Jehovah-M’kaddish: The Lord Who Sanctifies
One of my seminary professors used to refer to the book of Leviticus as the “pots and pans” book of the Bible because it has to do with all the worship ceremonies Israel was to carry out—lots of detail and “how to” material. But all those instructions reflect the central theme of the book: the holiness of the Lord. Worship and sacrifice were to be carried out in such a way that the holiness of God and His people is reflected.
In chapter 20 we find this pivotal statement about all the regulations and stipulations that are found in Leviticus: “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (verses 7–8). In that last phrase, we find yet another of the names of God in the Old Testament, Jehovah-M’kaddish, “The Lord Who Makes You Holy.”
The Lord is to be celebrated as the One who cleanses us and makes us holy.
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