Pharisees and Revival

In the centuries after Malachi prophesied to Israel, a revival of interest in serving Yahweh by knowing and obeying His commandments was led by a group of men who became known as the Pharisees. They studied, taught, and enforced the laws Yahweh had given to their nation through Moses. They were spiritual heroes.

After a few generations of their leadership, however, their influence degraded from revival to religion. Pleasing and serving Yahweh was overshadowed by obeying the laws and the extra instructions and laws the rabbis wrote on how to keep the basic laws. By the time Jesus came to meet them, His description of their work was, “You study the Scriptures, because you think that in them you will find eternal life…” (John 5:39).

“Sanctified” is a word that means “set apart.” It is an incomplete idea without a stated target, though. “Set apart to Yahweh” is the optimum target. The Pharisees were only “set apart unto the laws of Yahweh and the rabbis.” That’s not good enough.

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
(John 17:15-19, NKJV)