To Sanctify; Set Apart For Particular Purposes

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. On the first day God divided the light from the darkness. On the second day God divided the waters above the firmament from the waters below. On the third day, God divided the dry land from the water.

We are told in verse 2 that the earth was formless and void, or without structure and empty. After each day He looks and calls it good, but it is not finished. God takes hold of His creation and works on its formlessness and emptiness. The first three days are a series of divisions, as above. This gives form to the earth. The second three days will correspondingly work at the "empty" or "void" aspect.

Note these correspondences. On the 4th day God fills the sky with lights; sun, moon, and stars. The 5th day, God fills the water and the sky (lower firmament) with fishes and birds. The 6th day, God fills the dry land with the land beasts (animals) and man.

As the image of God, man images the work of God. In Acts 6, we see an example of this in one area. Recall, we have the account of the Hellenistic Jews having a complaint against the Hebrews. The solution to this problem involves gathering all the disciples together and having them choose out from among them seven who are full of the Spirit and wisdom.

What has been described about the Church up to this point is good, but it is not finished. There is growth, and problems present themselves. God uses trials for His people to grow, get better, be stronger, etc. The disciples come together as a group. Words are spoken about what to do, this is evaluated and called good. The disciples take hold of the problem, and divide from among the whole group another group of seven. These are set apart for a particular purpose. They are filled with the Holy Spirit, and commissioned. The rest look on the seven and find them good for the job.

Do you see the same pattern of God's work at the beginning of creation? He divided, He evaluated by looking at it, called it good, then filled it, then evaluated it again, and called it good.

We repeat these same actions many, many times every day. Just as God called things good at the end of the day, but then did more the next day, so do we continue to add to our own world every day. If all you did today was make your bed, you made the world different than it was before.

But think of what was done in Acts 6 with choosing the seven. When you get thirsty, a need must be addressed. What do you do? You go to the cupboard where there is a group of glasses, and you divide or choose one glass which you evaluate as good for the job. This glass is now set apart (sanctified) for a particular purpose. Then you take the glass to the water faucet. Connected to the water faucet are pipes full of water, sort of a large common pool of water (which has already been set apart from a larger pool for your household). You divide some water from the large pool and it fills your glass. You look at it, and find it looks good enough to drink. You take it to your lips and drink. And again, you evaluate, "Ah, that is good." You set apart a certain amount of water for the purpose of satisfying your thirst. That water was sanctified, set apart.

Think of how many times you repeat this action every day. In Sunday School yesterday, we quickly saw several things. Some from the class were coloring on blank paper. There was a container of crayons. Each person divided out some crayons for themselves, the ones they saw as good. They started filling their papers with the colors. They saw their work and made judgements, good or bad. Even the crayons themselves started as a pool of colored wax, and some of the colored wax is set apart on the paper.

You see; over and over again we repeat these actions, these works. From a common pool of electrons, I am selecting certain ones, dividing them from the others, and using them to make this essay. As I do this, I am looking to see if it's good.

And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..."

DR