Believers are holy, in that they are called to be set apart from the world as God's own people. Likewise certain days and articles are holy because they are set apart for God alone.
Believers are called to be a holy people, set apart for God
The nation of Israel
Deuteronomy 7:6 See also Exodus 19:5–6; Leviticus 20:26; Deuteronomy 26:18–19
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of the earth.
The priests
1 Chronicles 23:13 See also Leviticus 21:5–8
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.
The Nazirites
The apostles and prophets
Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Peter 3:2
Christians
Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:15–16 See also 1 Corinthians 1:2; Colossians 3:12; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 2:9
For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Consecration sets apart for holiness
God's people are consecrated
Leviticus 20:7–8 See also Exodus 19:10–11, Exodus 19:14–15; Leviticus 11:44–45; Joshua 3:5, Joshua 7:13; 1 Samuel 16:5
Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. And you shall keep My statutes and practice them. I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
Priests are consecrated for divine service
Exodus 30:30 See also Exodus 40:12–15; 1 Samuel 7:1; 1 Chronicles 15:14; 2 Chronicles 23:6, 2 Chronicles 29:5, 2 Chronicles 35:3
Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them to serve Me as priests.
Articles are consecrated for divine use
Exodus 40:9–11 See also Exodus 29:36–37, Exodus 30:25–29
Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings, and it shall be holy. Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it shall be most holy. Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.
Days and occasions set apart for God
The Sabbath
Leviticus 23:1–3 See also Genesis 2:3; Exodus 16:23–25, Exodus 20:11
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘These are My appointed feasts, the feasts of the LORD that you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies. For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a day of sacred assembly. You must not do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.
The Passover
Leviticus 23:4–8; Numbers 28:16, Numbers 28:25
The Feast of Weeks
Leviticus 23:15–16, Leviticus 23:21; Numbers 28:26
The Feast of Trumpets
Leviticus 23:23–25; Numbers 29:1; Nehemiah 8:2, Nehemiah 8:9–11
The Day of Atonement
Leviticus 23:26–28, Leviticus 23:32; Numbers 29:7
The Feast of Tabernacles
Leviticus 23:33–36; Numbers 29:12
The sabbath year
The Year of Jubilee
Places identified with the presence of God are made holy
Holy ground
Holy mountains
The tabernacle
The temple
1 Kings 9:3 parallel 2 Chronicles 7:16 See also 1 Kings 8:10–13; Ezekiel 42:14, Ezekiel 42:20; Matthew 24:15; Acts 6:13, Acts 21:28
And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.
Jerusalem and the holy land
Joel 3:17; Zechariah 2:12; Matthew 4:5, Matthew 27:53
Things associated with worship are holy
Bread
Exodus 29:32–33; 1 Samuel 21:3–6; Matthew 12:3–4 parallels Mark 2:25–26, Luke 6:3–4
Perfume
Ritual offerings
Leviticus 6:24–29 See also Leviticus 6:17, Leviticus 7:1, Leviticus 7:6, Leviticus 10:12–13, Leviticus 10:16–18
And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons that this is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, the sin offering shall be slaughtered before the LORD; it is most holy. The priest who offers it shall eat it; it must be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. Anything that touches its flesh will become holy, and if any of the blood is spattered on a garment, you must wash it in a holy place. The clay pot in which the sin offering is boiled must be broken; if it is boiled in a bronze pot, the pot must be scoured and rinsed with water. Any male among the priests may eat it; it is most holy.
Offerings dedicated with a vow
Leviticus 27:9, Leviticus 27:14, Leviticus 27:20–23, Leviticus 27:28
Tithes
The firstborn
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.