Holiness

“At the sanctuary the suspected woman is to drink holy water containing some dust from the floor of the holy sanctuary and some curses stating the consequences if she is guilty (Num 5:17–24). This is a kind of litmus test in which she takes a holy substance into her body. While holiness can contact purity with no consequence, it will harm someone who is impure. [footnote: This case deals with moral impurity, but the same principle applies to physical ritual impurity (Lev 7:20). Another test involving contact with holiness appears in Num 16:6–7 and 17–18, where Moses challenged Korah and his company to offer incense in order to prove their claim that they were authorized by God to officiate as priests. They flunked the test, as shown by the fact that divine fire consumed them (v. 35). While their censers became holy, the men could not survive this level of holiness because they were unauthorized (17:2–3[16:37–38]).]—Cult and Character, page 330

<idle musing>
I found the footnote very interesting. Now, bring that to the New Testament, especially Hebrews 10:19:
Ἔχοντες οὖν, ἀδελφοί, παρρησίαν εἰς τὴν εἴσοδον τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ αἵματι Ἰησοῦ...
"Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus..." NRSV

Chew on that one for a while :)
</idle musing>