The Name: Jehovah Mekadesh
· Jehovah is the personal, intimate name of God
· Mekadesh is typically translated “sanctify” which literally means to “set apart” (Genesis 2:3)
· Biblically, the word “sanctify” implies that which is set apart is set apart to the Lord and for the Lord’s use (Exodus 13:2, 1 Chronicles 23:13)
· Jehovah Mekadesh is the “Lord who sanctifies you”
The Story: God teaches His people how to live well
· When God called Abraham, He set Abraham apart to be the father of His people
· Later, God led the descendants of Abraham to Egypt to be protected as they grew into a mighty nation
· God then redeems His people from Egypt and takes them to Mt Sinai and reminds them they are His people, set apart to Him, He is “Jehovah who sanctifies you” (Exodus 31:13)
· Since the Children of Abraham have been set apart to God, it will affect how they are to live – they are to live for His purpose
· The Lord’s sanctifying work in our lives should lead to a personal sanctifying of our lives – a walk of purity and holiness fitting our relationship with Jehovah
The Takeaways: God’s way to live life is always the best way
· Those who believe in Jesus have been sanctified by the Lord (Hebrews 10:10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (1 Peter 3:9)
· We not only belong to the Lord, but we have been set apart for Him to use (2 Corinthians 5:18, 20)
· We are to live in our identity of being sanctified, live as those set apart to the Lord for His purpose – this is the ongoing process in our life today of sanctification (2 Timothy 2:20, 21)
· The Lord has given us His Word and His Holy Spirit to guide us in this process of ongoing sanctification (John 17:16-18)
· The reason Jehovah sanctifies us and calls us to sanctification is because it is the very best way to live life (John 10:10)