CHARAM and QADOSH

      Simply stated, charam[1] is separation FROM God and Qadosh[2] is separation UNTO God. In the Old Testament the word “charam” is usually translated, “devoted to destruction,” especially in the English Standard Version (ESV). The word “qadosh” is translated “holy unto the Lord,” “Consecrated,” “holy” or “sacred.”
     All those born of Adam are dedicated to destruction. All those “in Adam” will die! God’s decree will stand!  We will all die along with all of our "goodness" and all of our "evil."  Everything born of mankind will perish.  Like it or not all of humanity will obey this command.

"“So the Lord God said to the serpent,"Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”” (Genesis 3:14–19, NIV)

     Certainly much is contained in this passage of scripture; however, not all will be discussed at this time. Three significant curses are to be noted here and now, namely: the curse of the serpent (v14), the curse of the earth (v17) and the curse of Adam’s life (V19). These three are significant because they recur throughout the rest of scripture and are fully realized in the book of Revelation. The three curses comprise all of that which is devoted to destruction—charam.
     The “good news” is this, that God has provided a way back to the tree of life and this refuge of God’s presence. The refuge of God’s camp is the holy place called qadosh.

     Where there was curse there IS now blessing:

1) Satan’s[3] lordship IS replaced by our Creator’s Lordship.
2) The kingdom of this earth IS replaced with the Kingdom of God.
3) Adam’s life IS replaced with Christ’s life (born again).

     The curses are replaced by God’s provisions that very day anyone decides to leave man's camp and to enter into God's camp.


Man's Camp

     The members of Man's camp throughout scripture are referred to in many different ways: "the wicked," "the unrighteous," "condemned," "mist, "goats," "sin," "sons of Adam,"and "sons of disobedience" along with many others.


God's Camp

     The members of God's camp throughout scripture are referred to in many different ways: "the righteous," "saints,"  "holy," "sanctified," "consecrated," "born again," "regenerated," "sons of God," "children of God," and "the redeemed," along with many others.


     Although those who are in God's camp are certainly far from perfect--THEY WILL BE!  This is a certainty!  They slowly grow into perfection (completeness), growing into the full maturity of Christ.  Christ is the author and the finisher of their faith.


Man's camp is CHARAM; God's camp is QADOSH.


     The rest of scripture is the testimony of “charam” and its redemption by “qadosh.” Scripture reveals the following two great realities: first—the revelation of God’s provisional WAY back to the refuge of God's camp; and second—the certainty of death/destruction for those who reject God’s provisional WAY.



[1]   חָרַם charam (355c); a prim. root; to ban, devote, exterminate:—annihilate(1), covet(1), destroy them utterly(1), destroy utterly(1), destroyed them utterly(1), destroying(1), destroying them completely(2), destruction(2), devote(2), forfeited(1), set apart(1), sets apart(1), utterly destroy(11), utterly destroyed(22), utterly destroying(3).
[2]   קָדוֹשׁ qadosh (872c); from the same as 6944; sacred, holy:—consecrated(1), Holy(8), holy(50), Holy One(44), holy one(3), holy ones(6), one is holy(1), saints(2).
[3] “He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:2, NIV)