Perfectly Holy Part 2

"...they brought the gold and sliver vessels which had been taken out of the temple, the house of God...and the king drank from them." Daniel 5:3

"...be a vessel of honor, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work."

2 Timothy 2: (20) 21

As I mentioned in part one, I had been studying the book of Daniel...and chapter five is not one that is easily forgotten. As the chapter opens, the main characters are King Belshazzar and the gold and silver goblets.

Let's back up into history for just a moment. These goblets (vessels) belonged to God, not the king. This king was the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar, who originally took the goblets. The temple from which they had been taken (and all that was inside it) belonged to God and was holy (set apart for God's purposes). When the Jews and Jerusalem were captured by the Babylonians, King Nebuchadnezzar had the temple pillaged and all the precious vessels, utensils and furnishings taken into his possession. A couple of generations later, we read the account of King Neb's grandson (a worshipper of Babylonian gods) calling for the gold and silver goblets at his feast to end all feasts. King Belshazzar used these vessels to toast his gods. He used a holy vessel to toast that which us unholy. Belshazzar was not aware that the God of these vessels was in attendance at his party.

God was not pleased with the situation. If ever there was a guy in trouble, he was it. Belshazzar was busted. (I encourage you to read chapter five in it's entirety for all of the panic stricken details of Belshazzar's evening. His party was over!) God interrupted the drunken toast, and it was all downhill for Belshazzar. In the end, God's message to Belshazzar was "you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient" (5:27). Belshazzar lost everything that night.

God is serious about that which is set apart for Him. Holiness is not to be taken lightly. Because of Jesus, God no longer works through a man made temple or furnishing, but through His people. He looks at us- as His vessels- set apart for Him. The dictionary defines this (vessel) as "a person regarded as a holder or receiver of something not material" a vessel of grace; a vessel of wrath". What has God poured into you? You and I are His vessels and we are to be vessels of honor (2 Timothy 2:21) set apart for Him. The verses following this passage teach us how to continue being a vessel of honor. May we never be vessels that toast something unholy. May we always pay attention to what we are toasting. May we always be holy (set apart unto God), perfect (carrying out that which HE has called us to do) and aware of His holiness.

Perfectly Holy Part 1

"...you are to be perfect" Matthew 5:48

"be holy; for I am holy" Leviticus 11:44

During a group Bible study of the book of Daniel, the topic of holiness came up as we examined the chapter five account of King Belshazzar. The question was asked of the group: "do you think you are holy"? Nearly everyone in the group answered "no". What followed was an enlightening discussion which sent me home to seek God's wisdom and the study of this word.

It was easy to understand (within the group) that to most people the word "holy" is believed to be synonymous with "perfect". This is a misconception. The basic English dictionary will help us get on the right track. The English definition of the word perfect means "to be flawless; excellent beyond improvement". The word holy means "to be devoted to the service of God; to be set apart". While we can easily see that these two definitions are not the same, let's look into the original Biblical languages- because in ancient times, God did not inspire English speaking people.

In the Old Testament, the main Hebrew words for perfect and holy are respectively: "tam" (and the derivative "tamiym") and "kadash". The Hebrew "tom/"tamiym" mean "entire, whole; also "integrity of mind", "innocent". An example of the use of this word is in Job 1:1. "Kadash" means "to set apart", "distinct" (Leviticus 11:44, today's devotional Scripture).

In the New Testament, the Greek words for holy and perfect respectively are: "hagios" and "teleios". "Hagios" means "to separate" (1 Corinthians 3:17). "Teleios" means "mature". (Other Greek words used in the Bible for perfect have the meaning of "whole" and "completely fitted"). The derivative "teleioo" of "teleios" means "to carry out a thing to the full end". An example of this is Matthew 5:48, our devotional scripture for today.

If you care to agree with me, it is a mental and spiritual revelation -as well as a relief to know that our common English meaning of the words holy and perfect and not the expectations God has of us. No one is truly flawless or excellent beyond improvement but God Himself. To become perfect, in God's eyes, means we are to live to carry out to maturity or completion what God has asked of us. To be holy means we are devoted to the service of God while separating ourselves from those things which God has called us apart, and being distinct from those who are not devoted. Mistakes are probable. We are human. The comfort is that when we make mistakes as we walk the path of holiness and perfection, we have forgiveness.

Reach out to God and find freedom in being perfectly holy.