In the previous lesson we had only three verses from the Book of Ezra, but this week we have seven. What can these seven verses possibly say to us relevant to living our faith today? Let’s see.

Ezra begins in telling us: “Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their kinsman with them. And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his lords and all Israel there present had offered” (8:24).

The offering for the temple was a staggering amount. The silver offerings alone would have weighed 24 tons. These offerings were earmarked for the temple and its restoration: 650 talents of silver, silver vessels worth 100 talents and 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold worth 1,000 darics and two vessels of fine bright bronze as precious as gold” (8:26-28).

Remember, this money was to accompany them from Babylon to Jerusalem. Placed in charge of this tremendous wealth are the priests and Levites. Ezra sounds a solemn note: ”You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers.

“Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of fathers’ houses in Israel at Jerusalem” (8:28,29).

The terms “high priest” and ”priest” (kohen in Hebrew) occur more than 700 times in the Old Testament and 80 times in the New Testament. Conversely, the term “Levite” occurs only 80 times in the Old Testament and three times in the New.

I’m sure you know the role of the chief priests and priests, but who were the Levites? The Hebrew term Levite denotes a descendant of Levi, the third son of Jacob with Leah. It means “to attach” or “be joined” and may refer to the fact the Levites did not have a tribal identity of their own, but were “attached” to the tribe of “Aaron.”

In actuality, the Levites served as assistants to or servants of the priests of Aaron, performing practical services from which the priests were exempt. Still, the Old Testament speaks 14 times of “Levitical priests” (Deut. 17:09, Joshua 3:03; 2 Chronicles 23:18, Jeremiah 33:18; Ezekiel 43:19, and others) and also in the New Testament’s Epistle to the Hebrews (7:11).

The whole nation of Israel was to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5,6; Isaiah 61:6). So, the Levites symbolically represented all Israel in its role as a holy priesthood.

Indeed, the Levites were regarded as a priesthood in the service of the sanctuary and their purpose was to assure, maintain and constantly reestablish the holiness of the elect people of God (Exodus 28:38; Leviticus 10:17; Number 18:1).

Obviously, although the Roman and Orthodox Catholic churches today have priests and Protestants recognize the priesthood of all believers, this Biblical three-level setup (high priests, priests, Levites) has little relevance for us today. What is relevant, however, is the concept of “holy” and “holiness” as an expectation and mandate for all who follow Jesus Christ as disciples.

In a sense, when Ezra wrote: “You are holy to the Lord,” he was unknowingly speaking of all of us. Not just the priests, the nuns, the hierarchy and the ministers are called to be holy, but all of us.

Then what is the meaning of the “holiness” to which all Christians are called? Like many Biblical and spiritual terms, “holy” and “holiness” can be described, if not precisely defined.

The root idea of “holy” is “separateness” or “apartness.” The holiness of God is His apartness from His creation and creatures. God is always “more than” any other reality. The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible says holiness is “the ‘given’ understanding pervading all religion: The distinctive mark and signature of the divine. More than any other term, “holiness” gives expression to the essential nature of the ‘sacred.”

Further, we who respond to the holiness of God also are expected to be “holy” – apart from normative human existence. We are to be “special,” not just like everyone else. And, whenever and wherever God’s presence is experienced in some way, holiness is attached to such a place, time or circumstance.

In consecrating the priests and Levites, Ezra was calling them to holiness – not in name but in fact. Jesus called his followers to become holy in that they would rise up above normal humanity.

The scribes and the Pharisees were regarded as holy in his day, but he called his disciples to a righteousness that exceeded that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 23:1-26).

The temple itself was holy, not because of the riches with which it was built, but by the reality that this is where people can worship and experience the holiness of God.

“Holiness,” wrote Martin Luther, “consisteth not in a (monk’s) cowl or in a garment of gray – when God purifies the heart by faith, the market is sacred as well as the sanctuary: neither remaineth there any work or place which is profane.”

And it is in the world where holy Christians can lead others to experience the holiness of God. Tyron Edwards says it is living above the world while we’re still in it; try it!

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily the opinions of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Rev. Lawrence Althouse may write to him in care of this publication.