Holy People Holy Things Handle With Care!

Ezra 8:28 (NIV) – I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the LORD. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your ancestors.

Ezra 8:28 (Contemporary English Version ) – I said to the priests: You belong to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and these things also belong to him. The silver and gold were willingly given as gifts to the LORD. 

Ezra 8:28 (Good News Translation) – I said to them, “You are sacred to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and so are all the silver and gold utensils brought to him as freewill offerings. 

Ezra 8:28 (Message Bible) – I said to them, “You are holy to God and these vessels are holy. The silver and gold are Freewill-Offerings to the God of your ancestors.

Ezra and the Israelites are about to begin a dangerous trip back to Jerusalem. The trip would take several days on foot. The danger in the trip is that they have enemies along the way. Another danger in the trip is that they are carrying lots of gold, silver, and other valuable materials that thieves would want to steal and kill for.

Ezra and the team resolves that they will not ask for bodyguards and security escort because it would come out as a lack of faith in God. After fasting and praying for a way forward, they decided to go ahead with their journey. Ezra distributed all the valuables among twelve priests. Then he spoke the words in our text to encourage them in this hour of fear and uncertainty.

Ezra tells the twelve priests as their fellow travelers are listening that, they and the things they are carrying are holy. The expensive stuff you are carrying is holy. You who are carrying it are holy.

Holy means you have been set apart to belong to God. The valuables belong to God. You who are carrying the valuables also belong to God. Therefore God will protect His valuables and you who are His people.

Whoever will touch or attempt to steal holy things would have confronted God. Whoever tries to harm a holy person would be provoking God. Ezra therefore insinuates that because of holiness you are safe and the holy things you are carrying are safe!

Holy things are still around us. The church is a holy thing. The tithes we have and offerings we have before giving and after giving are holy things. God is directly interested in the holy things amongst us.

Holy people are all around us. Religious leaders are holy. They handle holy things in worship and as part of their routine work. They may not have a halo or aura indicating holiness, but they are holy and belong to God. In their simplicity God has a direct interest in them.

We have ordained leaders amongst us. Ordained deacons, Elders and Pastors. Ordination means they are set aside for God to use them. They are holy. They could be in our homes as relatives or neighbors, friends, etc. They are holy. Familiarity may make them seem like they are nothing special but they are holy. Handle with care, God has a direct interest in them!

Anyone assigned to handle holy things is a holy person. They could be handling lessons in children’s classes in church. They could be handling the welfare of the whole church. They may be poor, unschooled, so ordinary, but they are holy. Handle them with care!

Ezra in our text today, assures the people that their safety is directly God’s business because they are holy and the things they are carrying are holy. Because they are holy God will protect them and fight their battles. Because what they are carrying is holy, it is safe in God’s care.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NIV) – For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

1 Peter 1:15 (NIV) – But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;

God wants all of us to be holy by becoming Christians and believers. Holiness will mean God takes direct interest in us. Holiness means our security and welfare is in God’s hands. Don’t you want to be holy? To lose faith, Christianity by backsliding is to lose holiness and get exposed to a dangerous world. For your own good, be holy!

Every converted person around us is holy. Every Christian truly committed to God is holy. Whatever good or bad you do to them, is done to God directly and He will respond appropriately. Handle true Christians with care, they are holy to God.

1 Samuel 24:10 (NIV) – This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’

David tells king Saul that he didn’t kill him though he had the opportunity. He didn’t kill him because Saul is anointed. By an ointment Saul was considered holy for the rest of his life. Even when God had rejected Saul, David said it’s better and safe to treat him as holy.

Psalms 105:15 (NIV) – “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”

When holy people are wrong, handle them with care. God has left clear instructions that they are his don’t touch them. Don’t harm them. You may touch them and harm them and feel safe for a while but God will revenge in unforgettable ways. Be careful when handling holy people and holy things!

When you get any income, a percentage of it belongs to God. It is holy. To use it is to rob God. To use it is to provoke God. It is not yours. You can’t use it even in an emergency. It is holy to God. Do not place yourself and your wealth in danger by using holy things for personal ends.

Since holy things and people are under direct God’s care, it doesn’t mean we should be careless about their safety. Ezra knew these things and people are holy and safe, but he still took precautions by distributing them for safety. Holiness is not a call to carelessness.

There are many holy things around us. There are many holy people around us. We are all called to be holy. Let’s handle these things, these people and ourselves with care. May we remain holy, in Jesus name, Amen!

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