I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. [16] They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 17:15-17 KJV
Exodus 3:2-4 tells the story of Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him as a flame of fire in a bush. The bush burned but the leaves were not consumed. This sight captured Moses’ attention and the moment he turned, the Angel spoke from the midst of the bush to Moses, warning Him not to step closer because even the ground around him was holy ground. While this is a popular story, there are a few things to draw from this story and other scriptures to help us advance in our walk with God.
Hebrews 1:7 references David in Psalm 104 saying that God makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. The Angel that came to Moses, came in the name of the Lord and as a minister of God to deliver His Word. The result of this was that the bush in which the angel appeared was on fire, yet it was not consumed. Even the ground around this scene was Holy. In Zechariah 2:5, God promises to be a wall of fire around Jerusalem and the glory in the midst of her. This glory protects and sets her apart as Holy unto God. In a similar way, the ark of the covenant was a simple box made of wood and overlayed with gold. Yet, the Lord in this box sanctified it as Holy and made this box a terror to anything unholy. What set the ark of the covenant apart was the content of this box. Hebrews 9:4 says it had Aaron’s rod that budded, The pot of manna, and the covenant written on tablets of stone. 1 Kings 8:9-11 says that at the time of the completion of Solomon’s temple, all that was left in the ark were the two tablets of stone, the laws of God. From this ark came a cloud that sanctified the whole temple.
We in the new covenant are mobile temples of God. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 that we have this glory in our earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God. This glory within us is the gospel, the Word of God. Because of this glory within Paul, he was crushed and cast down and persecuted, yet in all these the Power of God was made manifest in his body. In all these, he was not abandoned or destroyed. It was this Word the Angel had that made him a flame of fire and the ground around Holy. It was this Word that was in the ark that made it Holy and the temple around it. God is in the midst of His church as His Word. It is by this Word He cleanses and sanctifies her. It is by this Word He preserves and protects her. This Word is the one who made all things and upholds all things, it is the power of God as Hebrews 1:1-3 says. This Word is Jesus, the Son of God, John 1:1.
Final thoughts: Jesus, in Matthew 15:11-20 said, it is not what goes into a man that defiles him, but that which comes out of his heart. This means that what is within or in the midst of you has the ability to destroy and defile or sanctify and preserve you. This knowledge should inspire us like David to hide the Word of God in our hearts. We hide this Word in our hearts by meditating and ruminating on the Word of God that comes to us. This Word in our heart sanctifies, preserves, saves, and protects us, but not us alone. Even an unbelieving husband/ wife can be sanctified by the one around him/her who has taken in the Word of God as 1 corinthians 7:14 says. Determine today to hide scripture in your heart!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for Your word in my heart. Help me today to devote myself to Your Word and to meditate on it. This is how I will have good success in my Christian journey. You said that out of the belly of them who believe, rivers of life-giving water flow out. I know as I meditate on your word, and speak from this treasure in my heart, even the unbelievers around me will drink of your life-giving waters and come to life! Amen
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