Soaked in Holiness

“Make atonement for the Altar and consecrate it for seven days; the Altar will become soaked in holiness—anyone who so much as touches the Altar will become holy.”    (Exodus 29:37, The Message)

“Getting soaked” is a term we use to mean that someone is wet. They get drenched in water completely from head to toe. As a result, they are full of whatever made them wet. If they were dunked in a dunking booth, then they are soaked with water. Perhaps a person was left out in the rain and got totally soaked. No matter the cause, the idea is that they are covered in whatever made them wet.

God tells the priests to make atonement (make it clean) and then consecrate it (make it set apart) for a week. The idea is that the entire altar (or throne of God) is seen as “soaked in holiness.” God wants people to see the place where they are to meet Him as a very special and holy place. To show that, the priests are told to soak it in holiness.

Do we soak ourselves in holiness when we approach God? Do we take the same kind of care to present ourselves ready to meet God? Are we prepared to listen to Him and follow what He commands? Are we drenched in His desires?