Bible Dictionaries
Dedicate, Dedication

Holman Bible Dictionary

A general term used in the Bible to describe an act of setting apart or consecrating persons or things to God (or gods), persons, sacred work, or ends. The act is usually accompanied by an announcement of what is being done or intended and by prayer asking for divine approval and blessing. In the Old Testament the people who were set apart included all Israel (Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6; Deuteronomy 14:2 ) and the priests (Exodus 29:1-37 ). The things that were set apart included the altar in the tabernacle (Numbers 7:10-88 ), images of pagan deities (Daniel 3:2-3 ), silver and gold (2 Samuel 8:11 ), Temple (1 Kings 8:63; Ezra 6:16-18 ), walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:27 ), and private dwellings (Deuteronomy 20:5 ). The idea of dedication is embodied in the New Testament word “saints.” The whole church is set apart to God (Ephesians 5:26 ). The individual believer is one of a dedicated, sanctified, consecrated, priestly people; set apart “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5 ).

Ray Robbins