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The Heavenly Tabernacle
What does it mean to be holy?
In Exodus 28, God designs the garments for His priests, each one stamped with the theme of holiness. In this study, Dr. Toby Holt explores what it means to be “holy to the Lord.”
The priestly garments were made to glorify God, not the priest, and on the high priest’s forehead was a gold plate engraved “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” Dr. Holt explains that “holy” means “set apart” — God’s people are both declared holy and called to live holy lives. He warns that a church which prizes only what “works” over what is right loses its glory. Under the new covenant, believers themselves are priests, given bold access to God through the torn veil and the one final sacrifice of Christ.
Questions this study answers:
1. Why did God care so much about the priests’ garments? Because they were to display His holiness and glory, not the priest’s status. Everything pointed to God being set apart.
2. What does “holy” mean? It means “set apart” — both declared righteous by God and called to live differently from the world.
3. How are believers “priests” today? Through Christ, the veil is torn and every believer has direct access to God. We are now a royal priesthood, set apart for Him.
“You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” — Exodus 28:36 (NKJV)
Speaker: Dr. Toby Holt is the President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, a Reformed seminary in Colorado Springs. He is known for clear, down-to-earth Bible teaching, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio.
Listen and go deeper: This sermon is part of the Exodus Explained study from New Geneva Theological Seminary. Find more verse-by-verse teaching across the Bible at newgeneva.org. To support this teaching ministry, visit newgeneva.org/give.
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By Dr. Toby Holt | New Geneva Theological SeminaryWhat does it mean to be holy?
In Exodus 28, God designs the garments for His priests, each one stamped with the theme of holiness. In this study, Dr. Toby Holt explores what it means to be “holy to the Lord.”
The priestly garments were made to glorify God, not the priest, and on the high priest’s forehead was a gold plate engraved “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” Dr. Holt explains that “holy” means “set apart” — God’s people are both declared holy and called to live holy lives. He warns that a church which prizes only what “works” over what is right loses its glory. Under the new covenant, believers themselves are priests, given bold access to God through the torn veil and the one final sacrifice of Christ.
Questions this study answers:
1. Why did God care so much about the priests’ garments? Because they were to display His holiness and glory, not the priest’s status. Everything pointed to God being set apart.
2. What does “holy” mean? It means “set apart” — both declared righteous by God and called to live differently from the world.
3. How are believers “priests” today? Through Christ, the veil is torn and every believer has direct access to God. We are now a royal priesthood, set apart for Him.
“You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” — Exodus 28:36 (NKJV)
Speaker: Dr. Toby Holt is the President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, a Reformed seminary in Colorado Springs. He is known for clear, down-to-earth Bible teaching, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio.
Listen and go deeper: This sermon is part of the Exodus Explained study from New Geneva Theological Seminary. Find more verse-by-verse teaching across the Bible at newgeneva.org. To support this teaching ministry, visit newgeneva.org/give.