Toho Va Boho

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2 KJV)

Toho va boho image showing chaos in the earth

Toho va boho is the Hebrew phrase translated in English as “without form, and void”: Toho means “without form,” va means “and,” and boho means “void.” Although there are different theological opinions of why the earth was without form and avoid, we will focus on what God did with the formless and empty world.

Toho va boho describes a state without order or content. In Jeremiah 4:23, the phrase describes the condition of land after divine judgment. Think of a war-torn city today with nothing of value and no order. We can extend this analogy to our lives. Sin left humanity in a state of toho va boho. Similarly, life’s circumstances can become toho va boho before our eyes—empty, chaotic, hopeless, depressing, discouraging.

The Creator changed the earth from toho va boho to “very good”( Hebrew tob) by His Word and Spirit. He still changes hopeless situations in life through the power of His Word and Spirit. By giving us His Word and Holy Spirit, the Father gave us the ability to function like Him. So we can change our world. While the Father dealt with the toho va boho of the physical universe, we have to deal with the toho va boho of sin, diseases, broken hearts, demonic oppressions, addictions, poverty, depression, shame, broken families, etc.

The divine response to toho va boho reminds us that there is hope as we face the challenges of this life. Do not despair, but find out what you need to make the Word and Spirit operate in your life and circumstances.

Read more: Prophesy unto these Bones

What is the one primary virtue that activates the power of the Word and Spirit to change our world? ( See 1 John 5:4).

You can change your world by the power of God. Do not be depressed, desperate, or discouraged because of the many troubles. Instead, give yourself entirely to what it takes to operate in the Word and Spirit.

Ask the Father to help you bring order and beauty to any toho va boho circumstances in your life.

Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you. (Leviticus 20:7–8, KJV)

Jehovah Mekaddishkem showing washing gloves, cleaning fluid and sponge

As the Great I AM that I AM, God revealed Himself as the Lord who sanctifies His people in the Old Covenant—Jehovah Mekaddishkem. But this was only a shadow of something greater that was coming in the New Testament.

Jehovah Mekaddishkem is the English transliteration of the Hebrew words for “I am the Lord which sanctify you” ( “mekaddish” = sanctify, “kem” = you). Divine names and titles in the Old Testament often reveal an aspect of God in relation to His people.

There are three keywords that underlie the meaning of sanctification: “wash,” “consecrate,” and “separate.” Sanctification essentially means to make something holy. Sinlessness is a core aspect of holiness, but there is more to holiness than sinlessness. It is the very nature of God. However, when used in reference to us humans, it means to be cleaned from sin, set apart for God, and consecrated to Him.

In the passage above, God tells the people first to sanctify themselves and then reveals He is the One who sanctifies them. Thus, He gives us the two sides of sanctification—the God side and the human side. There’s something God does and something His people do for their sanctification.

This truth was only a shadow in the Old Testament. It is in Christ that we see God fully revealed as Jehovah Mekaddishkem to His people through the sanctifying work on the cross. In speaking to the Corinthians, Paul revealed,

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11, KJV)

This is Jehovah Mekaddishkem fulfilled in Christ: We were washed and sanctified. Note that these are in past tense, describing something God has already done. The day you received Christ, you received the bath of your life, a heavenly bath by the Spirit of God that removed every stain of sin through the precious blood of Christ. And as you continue to live on earth, the Spirit continues to sanctify you daily.

Following the sanctifying work He has already done in us, He commands us,

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, KJV)

Now that you are clean, washed, and sanctified, He tells us to put that sanctification to work outwardly. Paul explicit states it is what God wants—His will. He gives us a very specific example of sanctification here: abstain from sexual immorality. Few things defile us, like sexual impurity. But sanctification certainly includes more than abstaining from fornication or adultery. As above, it includes living a consecrated and separated life to God daily in the way we talk, act, think, feel, and handle our bodies.

He is Jehovah Mekaddishkem, the God who has Sanctified you in Christ and continues to sanctify you every day.

Meditate

Is our sanctification completed, ongoing, or both?

Apply the Word

This is the crucial part of this devotional. Until you receive the truth that God has already sanctified you by His Spirit, you will not be empowered to be sanctified practically. Put God’s sanctification power to work in your life daily by faith in the finished work of Christ.