“… I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” Leviticus 20:8
Jehovah means “Lord” and Mekoddishkem means “sanctifies.” God told His people, “I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” It also means to consecrate, dedicate, separate, prepare, or to be hallowed or holy. God asks us to sanctify ourselves, to set ourselves apart for Him, but here God is saying, “I will sanctify you.” God will set us apart. God will separate us from anything contrary to His destiny for us. He has chosen us for Himself and for His purpose.
In Deuteronomy 26:18 God said, “… the Lord has proclaimed you to be his special people.” The Hebrew word for special is segullah, and it means, “possession, personal property, or special treasure.” In other translations segullah was used to describe treasures that belonged to kings, said to be royal treasures. When God refers to us as special, He is saying, “You are mine. You belong to me.”
Peter shared something similar in I Peter 2:9 when he wrote, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” The Greek word for chosen is eklektos. It comes from ek, meaning “out of” and lego meaning “to pick or gather.” The word designates one picked out from among many for a purpose or a privilege. The word special is peripoiesis, meaning “possession or something obtained.” Not only do we belong to God as a child belongs to their parent, but we have been redeemed as one bought as a slave and given freedom.
Sarah is an example of God’s choosing. Sarah was the one God picked out to be Abraham’s wife and to be the mother of the Israelites. Even though Abraham had a son with Hagar, God did not honor her son as the son of promise. The promise would come through Sarah. In Genesis 20, we read where Abimelech was interested in Sarah, thinking she was Abraham’s sister. However, God had sanctified, or set Sarah apart for a purpose. The Lord warned Abimelech that if he touched her, he would die. Abimelech returned her to Abraham, understanding that Sarah belonged not only to Abraham, but she belonged to God. She was special. Don’t take what God has set apart for Himself. Sarah had been consecrated for a purpose. God has set you apart for Himself. You are destined to know His presence. You are designed for His purpose. He is the Lord who sanctifies you.
Application: God also asks you to sanctify yourself. Live as one who belongs to another. You aren’t available for anything or anyone else.