CONSECRATE, Consecration. To consecrate is to offer or devote any thing to God’s Worship and Service. In the old Law, God ordained that all the first born both of Man and Beast should be consecrated. Exod. xiii. 2, 12, 15. xxxiv. 19. Numb. iii. 12. Exod. xix. 6. 1 Pet. ii. 9. Numb. i. 49. iii. 6. & seq. Deut. x. 8.He likewise consecrated the whole Race of Abraham particularly to his Worship. Lastly, he devoted the Tribe of Levi, and the Family of Aaron in a more especial manner to his Service. Besides these Consecrations which God thus ordain’d by his own absolute and sovereign Authority, there were others which depended on the good will of Men, who consecrated themselves, or the things belonging to them, or the persons depending on them, to the service of God for ever, or for a time only.
Joshua devoted or consecrated the Gibeonites Josh. ix. 27. Ezra viii. 20. & ii. 58. & 1 Kings ix. 20, 21. 1 Sam. i. 11.beonites to the service of the Tabernacle. David and Solomon in like manner devoted the Nethenims, who were some remains of the Canaanites, to the service of the Temple; they thus devoted them and their Descendants for ever. Hannah, Samuel’s Mother offered her Son to the Lord, to serve all his life-time in the Tabernacle. Luke i. 15.The Angel who promised Zachary a Son, commanded him from God, to consecrate him to the Lord, and to take care, that he observed those Laws for his whole life, Numb. vi. 1, 2, 3, &c.with the Nazarites, who are likewise consecrated to God, tho’ but for a certain time, observed during this time of their Consecration.
The Hebrews sometimes devoted their Fields or Cattle to the Lord; after which they were no longer in their power. If they had a mind to enjoy them again, they Levit. xxvii. 28, 29.were obliged to redeem them. David, and the Kings his Successors, often vowed and consecrated to the Lord the Arms and 1 Chr. xviii. 11.Spoils taken from their Enemies. As to the consecrating and devoting, as they did 2 Chr. xxiii. 9.sometimes, their Enemies, their Cities, and their Country to intire ruin, the Reader upon this Point may consult the Article Anathema.
In the New Testament we see in proportion the same Consecrations, as in the Old. All the Faithful are consecrated to the Lord; they are his holy Race, his chosen 1 Pet. ii. 9.People. Bishops and other sacred Ministers are devoted to him in a more peculiar manner, than common Christians, and they who consecrate themselves to God by solemn Vows, and the exercise of a Religious Life, come very near to the perpetual Nazarites of the Mosaic Law. Churches, Church-yards, Religious Houses, Monasteries, Sacred Vessels, and every thing belonging to the Worship of God, are likewise things consecrated , which deserve more or less Respect, as they relate more or less to the unbloody Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, who is offered for us upon our Altars, is the Holy of Holies, and sanctifies every thing that comes near him.