Emor “Say”
Leviticus 21:1–24:23
Ezekiel 44:15–31
Luke 18–20

A Simple Four-Letter Word

Have you ever noticed how many times the word holy is used in scripture? The fact is that in the New King James version to is used 567 times. It is used in conjunction with HaShem Himself, the priests, the people, the Tabernacle and in fact everything having to do with service to Him, He calls holy. What is this word really about? Do we understand what it means to us today?

The word in Hebrew is Qodesh, Strongs Concordance simply defines it as "a sacred place or thing." To me that is like trying to define HaShem by saying He is a spirit. It just does not come close to giving us the true meaning.

The first place in scripture the word holy is used is in Exodus 3:5 when HaShem tells Moses to take off his sandals for the place he was standing was holy ground. The last place the word is used is in Revelation 22:19 which again speaks of a place where people will stand, a place called the Holy City, New Jerusalem. The chapters and verses in between these two uses of the word teach us what is holy and what is not holy.

So what does the word holy really mean? It is not the mystical word that many have tried to make it out to be through religious mumbo jumbo. It is not a word you have to go through years of Bible School and Seminary to figure out. You do not need the letters BS, DR or PHD behind your name to understand this word. You only need the discernment of a little child and the ability to read His word, for in the pages of scripture He tells us clearly what is holy and what is not holy. Let me give an example. In Leviticus 11 we are told what is food and what is not food. It is called clean and unclean. We could just as easy go back to those scriptures and say that which is called clean is holy for the use of food and that which is unclean is unholy for the use of food.

In Leviticus 24:10-23 we learn once again that His name is to be set apart as holy. It is to be held in reverence as His and His alone. We learn again the teaching of the Ten Commandments that we are to reverence the use of His name, for His name is holy. Does this mean we are to never pronounce His name YH VH? I do not believe so. It does however mean we are not to use His holiest name or any of His names just in whatever manner we would like. We should not use His name along with the modern slang of our day. We should be people who are holding His names up in respect and reverence. How do we do that? I have found a very simple key to help in this.

A number of years ago I attended a pastors conference. One of the speakers was given the topic of not using the name of God in vain. He expounded on this topic for what seemed to be an eternity and in the end I doubt many people really understood what he had tried to say. As I was driving home that night I turned the radio on and a Christian commentator was discussing the same subject. In teaching on this he quoted a young boy he had known who said, "Taking the name of God in vain is when you are talking about Him without thinking about Him." I have never forgotten that quote nor have I forgotten that I could have saved much time sitting on a hard pew that night if I had heard this boy's definition first.

My point in telling about His name is this; we do not need great theological discussions and debates to find out what is holy and what is not. We only need to do as Yeshua instructed, which is to be as simple and as innocent as a little child when we read and pray. Maybe too many of us have been trying through the years to find so many deeper meanings for our long sermons, that we have forgotten the scripture is written not so we can prove our intellect, but as a test of our humility. So, how are our test scores in the subject of humility?