Touched By God - Exodus 30:17-21

"Then the Lord said to Moses, Make a bronze washbasin with a bronze stand. Place it between the Tabernacle and the altar, and fill it with water. Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and feet there. They must wash with water whenever they go into the Tabernacle to appear before the Lord and when they approach the altar to burn up their special gifts to the Lord—or they will die! They must always wash their hands and feet, or they will die. This is a permanent law for Aaron and his descendants, to be observed from generation to generation" (Exodus 30:17-21, NLT).

God commanded Moses to have a washbasin and a stand constructed so the priests could wash their hands and feet before entering the holy place of the Tabernacle complex.

Because God is holy--He is distinct from His creation--then what is used for His service cannot be used for any other purpose.

The same point is made about the anointing oil for the priests (vs. 22-33) and the incense sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant (vs. 34-38).

In all three cases there was a severe punishment (death) that accompanied any misuse of the sacred element so God's people would understand the holiness of God.

Because God is holy, whatever is consecrated for His use--person, animal, object, or substance--becomes holy and cannot be used for any other purpose: "Consecrate them to make them absolutely holy. After this, whatever touches them will also become holy" (vs. 29).

The importance of God's holiness should not be lost on us today.

Whatever is touched by the Holy becomes holy! So, whatever God touches is absolutely holy!

When you are saved, you are touched by God and anointed by God's Spirit.

God's indwelling Spirit consecrates you for His service and empowers you to accomplish His plans and purposes.

"Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." (I Corinthians 6:19-20, NLT).