Esther 2
King orders young virgins brought to Shushanverses 1-4
After these things – when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased
he remembered Vashti – and what she had done
and what was decreed against her
THEN said the king’s servants that ministered to him
Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king
let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom
that they may gather together all the fair young virgins
to Shushan the palace
to the house of the women
to the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain
keeper of the women
let their things for purification be given them
let the maiden which pleases the king be queen
instead of Vashti
And the thing pleased the king – and he did so
Mordecai had beautiful cousin Estherverses 5-7
Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew
whose name was Mordecai – the son of Jair –the son of Shimei
the son of Kish – a Benjamite
Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity
which had been carried away with Jeconiah – king of Judah
whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon
had carried away
And he brought up Hadassah – that is – Esther – his uncle’s daughter
for she had neither father nor mother
and the maid was fair and beautiful
whom Mordecai when her father and mother
were dead – took for his own daughter
Esther found favor with Hegaiverses 8-9
So it came to pass – when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard
and when many maidens were gathered together to
Shushan the palace – to the custody of Hegai
that Esther was brought also to the king’s house
to the custody of Hegai – keeper of the women
And the maiden pleased him – and she obtained kindness of him
and he speedily gave her things for purification
with such things as belonged to her – and seven maidens
which were meet to be given her out of the king’s house
and he preferred her and her maids to the best
place of the house of the women
Esther kept heritage a secretverses 10-11
Esther had not shown her people nor her kindred
for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show it
and Mordecai walked every day
before the court of the women’s house
to know how Esther did
and what should become of her
Custom of purification of future wifeverses 12-14
Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus
after that she had been twelve months
according to the manner of the women
(for so were the days of their purifications accomplished – to wit
six months with oil of myrrh – and six months with sweet odors
and with other things for the purifying of the women)
Then thus came every maiden to the king
whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the
house of the women unto the king’s house
In the evening she went – and on the morrow she returned into the
second house of the women – to the custody of Shaashgaz
the king’s chamberlain – which kept the concubines
she came in to the king no more
except the king delighted in her
and that she were called by name
Esther listened to advice of Hegaiverses 15
Now when the turn of Esther – the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai
who had taken her for his daughter – was come to go in to the king
she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain
the keeper of the women – appointed
And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her
Esther declared queenverses 16-18
So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his house royal
in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth
in the seventh year of his reign
And the king loved Esther above all the women
and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins
so that he set the royal crown upon her head
and made her queen instead of Vashti
Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants
even Esther’s feast – and he made a release to the provinces
and gave gifts – according to the state of the king
Esther was obedient to Mordecaiverses 19-20
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time
then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate
Esther had not yet shown her kindred nor her people
as Mordecai had charged her
for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai
like as when she was brought up with him
Esther credits to Mordecai for warning kingverses 21-23
In those days – while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate
two of the king’s chamberlains – Bigthan and Teresh
of those which kept the door – were wroth
and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus
And the thing was known to Mordecai – who told it to Esther the queen
and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name
And when inquisition was made of the matter
it was found out
Therefore they were both hanged on a tree
and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter. (2896“beautiful” [towb] means desirable, delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration, agreeable, merry, joyous, or lovely.)
DEVOTION: We find that Mordecai faced a family crisis and came through it in a way that pleased the LORD. His uncle and aunt had died and they left a daughter that needed the care of an adult. He took her in and cared for her.
He treated her as a daughter and she obeyed him as a daughter should. She did what he told her to do even as an adult. She knew that he was looking out for her best interests.
She was a beautiful young lady who had stayed a virgin. She was one of the women who were taken to the palace to be a candidate for queen of the nation. Her uncle told her to not reveal her nationality because he knew that there was a plot to kill all the Jews by Haman.
Her obedience saved her life and the life of their nation. It is important that we realize that obedience to those who give us good instruction in the Word of God should be listened too today.
Many people come to ask advice but if it isn’t what they want to hear they continue to go to others to find someone who will tell them what they want to hear. This is not what Mordecai or Esther did. They were working to please the LORD in their actions. Esther trusted Mordecai to give her good advice.
Do we have someone who can give us good advice in trying circumstances? Some of us are living in countries where the name of the LORD Jesus Christ is not honored.
CHALLENGE: We are told to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. It is hard to do but this is what was taking place at this point in the history of Israel.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids to the best place of the house of the women. (2617 “kindness” [checed] means loyalty, joint obligation, faithfulness, goodness, graciousness, love, obligation to the community, favor, or solidarity.)
: 11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her. (1980 “walked” [halak] means to go, to use one’s feet to advance, advance by steps, to go along, flow with, or to traverse.)
DEVOTION: Can you imagine a parent being so concerned for their child that every day for twelve months they would check to see if they were OK? Every day for 365 days we find that Mordecai was pacing in front of the place where Esther was kept waiting to see the king and either become queen or be put into a harem.
Can you imagine the thoughts that went through the head of Mordecai? He wanted the best for the young lady he had raised as a daughter. He was praying for the LORD’S protection for her and sending her advice as to how to keep herself save in that environment.
We have the same things happening with parents who are genuinely concerned over the welfare of even their adult children. They want what is best for them and good parents are praying for their children daily for them to serve the LORD faithfully. They are even praying for their grandchildren to be raised to honor the LORD. This sometimes doesn’t happen but the prayers will go up and these grandparents will try to be an influence for good in the lives of their grandchildren during this time period.
Mordecai is an example to every parent who is raising their children to honor the LORD. There is not a day that goes by in his life that he is not concerned for the welfare of Esther. There should not be a day that goes by that we as parents are not concerned about the growth of our children in the LORD. This includes grandchildren today in our world.
What is your concern for your children and grandchildren today? Are you and I praying for them daily? Are we encouraging them each time we see them to pray and ask for the LORD’S help in raising their children and staying close to the LORD?
CHALLENGE: This is a burden that every parent and grandparent should have while they have breath in their bodies.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her. (1245 “required” [baqash] means seek, seek to find, seek to secure, desire, exact, request, or aim at.)
DEVOTION: Esther was brought up by her uncle to be an obedient young lady. She was one who honored her cousin because he was the one who raised her when her parents died.
Now she is a young lady who has been taken from her home to be one of the candidates for queen of the nation. She was put under the care of Hegai ,and she found favor in his eyes. He gave her all the things necessary to please the king.
She was willing to listen to him regarding what she should wear to meet the king after her twelve months of purification. She trusted his judgment as to what would please the king. He was right and she became the next queen of the nation.
All this was done according to the leading of the LORD. HE knew before the foundation of the world that she would be brought into the palace as the next queen. HE knew that her presence was necessary if the nation of Israel was going to be saved from the wiles of the enemy who was using Haman to try to kill all the Jews in the nation.
God has a plan for each of us and HE is working HIS plan in the lives of those who are HIS children. HE is also over all the rulers of every nation. HE wants us to realize that HE knows what is going on in each of our nations right now. HE knows who we have as ruler over our nations and HE has allowed them to be in their office. None are in office that HE has not allowed.
God wants to show us through HIS actions throughout the Old Testament that nothing surprises HIM. HE uses heathen nations to judge Israel because of their sin against HIM. HE is using heathen rulers to judge us today because we are not serving HIM properly.
CHALLENGE: Obedience is what Esther practiced and we need to do the same in our lives. Obedience brings blessings.
: 20 Esther had not yet shown her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. (539 “brought up” [’aman] means to build up or support, to foster as a parent or nurse, believe, establish, turn to the right or be faithful.)
DEVOTION: Obedience is necessary in every home. Children are to obey their parents according the Word of God. This doesn’t happen in all homes. Some homes don’t even require it of their children and then wonder why their children don’t serve the LORD or obey them.
The book of Esther never mentions the name of God. Yet we see the providence of God throughout the book. Her cousin, Mordecai, raises her. The king was without a wife. The kingdom was searched for all the virgins. Esther was picked as one of the virgins. In the providence of God, she was picked to be queen.
We are commanded to obey our parents. We are commanded to honor our parents. When we marry, we are to cling to our spouse but that doesn’t mean that we can mistreat our parents. Christ warns the Pharisees about mistreating their parents. We should still respect them when we are married.
Esther respected the wishes of Mordecai even after marriage. She kept in close contact with Mordecai. He was appointed as a leader by the king and sat at the gate which was a place of honor.
One day as he was sitting at the gate, he learned of a plot to kill the king. He reported it to Esther. She reported it to the king in the name of Mordecai. The facts were checked out and it was true and the two men were executed.
A point was made that this incident was recorded in the book of the kings of Persia. This will come in play later in the book. It proved to be very important in the prominence of Mordecai when the children of Israel were threatened.
We find out why it was necessary at the end of the book. God is in control, even in foreign governments. God is in control, even in corrupt societies. Praise HIM!
CHALLENGE: Remember that it is the little things that add up in our service to the LORD. Honoring of parents seems like a little thing but it is important to the LORD. Blessing comes from obedience.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Ahasuerusverses 1, 16, 21
Nebuchadnezzarverse 6
Hegai – Ahasuerus’ chamberlainverses 8, 9, 15
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Wrathverse 1, 21
Concubinesverse 14
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Virginverse 2
Purificationverse 3
Please even heathenverses 9, 15
Favorverses 15, 17
Graceverse 17
Obedience to parentsverse 20
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Mordecai – Benjaminiteverse 5
Hadassah = Estherverse 7
Esther showed not her people or kindredverses 10, 20
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
2:15 Esther is finally introduced into the narrative. Apparently, each girl had certain liberty in choosing her adornment (v. 13). It is said that some took advantage of this to deck themselves with many jewels. Esther was content to stay with Hegai’s advice. That was wise since certainly he knew what pleased the king. Exactly what she took is unknown. We do know she took with her a desire to remain loyal both to God and her people. This took great wisdom.
Esther’s sound life, based on Hebrew (biblical) ethical principles, was expressed in the character and poise of her person. (Breneman, M. (1993). Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed., Vol. 10, p. 318). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
15. Only now is Esther referred to by her full name, Bath-Abihail (Bath meaning ‘daughter of’), the uncle of Mordecai, who had adopted her. The offer of all kinds of adornment meant that prospective queens revealed by the choice they made whether they had good judgment and artistic sense, or whether they were interested only in enriching themselves. Esther was prepared to be guided by Hegai, who no doubt knew what was in keeping with the king’s preferences. (Baldwin, J. G. (1984). Esther: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 12, p. 69). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
17. And the King loved Esther [L 𝔖 + exceedingly] more than all the wives [𝔗1 + that he had taken], and she gained his grace and favour more than all the virgins. [Meg. 13a + If he wished to enjoy a virgin, he enjoyed her; if he wished to enjoy a matron, he enjoyed her]. The sense is not, as Bert. suggests, that he loved her better than both the older and the younger women, but, as 𝔗 and Meg. indicate, better than the wives that he had already, and better than the girls that he had just gathered .— And he placed the royal turban upon her head, [𝔗1 + and he cast out from the bedroom of the house where he slept the statue of Vashti, and placed there a statue of Esther. And he seated her upon the second throne,] and he made her Queen instead of Vashti. [Jos. 203 + So Esther was married without disclosing her race.] After the King had seen Esther he had no desire to investigate further. The presentation of girls came to a sudden end; and Esther, apparently, was made Queen at once. On royal turban, see 1:11. There can be no doubt as to the author’s intention to represent Esther as wife and queen, in contrast to the other women who were only concubines (see p. 71). (Paton, L. B. (1908). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Book of Esther (p. 184). New York: C. Scribner’s Sons.)
17 None of the previous candidates had attracted the king sufficiently for him to make her his wife; but he immediately loved Esther and placed the royal crown on her head, thereby making her queen in place of Vashti. Vashti is not mentioned again in the book. After seeing Esther the king had no desire to continue the search for a queen. (Huey, F. B., Jr. (1988). Esther. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 809). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
2:16–20. Esther was taken to King Xerxes in 479 b.c., his seventh year, the 10th month (Tebeth was the Babylonian name for December–January). The king was attracted to Esther and therefore made her queen in place of Vashti. Then a big banquet was prepared and he proclaimed a holiday and gave away many gifts. Throughout all this, Esther had still not revealed that she belonged to the Jewish nation (cf. v. 10). Apparently there was a gathering of another harem of virgins during the time Mordecai was … at the king’s gate (cf. v. 21; 3:2). His being at the king’s gate probably meant that Mordecai held an official position in the empire’s judicial system. His position thus helped set the stage for the following events. This fact about Mordecai shows how he could have uncovered an assassination plot and how a feud started that threatened the entire Jewish nation. (Martin, J. A. (1985). Esther. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 704). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Esther had won the favor of everybody who saw her; and when the king saw her, he responded to her with greater enthusiasm than he had to any of the other women. At last he had found someone to replace Vashti! The phrase “the king loved Esther” (KJV) must not be interpreted to mean that Ahasuerus had suddenly fallen in love with Esther with pure and devoted affection. The NIV rendering is best: “Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women” (v. 17). This response was from the Lord who wanted Esther in the royal palace where she could intercede for her people. “Known to God from eternity are all His works” (Acts 15:18, NKJV).
It’s worth noting that Esther put herself into the hands of Hegai, and did what she was told to do. Hegai knew what the king liked, and, being partial to Esther, he attired her accordingly. Because she possessed such great beauty “in form and features” (Es. 2:7, NIV), Esther didn’t require the “extras” that the other women needed. (See 1 Peter 3:1–6.)
The king personally crowned Esther and named her the new queen of the empire. Then he summoned his officials and hosted a great banquet. (This is the fourth banquet in the book. The Persian kings used every opportunity to celebrate!) But the king’s generosity even touched the common people, for he proclaimed a national holiday throughout his realm and distributed gifts to the people. This holiday may have been similar to the Hebrew “Year of Jubilee.” It’s likely that taxes were canceled, servants set free, and workers given a vacation from their jobs. Ahasuerus wanted everybody to feel good about his new queen. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Be Committed (pp. 89–90). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
Ver. 17. And the king loved Esther above all the women, &c.] The virgins he made his concubines, as next explained; though Jarchi interprets it of married women, for such he supposes were gathered and brought to him, as well as virgins: and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; who had been purified, and in their turns brought to him: so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti; declared her queen, and gave her all the ensigns of royalty: so it was usual with the eastern kings to put a crown or diadem on the heads of their wives at the time of marriage, and declare them queens. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 168). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Daniel 2
Nebuchadnezzar requires the wise men to tell him his dream and its interpretation.
INSIGHT
One of our responsibilities as children of God is to give God credit for who He is and what He does. It is a careless Christian who stands under the showers of God’s blessings without recognizing them. It is an irresponsible Christian who recognizes God’s blessings and does not give God the credit. Daniel recognizes God’s work and tells the king that it is God who “reveals deep and secret things” (v. 22). And through this, God is glorified. We must always be alert to the blessings of God in our lives, express our gratitude to Him, and give Him public credit.
(Quiet Walk)
THE HOLINESS OF GOD Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:16
God’s moral attributes are, in a sense, communicable. Something corresponding to them is to be found in men and women. What are these? Well, first we must mention the holiness of God. What is holiness? I think we almost inevitably tend to deal with it in negative terms, and we define it as meaning that God is entirely separate from and apart from sin. Holiness primarily means separation–separation from evil.
But, of course, holiness is also something positive. It is absolute purity. The Bible teaches us everywhere that God is holy, and a part of the manifestation of this holiness is His hatred of sin and His separation from sin, from the sinner and from all that is evil.
Let me give you certain outstanding examples and illustrations of the Bible’s teaching on this. God has revealed His holiness by granting visions of Himself to certain people. There is the great case of Moses, in Exodus 33 and in other places, where God appeared, as it were, to Moses, and Moses was overwhelmed by the sense of His holiness. The same thing happened to Job, to Isaiah, and to Ezekiel. Anyone who has ever come anywhere near to God has always been impressed by His absolute holiness.
The Bible teaches this in certain terms that it uses; it refers to God as “the Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25), and we have God’s injunction, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16), which is a specific, explicit statement of God’s holiness.
I suppose if you were to be asked to say where the Bible teaches the holiness of God most powerfully of all, you have to go to Calvary. God is so holy, so utterly holy, that nothing but that awful death could make it possible for Him to forgive us. The cross is the supreme and the sublimest declaration and revelation of the holiness of God.
A Thought to Ponder: The cross is the supreme and the sublimest declaration and revelation of the holiness of God.
(From God the Father, God the Son, pp. 69-71, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Bewitched
“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” (Galatians 3:1)
The Greek word for “bewitched” is used only this once in the New Testament and does not necessarily refer to witchcraft as such. The connotation is “fascinated” or “deceived.” Unlike most of his other epistles, the book of Galatians includes no commendations from Paul, nor even any prayer requests. Paul evidently was very disappointed in this church and its ministry.
He had clearly preached the gospel to them, setting forth “Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2) among them, and they had apparently believed and started out well. They seemed to understand the great doctrines of salvation by grace and of liberty in Christ, and it was hard for Paul to understand how they had been so quickly led astray.
If anything, this is even a greater problem today than in Paul’s day. Professing Christians are being “tossed to and fro… with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14)—not only with legalism (as in Galatia) but also with evolutionism, hedonism, emotionalism, materialism, and many other unscriptural heresies. Many who profess to be Christians have, like the Galatians, been “bewitched” by clever persuasion and peer pressure into such deceptions.
They may consider themselves especially enlightened in some way, or intellectual, or just up-to-date, but Paul would call them “foolish” just as he did the Galatians. In Christ alone—our Creator, Redeemer, and Lord—are “hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). As Paul concluded his letter to the Galatians: “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
The Obedience of Christ
“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (John 5:30)
Christ is our great example in all things—even in that of obedience to the Father and His will. As the perfect Son, He obeyed His Father in all things. “I do nothing of myself,” He said, “but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:28-29).
There are three specific references in the epistles to the obedience of Christ. One of the most profound passages in the Bible is Hebrews 5:8: “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” How could the omniscient Son of God have to learn anything? There are some things that cannot be learned in books but only by experience, and obedience in hard circumstances is surely one of these. Jesus learned obedience by actual experience.
Christ obeyed His Father even after praying that the bitter cup might be taken away. “Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).
Had He been disobedient, as was Adam, we could never have known salvation. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). Jesus was, indeed, always perfectly obedient to His Father’s word, “leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
As our text emphasizes, His obedience consisted simply of seeking and following the will of His Father in all things. “Not my will, but thine” (Luke 22:42). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Even the earnest Christian must guard against hypocrisy. How easy it is to sing, “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give,” and then go out to live with some areas of our lives not given over to Christ.
Yet, there is a difference between weakness and rebellion. All of us struggle with weaknesses which we wish we didn’t have and with which we wrestle in the grace of God to overcome. Rebellion expresses itself when we could overcome a sin if we wanted to but make no attempt to do so.
The Bible expresses compassion for us in our weaknesses as we cry out to the Lord for greater strength. But God’s Word pronounces a scathing rebuke for hypocrisy and rebellion. We must check our hearts to be certain that our shortcomings are weaknesses and not hypocrisy. (Daily Walk)
THE SECONDARY MEANING OF “SANCTIFY”
Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. Leviticus 19:2
There is a secondary meaning to the word sanctify, and this is equally clear from the Scriptures. This is that we are not only regarded as holy; we are made holy. And obviously we are made holy because that is how we are regarded. God sets us apart as His peculiar or special people, and because of this we must be a holy people: “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy,” says God. So we are to be holy because we are holy, and that is the great New Testament appeal for sanctification.
So this second meaning is that God does a work within us, a work of purifying, cleansing, and purging; and this work is designed to fit us for the title that has been put upon us. We have been adopted, taken out of the world, and set apart, and we are now being conformed increasingly to the image, the pattern, of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may in truth be the people of God, in reality as well as in name.
So this is obviously progressive work. The first meaning involves something that is done once and for all, and it is because we are set apart that we are justified. God has looked upon His people from all eternity and has set them apart. He sanctified them before the foundation of the world, and because of that they are justified, and also because of that they are sanctified in this second sense. So the question is, which of these two meanings is to be attached to the word in John 17:17: “Sanctify them through thy truth”? It seems to me that there is only one adequate answer to that: Obviously both meanings are involved. Our calling demands that we must be a holy people since we cannot represent a holy God unless we ourselves are holy.
A Thought to Ponder: We are to be holy because we are holy. (From Sanctified Through the Truth, pp. 10-11, by Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
David writes (NY): Retweeted Leonard Ravenhill (@LenRavenhill): It is a sad reflection of the church today that we are more afraid of holiness than we are of sinfulness.
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