying his holy name And for he will be hallowed among the children of Israel Okay, so his name is holy that means he has regarded as holy he will dwell in the middle of Israel and As he dwells then he says I am your sanctifier. It's amazing, isn't it? Hey Jehovah makodesh the Lord our sanctifier, okay? And so we see a bunch of things in the Old Testament especially now We look at a lot of things in the Old Testament and then we will move on into the New Testament and we see how Things kind of changes, okay So in the Old Testament for example, you see in as the tabernacle as well as so many other things as mentioned in your notes God sanctified a lot of things so The ground that Moses stood on where he encounters Where Moses encounters God he says that's a holy ground because he's present Right holy Sabbath a holy nation in Exodus 19 verse 6 Holy place most holy place holy garments, holy things, holy gifts, holy Anointing oil, holy priests Holy incense, holy house, holy feel, holy offering, holy tithe So everything that was done unto the Lord was set apart and marked as holy Okay, holy oil Or holy incense it was which was set apart it simply means the oil that was used in the sanctuary Could not be used for anything else by anyone else It is only for that purpose in the Lord's house to make sure that is used only there Holy incense, I mean when you read those scriptures in Exodus chapter 30 when you read that full section God is very clear. You have to use a certain spices But you should not use the same spices to make an incense for yourself Or someone else should not make it because this is set apart. This is sanctified. This is just for me Okay, so it's not just the things like The holy garments or holy anointing oil But what is interesting is it gets a little personal It begins by saying in Exodus 19 verse 6 a holy nation actually let's go to Exodus 19 if you Exodus 19 is actually one of my favorite chapters A very crucial chapter in the history of Israel I'm having this little bit of this annoying thing. You know where you feel like sneezing, but the sneeze it's not coming it's like I'm like, oh Okay, so Okay, let's focus Actually it's chapter 19 at Mount Sinai Verse three onwards actually let's read from verse one in the third month After the Israelites left Egypt Okay, which month? Third month. Okay on the very day they came to the desert of Sinai Sinai whatever after they set out from Raphidim. They entered the desert of Sinai and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain which mountain Sinai very good Then moses went up to god. Huh, just like that, you know So moses went up to god. Yeah, sure. He's just going up to meet with a friend, you know So just so cool And the lord called him from the mountain and said This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you want to tell the people of israel This is what he wants him to say you yourself have seen what I did to egypt And how I carried you on eagle swings and brought you to Very good myself underline that or highlight that Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant Then out of the all nations you will be my treasured possession Although the whole earth is mine You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation These are the words you ought to speak to the Israelites Um verse seven So moses went back and summoned the elders of the people And said before them all the words the lord had commanded him to speak The people all responded together. We will do everything the lord has said So moses brought their answer back to the lord They were just kind of lying when they said that we will do everything because Uh, okay, let's come down. Let's fast forward another chapter chapter 20. Let's go down to verse 18 Sorry, sorry Yeah When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke They trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses speak to us yourself and we will listen But do not have god speak to us or we will die The reason I said this is very important chapter 19 and leading into verse chapter 20 is God's original heart his desire Was the Entire nation of israel to be holy And the entire nation of israel to be kingdom of priests It was not just the levites who were uh originally intended to be priests God wanted the entire nation of israel to be priests And they began to you know draw a distance Say, okay, you know, uh, we're very scared. We don't want to come close to him You know, this was like the beginning of them saying, you know We like to be at a distance Um, but you see god's heart, right? Is that he wanted the whole nation of israel to be holy and uh priests Yeah, are you with me? Okay, so now that we've understood that everything what god wanted, uh, as sanctified was holy he set apart And he wanted his people to be set apart. He did not want to share them with any other He said if you obey my commands out of the all the nations of the earth, you will be my treasured possession So what god sets apart as holy he doesn't like to share So it was not just the things like the oil which came much later But it all started off with what? people It's always been about people to god Right, there's one recurring theme from genesis to revelation I will be your god you will be my people That's in all the books in some books it says a little differently, but that's what it means And it ends in revelation I will be your god you will be my people that means you are set apart for me He's very Furious and ferocious about holiness and you know that about us being set apart for him. He does not like to share Isn't it? Okay, so let's move on so Again use this example For during weddings the priests or pastors. We say it as we have joined together We've come we've come together for this holy matrimony. Isn't it? Holy matrimony is where the groom says that I am setting myself apart From all the other women in the world for you And same thing about The bride where the bride comes in says of all the men that I can have in the world I'm setting myself apart For you yes um When does it get defiled? When the marriage is not honored Right when there is unfaithfulness or infidelity etc. Isn't it? That's exactly what sin does Are you with me guys? Okay, so Now for us to know that god is a sanctifier. We need to also understand what is what is he sanctifying us from? It's very weird right from sin how our sinful nature Are you all with me? Are we all good? Yeah. Okay. Thank you Okay, some more scriptures Ezekiel chapter 22 verse 8 and verse 26. It's in your notes. Ezekiel 22 was 8 and 26 You have despised my holy things and profaned my sabbaths Her priests have violated my law and profaned my holy things They have not distinguished between the holy and unholy Nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean And they have hidden their eyes from my sabbaths so that I am profaned among them So the history History of people of israel where we look back is that they sinned they would repent Uh, and they will go back to god And then they will sin again Then they will repent they'll go back to god. There will be god's judgment and they will sin They will repent they'll go to god. Okay, and so this is one of that those scenarios here Um, there's they they despise the holy things of god. They profaned his name Now all of this is happening in the old testament in the old testament was again Expression of how people lived a certain way Right on the outside Yeah, and in the new testament The emphasis changes From keeping the sabbaths to feast and places Again, it comes back to people it brings it back to that Right, that's why the Pharisees were very angry at uh, jesus because uh They were very religious Right, it is And that's what has become of today when we when we talk about the holiness It is it has a very religious meaning to it now What do I mean by that is white and white? White and white is considered to be uh, holy, um If anyone who is not of that is unholy Uh, anyone with beard It's definitely a hundred percent holy going to hell Right any jewelry So ladies You know, we've reduced holiness to that Religious thing and you know, it was the same kind of understanding with the the Pharisees and and the sadhu season all had Is I mean they questioned, uh, jesus and his disciples, right? Hey today is the sabbath Why are you eating? right the question uh Another question famous question is, uh I love this they looked at jesus and and said We all fast all our disciples fast, but we've never seen your disciples fast You see that religious mentality Right jesus responds amazingly. He said why will they fast? I am with them So why do we fast? I'm sure we've all today's fasting prayer, right? Uh, by the way Right, why do we fast we we fast for more of his presence? Isn't it so that he increases we want more of him, isn't it? Yes. No, maybe but That's fine, but you I'm trying to just Make a point here is we we fast because We want more of him. Isn't it jesus went into the wilderness. He faster for 40 days, right? Um And then now when we fast a one day 21 days 40 days, whatever is that we want more of him? Disciples had all of jesus with them so Jesus Yeah, I was like, why do they need to fast? I am with them the fullness, you know Of one of the sons, uh, godhead is with them, but they will come at time where I will go away and then they will fast Isn't it um, so The there's a shift that is happening in the new testament where it's just moved from the expressions on the outside where a community of people can see Versus the posture of your heart Right the posture of your heart and that's what we look into it a little bit um In this section So while the old testament emphasize externals and observances to demonstrate holiness The new testament emphasizes holiness of the heart Holiness is empowered by god himself in and through The believer, okay. Holiness is empowered by who? By god It's not a certain If you do a certain things that you will be become holy We have to get rid of that Yes, we have to get rid of that Uh mentality, um, yes, we have to live a certain way Uh, that's what we're going to look at, uh, you know in the next section But one thing we have to get very clear is that His work of holiness in us or his work of sanctification in us Is not reduced to Okay, a list of do's and don'ts am I making sense We can't reduce it to a list of do's and don'ts. Okay, if you do Certain things you become holy if you don't do certain things you don't you know It's we can't treat it like that anymore. Right in the new testament the emphasis of holiness is of the heart That means it's on the inside like the man looks on the outside, but the the lord looks on the Inside, right? Uh, so I mean think about this even When we talk about the tabernacle of moses How do we always start talking? We we start talking about it from The gates the outer courts inner courts the holy place and the most holy place That's how we always talk because the entrance is from the outside But when god starts talking and giving giving instructions to moses from exodus 25 he starts from the Inside and then works his way to the outside So it was always been about the inside, huh? It's the ark exodus 25 Thanks, prince Hey always it's always about the inside All right, and that is just being magnified and amplified in the new testament Okay, first Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 12 and 13 And may the lord make you increase and abound in love to one another And to all just as we do to you So that he may establish your heart blameless in holiness What is connected to that blameless in holiness? May the lord make you increase and abound in love to one another So somehow love and holiness is connected Love the lord your guard with all your heart soul-minded strength Love your neighbor as yourself So that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our god and father at the coming of the lord Jesus Christ with all his saints Another scripture first Thessalonians first chapter 5 verse 23 Now may the god of peace himself Sanctify you completely And may a whole spirit soul and body be preserved Blameless at the coming of the lord Jesus Christ Okay, so when he sanctifies he sanctifies our whole being spirit soul and body I only think is Body I only think is any questions so far. Let's pause here Any thoughts any questions? Okay. I hope you are learning um this Something is being instilled in you Looking for In the pdf yeah 26 Priests our holiness to the lord Exodus 28 was 36 and 38 You shall also make a plate of your gold and engrave on it like the engraving of a signet holiness to the lord And you shall put it on the blue card that it may be on the turban. It shall be on the front of the turban That's 38 So it shall be on Aaron's forehead That Aaron may bear the inequity of the holy things which That children of israel hallow in their In all their holy gifts and it shall always be on his forehead That they may be accepted before the lord. Okay So What is God saying here verse to verse 36? Make up Make a plate of pure gold. Okay and engrave on it Holiness to the lord. Okay. So now a plate by itself What's the use of it? Is it holy? It's a thing What was its purpose Engraving on it. Yeah, and then it was put on Aaron forehead I Indicating what that the priest is set apart the priest The person is Set apart That the greatest judgments for israel during those times came when the priests Didn't understand that they were set apart and they lived a very sinful way Right the sons of ilai in first Samuel chapter four. I think Hoffney and finneas I think so that's their name, right? It's hoffney and finneas, right? You know, there were there were sons of ilai priest priests of the temple, right? They did all sexual immorality inequity. They lived an evil way And they had a very judgmental death as well. So Now that's the Old testament in the old covenant now from exodus 19 and 20 and then you know people of israel sin they built They made a golden calf for themselves. You remember all that, right? And then there's this time Where moses asks, okay, who is on the lord side? Only the Levites came running to him Only the Levites came running. So all see because from exodus 19 and all in all these small small ways It's You see how the story is changing or turning from the whole nation of being priests To only coming only the Levites becoming a priestly tribe Right, uh, and I mean god says Okay to the people to the tribe of dan they get a certain land to the tribe of juda They get the certain land to the tribe X Y and Z they get this certain land. This is the position. This is the position. This is their position When it came to Levites leave god says they don't get anything for I am their inheritance Originally god was The inheritance of the entire nation While all the other tribes received land or possessions Uh, Levites did not receive anything materialistic, but the lord himself was their inheritance who's you Right, and then the tribe of Levites has uh, is has been separated by three different clans Uh, i'm not going to go into the details of it like the kohathites the mirarites and the geyser mites And all of them had a certain Responsibility right moses and aran they come from the clan of the kohathites okay, and so All I want you to listen to this all high priests were Levites, but not all Levites were high priests Say that again All high priests were Levites, but not all Levites were high priests Only those who descended from the line of the kohath Or because aran is from the line of the kohathites, right? And that's why again when you read uh, this famous passage, uh, which we read in first chronicles chapter 20 Where jehosia fath goes into war Right, and uh, what do they do? They call the worshipers, but if you look very carefully it says The kohathites catted the ark of the covenant and came Okay, they come from the clan. They're one of the clans of the tribe of levites Okay, Levi had three sons and you know, so you get the point, right? All high priests were Levites, but not all Levites were high priests But all of that is changing now All of that is changing now Okay in revelation chapter one uh, verse five and six And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness the first born from the dead and the ruler over the kings of the earth To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood And has made us kings and priests to his god and father We in the new covenant Are priests Holy and set apart unto the lord Okay, one of the responsibilities as mentioned in Ezekiel chapter 44 was 23 Ezekiel 44 was 23 in your pdfs is page 27 It says and they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the Unholy the cause them to discern between the unclean and Clean this was the responsibility of the priests back then Is to teach their people and so Now that we are Priests, you know all we are royal priest, right as Peter says first Peter chapter five Very chapter five. I think or two We are all royal priesthood and so as is priest we are set apart and we are holy Okay, um, let's pause here. We'll resume this class in the next session Okay, I take a quick break. I'll see you next time