ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Monite Fepueli 27, 2023

קדשׁ Holy Ground

KO E KELEKELE TAPU

EXODUS 3:5

THEN HE SAID, "DO NOT COME NEAR; TAKE YOUR SANDALS OFF YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND."

‘EKISOTO 3:5

Pea ne folofola, ‘Oua te ke ofi mai ki heni: to‘o ho topuva‘e mei ho va‘e, he ko e potu ‘oku ke tu‘u ai ko e kelekele tapu.

Because footwear was universally considered unclean, Moses stands there barefoot, just as later the temple priests would serve unshod. He's on "holy ground." The Bible usually speaks of holiness concretely. Rather than a notion or abstraction, it's a day, a building, a priest, a sacrifice. What makes something holy is God's presence. He is qadosh, qadosh, qadosh ("Holy, holy, holy"; Isa. 6:3), as the seraphim sang, so the ground around him is qodesh ("holy"). He alone is intrinsically and essentially holy. We sing of him, "You alone are holy" (Rev. 15:4). Anything else called "holy" borrows holiness from him. Holiness is therefore always a gift, a divine bestowal, never an achievement.

Even a demon knew Jesus was "the Holy One of God" (Mark 1:24). Peter confesses him to be "the Holy One of God" (John 6:69). The church prayed to the Father about "your holy servant, Jesus" (Acts 4:30). All our holiness is from him, as a gift, not a gold star for saintliness. We have been made holy or "sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. 10:10). Therefore, we enter his holy presence in Christ, our holy priest, with full confidence (v. 19), for he is our "sanctification" (1 Cor. 1:30).

Holy Jesus, draw us near to you and sanctify us with your truth.