The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 21:5b,
"The men's bodies are holy even on missions that are not holy."
This was David's response to Ahimelek the priest when David sought food as he was on the run from King Saul. In asking for bread from the priest, he was told the only bread available was the consecrated bread set out in the tabernacle. Before Ahimelek gave David the day-old consecrated bread, he wanted to be sure David's men were not "ceremonially unclean" by having had sex.
While David said they had not "defiled" themselves with women, he went on to say that the men's bodies in his command were "holy", (not ceremonially unclean), even if the mission they might be on was not holy.
The account brings to my mind the question, what exactly is it that makes one holy? Not just the body, but the whole person? What does it mean to be holy anyway?
Merriam-Webster defines "holy" as "connected to a god or a religion", "religious and morally good", "having a divine quality" among other definitions. From a biblical perspective, we might define holy as having a right standing with God, set apart for his purposes.
How do we become holy? The writer of Hebrews tells us, "we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Hebrews 10:10. When we embrace Jesus Christ in faith we are made holy because of the sacrifice Jesus made on that miserable cross. He paid the penalty for our sins and when we place our faith and trust in him we are imbued with righteousness: made holy.
"The men's bodies are holy even on missions that are not holy."
This was David's response to Ahimelek the priest when David sought food as he was on the run from King Saul. In asking for bread from the priest, he was told the only bread available was the consecrated bread set out in the tabernacle. Before Ahimelek gave David the day-old consecrated bread, he wanted to be sure David's men were not "ceremonially unclean" by having had sex.
While David said they had not "defiled" themselves with women, he went on to say that the men's bodies in his command were "holy", (not ceremonially unclean), even if the mission they might be on was not holy.
The account brings to my mind the question, what exactly is it that makes one holy? Not just the body, but the whole person? What does it mean to be holy anyway?
Merriam-Webster defines "holy" as "connected to a god or a religion", "religious and morally good", "having a divine quality" among other definitions. From a biblical perspective, we might define holy as having a right standing with God, set apart for his purposes.
How do we become holy? The writer of Hebrews tells us, "we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Hebrews 10:10. When we embrace Jesus Christ in faith we are made holy because of the sacrifice Jesus made on that miserable cross. He paid the penalty for our sins and when we place our faith and trust in him we are imbued with righteousness: made holy.
"Saint" means "holy one". The Roman Catholic church can do all their investigations into the life of one of their members and research how many miracles they performed and vote all they want. People cannot make anyone holy, including the Roman Catholic church or any other church. Only God does that and he does it through the cross of Jesus Christ.
All believers are saints. If you disagree, you will have to take it up with the writer of Hebrews. You will have to take it up with Paul as well. He told his Ephesian readers that God decided before the creation of the world that believers would be "holy and blameless in his sight." Ephesians 1:4.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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