"Concentric circles of holiness"

As I read through the Old Testament, I'm struck by the amount of verses dedicated to explaining all of the procedures and rituals necessary to allow the children of Israel to become holy. Jehovah explains the reason for this:

44 For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: ...

45 For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.  (Leviticus 11)

Christ sends the same message using different words:

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (John 17)

These passages help us see our true divine potential. Why else would God want us to be holy other than to live with Him as He lives as His heirs?

Degrees of Holiness

This note from the NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible explains the structure of the camp of Israel:

The sacred camp of Israel had been numbered and organized with concentric circles of holiness; the priests and Levites constituted the first level of human presence in proximity to the sanctuary (the tent of meeting). The 12 tribes encamped symmetrically around the central sanctuary and its attendants constituted the second level of human presence in the camp. Now the next level of the encampment is described in terms of relative cultic isolation on the perimeter of the camp of those with various impurities. (Footnote to Numbers 5:1-4)

Within that first "priest and Levite" level there are additional distinctions.  For example, only the sons of Aaron were priests, and only the high priest could enter the "Most Holy Place" on one appointed day each year.

(Article: "Zones of Purity in the Camp of Israel" from NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

This arrangement teaches important lessons about the nature of God and His intentions for His children.  We are to be holy, as He is.

Even though our modern worship experience differs vastly from the ancient days of the tabernacle, the underlying concepts are unchanged. I really like this take on the concept of concentric degrees of holiness as it relates to the modern church, laid out by Jared Halvorson in his "Unshaken" video series in this ~3 minute clip:

Here is a screenshot from that clip:

God wants us to be good and listen to the light of Christ, but that is not the end.  He wants us to have faith, repent, be baptized, and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, but that is not the end. I cherish these words describing those who belong to the Church of the Firstborn:

54 They are they who are the church of the Firstborn.

55 They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—

56 They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory;

57 And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son.

58 Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God—

59 Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

60 And they shall overcome all things.

61 Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet.

62 These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.

63 These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people.

64 These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.

65 These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just.

66 These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all.

67 These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn.

68 These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all.

69 These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.

70 These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical. (Doctrine & Covenants 76)

One last thought on this topic: The innermost ring on the image above is different from the others in a very important way -- in requires a high degree of unity and oneness with God and others. Salvation is worked out individually, exaltation happens as a covenant people progress in unity and righteousness.  This is exemplified by the Levite priests, who were responsible for carrying out the rituals of the temple in a way that allowed the entire congregation to be holy. Today, this is exemplified by the centrality of the family.

In God’s eternal plan, salvation is an individual matter; exaltation is a family matter. -President Russell M. Nelson

This doctrine should bring hope to everyone.  It isn't harsh or punitive, rather, it recognizes the seasons of individual lives and shifts our focus to love and unity, not judgement and condemnation.  In ancient days, when a matter arose which caused ritual impurity, the priests were equipped with the authority to intervene and restore purity through various priesthood functions. Today, if a loved one steps off the covenant path, we have the ability to act in faith and help bring about miracles.