ZECHARIAH 9:15

“The LORD of armies will protect them. And they will devour and trample on the slingstones; and they will drink and be boisterous as with wine; and they will be filled like a sacrificial basin, drenched like the corners of the altar.”

I was visiting my older sister recently in our parents’ home place. My sister still has some of my mom’s dishes and bowls in the china cabinet. I remember as a child that those “vessels” were only brought out on special occasions. They were handled with extreme care. I don’t recall ever washing them after a meal. Those vessels were cared for by my mom. She cherished them.

The Lord describes the people of Israel as sacrificial basins. Actually, in the Hebrew the word “sacrificial” isn’t there. The Hebrew word is zaraq. It is a bowl or basin used for sprinkling. These golden basins collected the blood from the sacrifices and the blood was sprinkled as part of the worship. These were holy vessels used only for this purpose. God is saying His people are like that – holy, special, set apart.

APPLICATION

Did you know that as a believer, you too are set apart, holy and special? We are called saints, which means set apart ones. When is the last time you were called a saint. Next Sunday when you see one of your friends at church, walk up to them and say, “Hi, Saint _____.” You will probably get stared at. People are not used to being called saints.

I recall a story I heard about two brothers. They were wicked men who never set foot inside a church. Their reputation was known far and wide. One day, one of the brothers died. The other brother, wanting to give him a “proper” burial, called the local Pastor and asked him to do the service. He even offered the Pastor $1 million if the Pastor would call his brother a saint during the service.

The Pastor thought long and hard about it and agreed to do it. At the service, the Pastor gave the eulogy and told the truth about the brother who had died, recounting his evil lifestyle and no interest in God. But then he said, “But compared to his brother sitting here, he was a saint.”

We are not comparing ourselves to someone else to be called saints. Our sainthood is given through the blood of Christ. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:2, “… to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling,…” Those words apply to every believer. Are you a saint?

Father, thank You for calling me a saint, a set apart one, dedicated to Your use.