1. Using a concordance, you will discover that the word "holy" is first introduced when Moses discovers a bush on fire, but the bush did
not burn (Ex 3:15). Appearing on Mount Sinai, a similar non-consuming fire was witnessed by the nation of Israel (Ex 24:17). What are your
first observations of "holy?" Consider using a lexicon.
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led
the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from
the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I will now
turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn."
So when the Lord saw that he turned aside
to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!"
And he said, "Here I am."
Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand
is holy ground." (Ex 3:1-5, NKJV)
The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children
of Israel. (Ex 24:17, NKJV)
2. Before the Mosaic Covenant is made, God asks through Moses, if they wanted to be God's own possession and devoted to Him (Ex 19:3-4).
And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of
Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to
Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for
all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the
children of Israel." (Ex 19:3-6, NKJV)
In making the conditional Mosaic Covenant, the nation of Israel learned what sin was and the concept of being holy. How did the Old
Testament person be holy as God was holy?
For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither
shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. For I am the Lord who brings you up out of the land of Egypt,
to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. (Lev 11:44-45, NKJV)
3. Carefully examine the reason why God made the New Covenant after the nation of Israel irrevocably breaks the Mosaic Covenant. What is
God saying about His holy character?
"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel,
but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has
been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord," says the Lord God,
"when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring
you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from
all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a
heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you
shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God."'" (Ezek 36:22-28, NKJV)