The English word holy means to be pure, clean, sacred, and set apart. God's usage of holy primarily involves separating from the world that which He chooses to devote to Himself. As instructed in Leviticus 20:7-8, 26, God's people are to consecrate themselves and be holy, for He is the LORD their God, who sanctifies them and has separated them from other peoples to be His. Becoming holy as He is holy is a process that requires growth through obedience and effort. In Exodus 22:31, God declares that by following His instructions, His people shall be holy men to Him, indicating a future fulfillment or ongoing process. God created certain things as holy, such as the Sabbath, and commands His people to keep the weekly holy day as well as the annual holy days, designated as holy convocations set apart for His purpose. The Tabernacle, and later the Temple, included the Holy of Holies, the most sacred place in the sanctuary. The Ark of the Covenant was holy, with specific instructions for its handling. Sacrifices, offerings, and tithes to God are also holy. Disregarding what God has made holy, as seen in the case of a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath in Numbers 15:32-36 or the improper handling of the Ark in II Samuel 6:1-7, results in severe consequences, demonstrating the importance of respecting God's holiness.