Consecration

Consecration (properly some form of the verb קָדִשׁ, kadash', to be holy, often rendered "sanctify;" ἐγκαινίζω, to dedicate; τελείοω, to complete), the act of devoting or setting apart anything to the worship or service of God. See DEDICATION. The Mosaic law ordained that all the first-born, both of man and beast, should be sanctified or consecrated to God. See FIRST- BORN. The whole race of Abraham was in a peculiar manner consecrated to his worship, and the tribe of Levi and family of Aaron were more immediately consecrated to the service of God (Ex 13:2; Ex 12:15; Nu 3:12; 1Pe 2:9). See SACERDOTAL ORDER. Besides these consecrations ordained by God, there were others which depended on the will of men, and were either to continue forever or for a time only. See Vow. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, offered her son to the Lord to serve all his lifetime in the tabernacle (1Sa 1:11; comp. Lu 1:15). David and Solomon devoted the Nethinim to the service of the Temple forever (Ezr 8:20). The Hebrews sometimes devoted their fields and cattle to the Lord, and sometimes the spoils taken in war (Le 27:28-29). In like manner, vessels (Jos 6:19), profits (Mic 4:13), individuals (Nu 6:9-13; 1Sa 1:11; Lu 1:15), and nations (Ex 19:6), were often dedicated. See ANATHEMA.

The New Testament also furnishes us with examples of consecration. Christians in general are esteemed as consecrated to the Lord, and are a holy race, a chosen people (1Pe 2:9). Ministers are in a peculiar manner consecrated or set apart, and so are places of worship, the forms of dedication varying according to the views of different bodies of Christians. See ORDINATION. It does not appear that we have any particular accounts of the formal consecration of churches earlier than the fourth century, a fact which may be easily accounted for by considering the circumstances of the times before Constantine. See the articles following; also see BELLS.

CONSECRATION-OFFERING. At the inauguration of the Israelitish priesthood, in connection with the oblation, certain parts of the victim (a ram), besides bread and cakes, were laid in the hand of the person to be consecrated, before he came to the altar (Ex 29:22 sq.; Le 8:25 sq.), as a manipulation expressive of the representative power thus conferred (Bahr, Symbol. 2:426). This depositing in the hand is called by the technical term filling their hand (A. V. "consecrate," Ex 28:41; Ex 29:9; Le 21:10; Nu 3:3; comp. Ex 32:29; 1Ch 29:5), and thus the sacerdotal consecration-offering itself was styled a filling (מַלֻּאַים, sc. of the hand, Sept. τελείωσις, Leviticus 7:37; 28:31), and the sacrificed ram was designated by the corresponding term (אֵיל מַלֻּאַים, Ex 29:26) See OFFERING.