Woman to Woman: Names of God Series: Being Set Apart by Jehovah Mekoddishkem

“Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn against that person and cut him off from his people. Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sets you apart."

~Leviticus 20:6-8

Here in Leviticus 20:8, we come to another of God's names - Jehovah Mekoddishkem - which means "The Lord Who Sanctifies" or "The Lord Who Sets Apart".

In the context surrounding verse 8, we see the reasoning behind this name - if we are the people of God, we are supposed to act like it. Meaning, we are not to mix in practices, beliefs, or habits from other religions or belief systems into our faith walk, for we are to be wholly God's and are to fully and truly belong to Him, the One Who died to redeem us and set us apart for His own good purposes.

I may step on some toes here at this point, but I find this to be important to say. I have been on a months-long journey this year of coming to a better understanding of various popular New Age tenets, beliefs, and practices that are all the rage these days, including things such as tarot cards, Eastern yoga, "healing" crystals, and the Enneagram.

What I have come to learn is that not one of these things - yes, even including the Enneagram, as much as I have loved it in the past - belongs in the life of a believer, for they are a mixing together of the practices of "mediums" and "spiritists" into our daily walk as Christians. To use the strict wording of Leviticus, to bring these things together is for us to prostitute ourselves with those who do not honor or obey the Lord, but rather practice things which come straight from the enemy himself.

It is one thing if we engage in demonic practices unknowingly - it is possible to do what I have done in the past and engage in the study and implementation of the Enneagram, for example, with a good heart motivation stemming from complete ignorance as to its origins. But "those to whom much is given, much will be required", and the moment you become aware of the Ennegram's origin as stemming from "automatic writing" (a very demonic practice!), then you are held accountable with what you do with that information and whether you allow it to convict you to no longer engage or whether you do what I did for a time and brush it under the rug or attempt to excuse it away.

The fact of the matter is, the Lord gave His all for us - His very life! - out of deep love and a desire to redeem and restore us to fellowship with Himself. If this is the case, then we can certainly lay down any sins, practices, wrong beliefs, or temptations to which we have been holding so strongly and surrender them into the hands of a God Who is far better than all of those things put together.

It may feel as if we are having to lay down things we want. It may even feel as if you are giving up your "Christian freedom" (particularly if you have been scarred by legalism in your past as I have been!). But we were never given "freedom" to engage in things which are actually harmful for us and our walk with the Lord. Our God loves us too much for that and only wants what is truly best for us.

So, lay down whatever it may be, friend, and come to your Jehovah Mekoddishkem with thanksgiving in your heart that He has set you apart.

Reflection Questions:

1) Is there anything the Lord has convicted you about today that you should remove from your life so that you can be wholly set apart for Him?

2) What are you going to do with that conviction?

3) What is your initial gut reaction to the idea of having to lay down something in your life? Will you process that with the Lord today?