Jehovah Mekoddishkem

Exodus 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.

Jehovah Mekoddishkem; the Lord that sanctifies you.

This is the biblical etymology of sanctification according to the ISB encyclopedia:

“The root is found in the Old Testament in the Hebrew verb qadhash, in the New Testament in the Greek verb hagoazo. The noun “sanctification” (hagiasmos) does not occur in the Old Testament and is found but 10 times in the New Testament, but the roots noted above appear in a group of important words which are of very frequent occurrence. These words are “holy,” “hallow,” “hallowed,” “holiness,” “consecrate,” “saint,” “sanctify,” “sanctification.” It must be borne in mind that these words are all translations of the same root, and that therefore no one of them can be treated adequately without reference to the others. All have undergone a certain development. Broadly stated, this has been from the formal, or ritual, to the ethical, and these different meanings must be carefully distinguished.”

The action of sanctification is separation. That action varies in definition by who is responsible for the separation and by what is being set aside. There is God’s part, His actions, and then there is our part, our actions. We can be seen by God from His point of view in what He has done on His part. We, on the other hand, might not see it that way because we have not done out part.

1 John 1:8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

From God’s point of view it is unnecessary but from ours it is desperately needed. This will cleanse our conscience and keep us moving in the right direction.

Keeping the Sabbath is but a sign and only a sign. Some day we will explore exactly what that means.

Jehovah Rapha

Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

Jehovah Rapha is the Lord that heals.

Yes He is but does He always? No. Once again to have a proper understanding of how God interacts with us in this area, we need to consider all that God is in personality and character. The first thing I would point out here to clarify this scripture, if, that dreaded word if. If makes this a conditional promise of God to a people who continually, generation after generation, failed to do what they were asked to do.

Does God still heal today? Yes. Does He heal all His people? No. Why can only be seen in who God is in personality and character. God’s first and foremost will is to save the lost. How can a sick or dying Christian bring glory to God and be a witness to the lost? I have seen it over and over again throughout my life. I have been part of it in many a hospital visit. I have heard it in the actions of those dying of cancer as they witness to other cancer patients who have given up hope.

Death is not the end of us. Yes it is sad. Yes it is tragic. Yes people are hurt, lonely and scared. Those people need God more than ever and some will only see Him for the first time in their lives because of death. It took the death of my father for me to turn around and find God. I know what it means.