Why Mixing Holy with The Unholy Is Not a Good God Thing

Why Mixing Holy and Unholy Is Not a Good God Thing

There is a real danger in mixing God’s holy thinking with man’s unholy version. What do we mean when we say a thing is holy? Look at your Bible, and it says, “Holy Bible.” What makes it holy? The land of Israel is called “The Holy Land,” and the city of Jerusalem is called “The Holy City.” Why? There is a quality about all three that they share in common. They all belong to God. The Bible is God’s book; Israel is God’s land; Jerusalem is God’s city. They are all God’s property! That is why they are holy; they belong to God.¹ Only that which originates in God and stays in the hands of God and has God’s blessing on it is ever considered holy.

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Take the test. Get it settled in your heart and then fight the good fight of faith against your head. Cast down imaginations. Cast down reasonings. Knowing that you have forgiven from the heart becomes a weapon. It becomes a weapon against thoughts of unforgiveness that come into your head. It becomes a force against the mental pictures that tempt you to relive the wrong you’ve experienced.

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Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).
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Question: What is your life changing ‘forgiveness’ story? Would you please share it in the comments section below?

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You can find additional information on the subject of John’s Gospel in the resources listed below.

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 40 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 35 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Podcast Notes

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: The Seven Feasts of Israel

The Old Testament list seven feasts which Israel was to observe in designated months.
The feasts are described in Leviticus twenty-three.
They were holy God ordained feasts for the people of Israel.

Leviticus 23:4 (ESV) — 4 “These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them.

Here are the seven feasts listed in the book of Leviticus.

The Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread

Leviticus 23:5–6 (ESV) — 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD’s Passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.

The Feast of First Fruits

Leviticus 23:9–11 (ESV) — 9 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, 11 and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath, the priest shall wave it.

The Feast of Pentecost

Leviticus 23:15–16 (ESV) — 15 “You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. 16 You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the LORD.

The Feast of Trumpets

Leviticus 23:23–24 (ESV) — 23 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation.

The Feast or Day of Atonement

Leviticus 23:26–28 (ESV) — 26 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD. 28 And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God.

The Feast of Booths

Leviticus 23:33–34 (ESV) — 33 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD.

So, there you have it, seven feasts.
Notice that all of these feasts were designated as “to the Lord” or “unto the Lord.”
But, something took place in Israel where these feasts were concerned between the glory of Sinai and the coming of the Savior.

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: The Feast of Booths

Men began to add to and take all from God’s design for these feasts.
They became something other than what God intended.
You could say they became Feasts in the Least, that is a perversion of God’s intent.
John alludes to this in chapter seven of his gospel.

John 7:1–2 (ESV) — 1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand.

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: The Feasts of the Lord vs. the Feasts of the Jews

Notice the descriptive handle placed on the Feast of Booths.
John calls it the ‘Jews Feast of Booths.’
That should raise a question in your mind.
A question like, why is it labeled that way?
Why isn’t called the Feast of the Lord or just everyday Feast of Booths?
Wasn’t God the originator of the Feasts?
Weren’t they His Feasts?
Did they not come into existence by God’s commandment at Sinai in the Old Testament?
Yes, we saw that they were.
So, something took place once the divine got handed off to the human.

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: A Glory Exchange

An exchange took place, a glory swap, but it was a switch in the wrong direction.

Isaiah 1:13–14 (ESV) — 13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

God’s glory was exchanged for man’s so that the original intent of the Feast was corrupted into something that God had never designed in the first place.
The offerings became vain.
Man took God’s design for ‘real spirituality’ and turned into an occasion for religion, again mixing holy with unholy.
They added some stuff, dropped some stuff, and tried to help God with their version of stuff.
The Jews turned relationship into rules and ritual.
And when he humanized the Feasts of the Lord, God’s commentary on that was “Your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.”
Did you notice the word ‘your?’
‘Your feasts,’ God said, not ‘my feasts.’
After all the God, the Father doesn’t know what real truth and spirituality is right, but man does?
I am facetious there.
No man does not know better than God.
There’s no higher spirituality than to do things the way God said to do them.
His way, his style, leads to His life, the High life.

Romans 1:23 (ESV) — 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Have You Made a Glory Exchange?

Have you made a negative glory exchange?
Are you transforming God’s design for a pure and holy life with your mortal man image?’
You know your version of God rather than the Bible version of God.
It’s time to uncover our faces before God and destroy the religion that has robbed us of God’s glory and power.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) — 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Mixing Holy and Unholy: A Scriptural Example

Here’s another example of the mixing of man’s unholy thinking with God’s holy thoughts.
God’s ways are not our ways; that’s a Bible fact.
The is a Milky Way Galaxy of difference between His intelligence and ours
Isaiah clues us in.

Isaiah 55:7–9 (ESV) — 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

How High Are the Heavens Compared to the Earth?

One website chimes in with this thought:

How high ARE the heavens above the earth? Well, if you go by today’s understanding of “the heavens” — meaning the totality of the universe outside Earth — they are approximately 46 billion light years higher. In fact, the heavens are so high above the Earth that human beings cannot possibly see everything in them.²

So, man tries to combine his ‘Flick a Bic’ thinking with God’s 46 billion light-years of higher learning.
Think of all the brilliant intellects of planet earth like Aristotle, Socrates, Plato.
And what about Galileo, Da Vinci, Newton, Tesla, Curie, Einstein, Hawking?
These are all great minds, but they are literally bumbling idiots compared to our Most High God.
I am trying to say this in several ways to put this intelligence gap in perspective, and I am sure I will only do a poor job at best.
But, think of Einstein trying to discuss the Theory of Relativity with a two-year-old.
The gap between Einstein and the two-year-old is minuscule in comparison to the difference between God and the most intelligent man who has ever walked the earth.
The smartest, most intellectual soul who ever existed is on no one’s top ten list of intellectuals.
Adam was the most brilliant man the planet has ever seen, and he made the dumbest mistake ever.
So, it’s amusing to see men brace up against God with their university bred theories and research when men are just dumb as a crater compared to our Creator God.
Remember that the smartest thing you have ever done in your life is to say yes to Jesus and you had to have help, the Spirit’s help, to do that.

A Bible Example of Unholy Mixing

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 (ESV) — 1 David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader. 2 And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the LORD our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. 3 Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” 4 All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. 5 So David assembled all Israel from the Nile of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

The number of people involved in the convoy was 30,000 men.

A 30,000 Man Ark Convoy

2 Samuel 6:1–2 (ESV) — 1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim.

For many years the ark was out of place in Israel.
Its home was the Tabernacle.
But, the ark was captured by the Philistines for seven months and then resided in the house of Abinadab for twenty years.
The ark represented the Presence of God, but it wasn’t merely a symbol of the Presence.
The Cloud sat on the Mercy seat.
The Mercy Seat was the lid for the ark of the covenant.
But, it was way more than just a box cover.
The glory of God came upon the ark, resting on the Mercy Seat: the very Presence of God wrapped in a cloud.
You could say it this way; God wore the cloud as a garment to protect His people from the power of His Presence.

Leviticus 16:2 (ESV) — 2 and the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.

The Ark and God’s Presence

So, the ark didn’t just symbolize the Presence of God; it hosted it.
David took this massive entourage of 30,000 men to bring the Ark to Jerusalem.
The IVP Bible Background Commentary says the following about this large escort.

Processions to showcase military might were common in the ancient world and continue in popularity today.³

Second Samuel six is where we see the mixture of holy and unholy.

2 Samuel 6:3 (ESV) — 3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart,

Transporting the Ark on a cart was not how God told Israel to move it.
The Law said that the Levites should carry the Ark on their shoulders with the use of poles passed through gold rings.
There weren’t any poles just a vast crowd, a new cart, and an overzealous king.
David had his heart in the right place, but that didn’t stop what happened next.

Uzzah’s Irreverent Act

2 Samuel 6:4–7 (ESV) — 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 2 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.

The Hebrew word error means wrongdoing.
It means irreverent act, impudence or presumption.
So, Uzzah steadying the Ark wasn’t just a mistake.
Be careful that you don’t misjudge the Lord as too harsh in this case.
Uzzah’s heart was not right towards God or his things.
Now, David didn’t know that.
He couldn’t see Uzzah’s heart.
But, the Lord can see all the intentions and inventions of a man’s heart.
The Lord knew what Uzzah’s intent was and struck him for his irreverence.
God is always right in His actions even when it doesn’t appear so to the human eye.
But, that’s not even the point here.
Uzzah would not have gotten into the crosshairs of judgment had David followed God’s protocol for transporting the Ark.
It’s always best to do things God’s way because Father knows best.
It’s never best to mix holy and unholy.
Had David heeded the instructions for transporting the Ark, the Ark wouldn’t have stumbled, and Uzzah would have lived out his days.

Get Rid of ‘New Cart’ Thinking

We need to rid ourselves of ‘new cart’ thinking.
That’s John’s allusion when he called the Feast of Booths, the Jews feast.
There are many references to this ‘new cart – feast perversion’ in John’s gospel.
Listen to these other references.

John 5:1 (ESV) — 1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 6:4 (ESV) — 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

So, can you see that even the Passover was corrupted by ‘new cart’ thinking?
Look at yet another Passover in John’s gospel.

John 11:55 (ESV) — 55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.

John 19:42 (ESV) — 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

In each of these cases, reference is made to the Jewish version of these feasts.
The book of Malachi testifies to some of what happened.

Malachi 1:7–8 (ESV) — 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the LORD’s table may be despised. 8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.

Polluted food means the people of Israel did not give the Lord their best.
Offering lame, sick, and blind animals paint the same picture.
It was just another example of mixing holy and unholy.

How the Road Was Opened for Jesus to Go to Calvary

References:

Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 188. ↩
https://glassatmosphere.wordpress.com/2014/09/23/how-high-are-the-heavens-above-the-earth/ ↩
Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 2 Sa 6:1. ↩

emeryhorvath.com

Equipping people to pursue God's glory

Why Mixing Holy with The Unholy Is Not a Good God Thing

Podcast: Light on Life Season 6 Episode 29

by Emery Horvath

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

Read the Notes

Accept the Challenge

Join the Conversation

Question: What is your life changing ‘forgiveness’ story? Would you please share it in the comments section below?

Episode Resources:

About Emery

Subscribe to the Podcast

Share the Love

Podcast Notes

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: The Seven Feasts of Israel

The Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread

The Feast of First Fruits

The Feast of Pentecost

The Feast of Trumpets

The Feast or Day of Atonement

The Feast of Booths

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: The Feast of Booths

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: The Feasts of the Lord vs. the Feasts of the Jews

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: A Glory Exchange

Have You Made a Glory Exchange?

Mixing Holy and Unholy: A Scriptural Example

How High Are the Heavens Compared to the Earth?

A Bible Example of Unholy Mixing

A 30,000 Man Ark Convoy

The Ark and God’s Presence

Uzzah’s Irreverent Act

Get Rid of ‘New Cart’ Thinking

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

Read the Notes

Accept the Challenge

Join the Conversation

Question: What is your life changing ‘forgiveness’ story? Would you please share it in the comments section below?

Episode Resources:

About Emery

Subscribe to the Podcast

Share the Love

Podcast Notes

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: The Seven Feasts of Israel

The Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread

The Feast of First Fruits

The Feast of Pentecost

The Feast of Trumpets

The Feast or Day of Atonement

The Feast of Booths

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: The Feast of Booths

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: The Feasts of the Lord vs. the Feasts of the Jews

Mixing Holy and UnHoly: A Glory Exchange

Have You Made a Glory Exchange?

Mixing Holy and Unholy: A Scriptural Example

How High Are the Heavens Compared to the Earth?

A Bible Example of Unholy Mixing

A 30,000 Man Ark Convoy

The Ark and God’s Presence

Uzzah’s Irreverent Act

Get Rid of ‘New Cart’ Thinking

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