Levítico 10
John Trapp · Citado em PreceptAustin
Levítico 10
Trapp - Sanctified (treated as holy) He will be, either in the sincerity of men’s conversation, or else in the severity of their condemnation. Singular things are expected of all that draw nigh to God in any duty, but especially in the office of the ministry. Those that stand in the presence of princes must be exact in their carriages. God appointed both the weights and measures of the sanctuary to be twice as large as those of the commonwealth; to show, that he expects much more of those that serve him there, than he doth of others. The souls of priests must be purer than the sunbeams, saith Chrysostom. The Net Note comments that "They had not treated the LORD as holy, so the LORD acted on his own behalf to show that he was indeed holy." Before all the people I will be honored - As discussed below honored is the verb kabad which means to be "heavy." The Lxx translated kabad with doxazo which means to be glorified, to be given or shown a proper opinion. Honored (03513)(kabad) is a verb which means to weigh heavily, to be heavy (weighty, burdensome), to be honored, to be wealthy, to get honor, to make dull, to make hard, to multiply or make numerous. There are 2 literal uses of kabad describing Eli as heavy (1Sa 4:18) and Absalom's hair as heavy (2Sa 14:26). Most of the uses of kabad are figurative and most of these figurative uses in turn convey the sense of honor or glory (e.g., a “weighty” person in society is one who is honored or worthy of respect ["respected" = Ge 24:19].) Honor (Webster) - To revere; to show or regard with respect or esteem; to treat with deference and submission, To reverence; to manifest the highest veneration for, in words and actions; to entertain the most exalted thoughts of; to worship; to adore. to raise to distinction or notice; to elevate in rank or station; to exalt. God says He "will be honored (ESV = glorified) through Pharaoh." (Ex 14:4, 17, 18 - Lxx in all 3 verses = endoxazo = to be held in high esteem, glorified, honored). In other words, Yahweh would gain glory by His final and great victory over the strength of Pharaoh. Twice God commands children to honor parents "Honor (command; Lxx = timao = to ascribe worth or honor) your father and your mother." (Ex 20:12, Dt 5:16) "Honor (Lxx = timao) the LORD from your wealth." (Pr 3:9) Wisdom "will honor (Lxx = timao) you if you embrace her." "He who regards reproof will be honored (Lxx = doxazo)." (Pr 13:18) "He who is gracious to the needy honors (Lxx = timao)" God (Pr 14:31). "He who cares for his master will be honored (Lxx = timao)" (Pr 27:18) A prophet received honor - "the man is held in honor (Lxx = endoxos = distinguished); all that he says surely comes true." (1Sa 9:6). Honor is improper if it exceeds that given to God (1Sa 2:29–30) or is directed to one’s self (Pr 12:9). Kabad describes sin. The first use in the Bible in fact is Ge 18:20 which describes the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah as "heavy" (Indeed, sins are "weighty" and slow us down spiritually and thus are to laid aside - Heb 12:1!). When David sinned with Bathsheba and failed to confess his sins, God's hand was "heavy (Lxx = talaiporia = miserableness [Jas 5:1] or wretchedness that arises from torment, inner or outer) upon" him (Ps 32:4). In Ps 38:4 David said his iniquities "weigh (Lxx = baruno = weigh down) too much for me." The godly man "honors (Lxx = doxazo) those who fear the LORD." (Ps 15:4) God honors (Lxx = doxazo) those who call on Him in the day of trouble (Ps 50:15, Ps 91:15). The one who "offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors (Lxx = doxazo)" God (Ps 50:23) In Ps 86:9, 12 kabad means to "glorify (Lxx = doxazo) Your (God's) Name." "Heavy labor" is burdensome labor - "Let the labor be heavier [Lxx = baruno - causing pressure thru weightiness] on the men" (Ex. 5:9) Kabad is used with this same sense in (1Ki 12:10, 14) - "Your father made our yoke heavy (kabad, Lxx - baruno)." God's "heavy hand" is a powerful hand. - "The hand of the LORD was heavy [Lxx = baruno - causing pressure thru something weighty] on the Ashdodites." (1Sa 5:6) Kabad is used figuratively to describe the senses of sight and hearing. In Ge 48:10 kabad describes Jacob's eyes as "dim." In Isaiah 6:10, Isaiah is told to "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull (Lxx = barus = heavy)." “Heavy ears” are dull (Lxx = barus = heavy) ears (Isa 6:10). In contrast God's ear is not dull (Kabad - heavy; Lxx - baruno = weighed down). In Exodus five times kabad describes Pharaoh's heart as hardened (heavy, weighted down,, expressing sluggishness or unresponsiveness) (All uses translated in Lxx = skleruno = hardened) (Ex 8:15, 32, 9:7, 9:34, 10:1). Balak says he will "honor" (in the sense of reward) the prophet Balaam (Nu 22:17, 37, 24:11). Complete Biblical Library summarizes kabad - The core idea of this verb is "weight" and "heaviness." The idea of quantity is sometimes seen in the use of the adjective (03515) in the sense of a "heavy" amount. Then, it may be used in an extended sense of being rich as a result of possessing much, as in Ge 13:2, "Abram was very rich (Lxx = plousios)" From the thought of the weight of quantity, the various figurative meanings seem to flow. The major concept is "weightiness" of who a person is, his dignity, the respect and recognition he receives. This could have been because of the weight or amount of wealth the person had. This concept of associating heaviness with wealth is common in a number of cultures… Thus, the verb often means "to ascribe weight," "to ascribe importance" or "to ascribe impressiveness to a person." In between being heavy and being honored are other figurative uses. Something may be heavy in the sense of difficult to move or stiff. Thus, the verb is used of unresponsiveness or insensitivity of a person. This is expressed in terms of parts of the body such as the tongue, ears, eyes or heart (Ge 48:10; Ex. 9:7; Isa. 59:1). A heavy load, in a broad sense, refers to the very difficult labor it requires, such as the oppressive work Pharaoh made Israel do (Ex 5:9). The Lord's hand on the people may be heavy in judgment (1Sa 5:11). Circumstances may weigh heavily on people (Neh. 5:18). Thus, another figurative or abstract idea of weightiness is intensity or seriousness, e.g., "The battle became fierce" (Jdg. 20:34). People's sin can also be "very heavy," "grievous" or "serious" (Ge 18:20). The concept of honor is only used a few times in the Qal and Hiphil stems, which usually refer to "making heavy" in the sense of "grievous," "intense," "oppressive" or of "hardening one's heart." The Niphal and Piel stems, on the other hand, deal almost solely with the meaning of being "honored" or "glorious" and "giving honor" or "glorifying," respectively. A person may behave in a dignified or distinguished way (2Sa 6:20, used sarcastically). A person's reputation is one's weightiness, one's honor or glory (1Sa 9:6). People honor other people for various reasons, whether for their position or their accomplishments (Num. 22:17; 2Sa 6:22). God commands us to honor our parents with the implication that they are his delegated representatives with his authority and responsibility over the children (Ex 20:12). People certainly are to honor (glorify) God (Ps. 22:23). To do so overlaps with the concept of praise (Ps. 50:23). We are to recognize and be in awe of Him for Who He is and what He has done, also being grateful. He does mighty judging and saving acts that bring Him honor and glory (Ex. 14:4), as well as benefiting the world. This verb, then, involves giving the Lord all the highest honor and praise, ascribing to Him the most awesome power and greatness, as well as purity and perfection, imaginable. A person honors God and gives Him glory by confessing sin and telling the truth, which acknowledges his sovereignty over us, that He knows all, and that He is the perfect righteous Judge of all (cf. Josh. 7:19). Another way to glorify God is through obedience and worship that give our best to Him, what is befitting the king of the universe (Hag. 1:8). To truly give God glory or glorify Him is to respond to Him with our total being. Kabad is translated in NAS - abounding(1), achieve honor(1), became fierce(1), became heavy(1), boasting(1), burdensome(1), dim(1), distinguished(3), dull(2), enjoy your glory(1), glorified(4), glorify(7), glorious(2), glorious things(1), grave(1), grew strong(1), harden(1), hardened(6), heavier(2), heavy(6), held in honor(1), honor(17), honor you greatly(1), honorable(4), honored(19), honoring(2), honors(5), indeed honor(1), laid burdens(1), made my heavy(1), made our heavy(2), made your heavy(3), make(1), make it glorious(1), makes himself rich(1), multiply(2), nobles(1), respected(1), stopped(1), weigh(1), weigh heavily(1), went heavily(1). Kabad - 106x in the NAS - Ge 18:20; 34:19; 48:10; Ex 5:9; 8:15, 32; 9:7, 34; 10:1; 14:4, 17f; 20:12; Lev 10:3; Num 22:15, 17, 37; 24:11; Deut 5:16; 28:58; Jdg 1:35; 9:9; 13:17; 20:34; 1Sa 2:29f; 5:6, 11; 6:6; 9:6; 15:30; 22:14; 31:3; 2Sa 6:20, 22; 10:3; 13:25; 23:19, 23; 1Kgs 12:10, 14; 2Ki 14:10; 1Chr 4:9; 10:3; 11:21, 25; 19:3; 2Chr 10:10, 14; 25:19; Neh 5:15, 18; Job 6:3; 14:21; 23:2; 33:7; Ps 15:4; 22:23; 32:4; 38:4; 50:15, 23; 86:9, 12; 87:3; 91:15; 149:8; Pr 3:9; 4:8; 8:24; 12:9; 13:18; 14:31; 27:18; Isa 3:5; 6:10; 9:1; 23:8f; 24:15, 20; 25:3; 26:15; 29:13; 43:4, 20, 23; 47:6; 49:5; 58:13; 59:1; 60:13; 66:5; Jer 30:19; Lam 1:8; 3:7; Ezek 27:25; 28:22; 39:13; Da 11:38; Nah 3:10, 15; Hab 2:6; Hag 1:8; Zech 7:11; Mal 1:6. AARON HELD HIS PEACE So Aaron, therefore, kept silent - Because he wanted to treated the LORD as holy and to honor Him. Allegiance to God trumps every human relationship, be in spouse, children, friends, etc. Our highest loyalty and greatest responsibility is first to the Lord God Almighty! A corollary idea is that we must stand with God even if that means we must stand against even members of our own family! Does Aaron's response (silent as it was) not remind us of Job after being made aware of his great personal losses, at which news we read "Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:20-21) And to his wife's query and suggestion "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept (Lxx = dechomai = receive with a deliberate and ready reception what is offered!) good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips." (Job 2:9-10) John Trapp - He bridled his passions, and submitted to the divine justice as did David in Ps 39:9. David
Levítico 10
Trapp - These were not burnt, as neither were their bodies: the fire, being of a celestial and subtle nature, might pierce their inward parts, not touching their outward; as lightning kills by piercing, not by burning. Leon Hyatt - Verse 5. So they came near and carried them in their coats toward the outside of the camp, according to the word of Moses. Nadab and Abihu were carried out of the camp while still dressed in their priestly garments. The priestly garments were to be worn only inside The Tabernacle (Ex. 28:43); however, these garments had been defiled by being worn in unauthorized ceremonies. They had to be discarded, even as the priests had to be cast out. (Leviticus 15 - Message 11 - Lev. 10:1-7) Leviticus 10:6 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, so that you will not die and that He will not become wrathful against all the congregation. But your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which the LORD has brought about. Uncover: Lev 13:45 Lev 21:1-15 Ex 33:5 Nu 5:18 Nu 6:6,7 Nu 14:6 Dt 33:9 Jer 7:29 Ezek 24:16,17 Mic 1:16 Become wrathful: Nu 16:22,41-47 Jos 7:1,11 22:18,20 2Sa 24:1,15-17 Then - An expression of time which marks sequence of events. Constable on Eleazar and Ithamar - Eleazar and Ithamar replaced their older brothers, Nadab and Abihu, in a way similar to the way Judah and Levi replaced their older brothers, Reuben and Simeon (Genesis 49:2-7). In both families, Jacob's and Aaron's, the sins of the firstborn and secondborn resulted in God passing over them for blessing. They disqualified themselves from some of the inheritance that could have been theirs had they remained faithful. (Leviticus 10 Commentary) Do not uncover your heads - This is more literally "let not the hair of your heads hang loose." In Lev 21:10 we read that "the priest who is the highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured, and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor tear his clothes." NET Note - “do not let free your heads.” Some have taken this to mean, “do not take off your headgear” (cf. NAB, NASB), but it probably also involves leaving one’s hair unkempt as a sign of mourning. Tear your clothes (Lev 21:10) - Tearing or pulling garments apart, often as a sign of mourning (Ge 37:34; Lev 10:6; 21:10; 1Sa 4:12; 2Sa 3:31), repentance (Ge 37:29; Josh. 7:6; 2Chr 34:27; Joel 2:13), or as a response to the rejection of God’s plan (Nu 14:6) or (perceived) blasphemy (Mt. 26:65; Mk 14:63; Acts 14:14). (Rending of Garments - Holman Bible Dictionary) See also Rending of garments - Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament Grief and Mourning - Practices and emotions associated with the experience of the death of a loved one or of another catastrophe or tragedy. When death is mentioned in the Bible, frequently it relates to the experience of the bereaved, who always respond immediately, outwardly, and without reserve. (Holman Bible Dictionary) So that - This is a term of purpose or result (so that, in order that, that, as a result) which is always worthwhile pausing to query. But your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which the LORD has brought about - NIV “may mourn for those the Lord has destroyed by fire.” Bewail (01058)(bakah) means to weep, bemoan, lament or wail, because of grief, pain, humiliation or even joy (Ge. 42:24; 43:30; Dt 21:13, Joel 1:5). Bakah can describe weeping as a response of contrition before the Lord (Dt. 1:45 - but see context as to why they were weeping and why it was too little, too late! = Dt 1:43-44; 2Ki 22:19 = King Josiah after discovery of Book of the Law in the House of God [2Ki 22:8] the reading of which caused Josiah to tear his clothes-2Ki 22:11). Weeping is often mentioned with fasting indicative of mourning (2Sa 12:21, 22 = David at loss of Bathsheba's child). There is a veritable "flood" of tears in Genesis, a reflection of the pathos that accompanied the entry of sin into the perfect creation (cp Ro 5:12). The first Biblical use of bakah is when Hagar wept for fear her boy (Ishmael) would die (Ge 21:16 - Lxx = klaio = weeping, wailing, lamenting). And so we see Abraham mourned and wept at Sarah's passing (Ge 23:2 - Lxx = pentheo = loud mourning as an outward expression of sorrow). Esau wept when he realized he had sold his blessing to Jacob (Ge 27:38 Lxx = klaio). Jacob wept for Joseph who he thought had died (Ge 37:35). Joseph wept (probably weeping for joy) when he saw his brothers (Ge 42:24, 43:30, 46:29 - Lxx = klaio). Even the Egyptians wept for 70 days in mourning Joseph's father's (Jacob's) death! (Ge 50:3 - Lxx = pentheo). When Jonathan and David (who had cut a covenant - see Symbolism of the Covenant between Jonathan and David) parted company, they wept (1Sa 20:41). After their wives and children were captured by the Amalekites in a raid on Ziglag, David and his men "lifted their voices and wept (bakah) until there was no strength in them to weep (bakah)." (1Sa 30:4) In Ezekiel 24:16 Ezekiel was instructed by Jehovah NOT to weep (bakah) when God took his wife from him. In 2Ki 20:3 Hezekiah was mortally ill and prayed to the Lord with weeping - "“Remember now, O LORD, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Thy sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly." In response Jehovah said "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you." (2Ki 20:5) In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” 2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, 3“Remember now, O LORD, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Thy sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4And it came about before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5“Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. 6“And I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’ (2Ki 20:1-6) Weeping is also used in somewhat of a "negative" context - For example, Israel wept because they missed the luxuries (meat) from Egypt and questioned even leaving, a weeping which showed they had rejected Jehovah (Nu 11:4, 10, 11:13, 18, 20). The women in apostate Judah were "weeping for Tammuz. (See Fertility Cults)" (see also notes on Ezek 8:14) In Judges 2 we see bakah (Jdg 2:4) used to describe national weeping which occurred when they were mad aware of their disobedience to Jehovah and the painful consequences. "The Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim (meaning "the weepers" and derived from bakah). And he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, 2 and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? 3“Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them (the Canaanite pagans) out before you; but they shall become [as thorns] in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’” 4 And it came about when the Angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices and wept (Heb = bakah; Lxx = klaio = weeping, wailing, lamenting)." (Judges 2 Commentary) Jeremiah 50:4 describes weeping by Israel in the last days of this present evil age (Notice context = everlasting covenant Jer 50:5 - this is the covenant the Deliverer will make with them when He returns - Ro 11:26-27-note) "In those days and at that time," declares the LORD, "the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping (Lxx = klaio = weeping, wailing, lamenting - cp what happens when Spirit of Grace and supplication is poured on them in Zech 12:10!) as they go, and it will be the LORD their God (the Messiah) they will seek." (Compare bakah in Isa 30:19 where we read that the people of Zion "will weep no longer," surely also pointing to the "golden era" of the Messiah's one thousand year reign.) When I was a teenager (the 1960's) there was a popular song that quoted Eccl 3:4 "A time to weep (Lxx = klaio) and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance." (For you nostalgic folks, here it is - Turn! Turn! Turn! - and it's actually not bad theology either! Boy, how times have "turned, turned, turned!") Brown-Driver-Briggs' Summary - (1) to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears - (Qal) to weep (in grief, humiliation, or joy), to weep bitterly (with cognate acc.), to weep upon (embrace and weep), to bewail (2) (Piel) participle - lamenting, bewailing The verb bakah refers to the oral and vocal aspects of weeping, a distinction which is made because Orientals generally do not weep quietly, but are inclined to loud weeping and lamenting. In addition, weeping can also refer to the excitement of an individual or to the feeling and anxiety about the future. This weeping can also be in the context of meeting someone never seen before or at least not in a long time. However, bakah usually refers to emotional grief, such as mourning over the dead for the purpose of emotion rather than consolation. Weeping can also refer to lament over individual distress, or even a public lament (Jdg 2:4). It can also be used in connection with acts of repentance (, or even out of awe (although the latter is not common in the OT). This root can also refer to cultic wailing over a deity. John Oswalt - Throughout the OT weeping is the natural and spontaneous expression of strong emotion… The root is used in five different ways. Although weeping is usually associated with distress or sorrow, it is also a sign of joy. Interestingly enough, all occurrences of this usage appear in the Jacob narrative. Jacob wept for joy when he met Rachel after his journey from Canaan (Gen 29:11). So did Jacob and Esau when they met again after the long separation (Gen 33:4). Joseph and Jacob wept with each other when they met in Egypt (Gen 46:29), etc. A much more frequent usage is crying in distress. Thus the baby Moses began to cry in the Pharaoh’s daughter’s presence (Ex 2:6). Similarly Esau wept in bitterness and frustration at the discovery of Jacob’s fraud (Gen 27:38). Job says that he deserves punishment if he has committed any of a number of sins, among which is causing the “furrows of the land” to weep through abuse (Job 31:38). Israel wept because of the threat of the enemy (I Sam 11:4; 30:4; etc.); they wept in the exile (Ps 137:1; cf. Jer 31:15); and the Psalmist wept for those who despised God’s law (Ps 119:136). The distress need not be one’s own, for weeping may be a sympathetic reaction at the distress of another (cf. Job 2:12; 30:25; Isa 16:9; Jer 48:5; Ezk 27:31). A specific form of distress is that which is on account of death. The form of the lament is seen clearly in I Sam 1 where David weeps for the slain Saul and Jonathon. The magnanimity of David which is shown in his weeping for Saul is seen again when he weeps for Abner, the enemy general (I Sam 3:32). It is evident at several points that the time of lament was carefully prescribed (Gen 50:4; Deut 34:8; etc.). Professional mourners were called to weep at times of death (II Sam 1:24; Jer 49:3; Ps 78:64; Job 27:15). This served the twofold purpose of insuring that the dead person was mourned properly and also that the mourning did not continue interminably. This lamentation for the dead formed a specific part of the fertility cult, wherein the dead vegetation god was mourned in the fall of the year. Numerous references to this rite are found in the Ugaritic literature (e.g. texts 62; 67:VI, and cf. I Kgs 18:26–29 where a similar ritual was evidently performed). Ezekiel was horrified when he discovered that such practices were being carried on within the temple itself (8:14). Another type of weeping would be that which is associated with pleading or complaint. Hannah wept with bitter tears as she pleaded with God for a son (1Sa1:7–10). So also, Esther wept before the Persian emperor begging for her people’s life (Esther 8:3). Cf. also Hezekiah (2Ki 20:3). This type of weeping can quickly become whining, as witness Samson’s wife importuning him for the answer to his riddle (Jud 14:16) and the crying of the Israelites for meat (Nu 11:4–20). The final usage of “weeping” is unique to the OT. It is the weeping of repentance. In other cultures of the ancient near east weeping out of remorse or sorrow for punishment is known, but never sheer sorrow over having offended the deity. Both of these occur in the OT. An example of the former would be found in Jud 21:2 where the Israelites weep because of their folly in decimating Benjamin. On the other hand is the weeping of Josiah at the reading of the Law (II Kgs 22:19), or the weeping of Israel when she returns to her God (Jer 31:9; 50:4). When the Law was read to the returned exiles and they saw how far short they had fallen, they had to be reminded that a holy day was not for mourning (Neh 8:9; cf. also Ezr 10:1; Hos 12:4 [H 5]). Such weeping was that of Peter when he realized how he had denied his Lord (Mt 26:75). It may be said that there is no genuine repentance apart from a bitter sense of sorrow over one’s sins, a sorrow so deep that it may quite properly issue in weeping. In the eschaton God will make an end to all weeping (Isa 65:19; cf. 25:8). (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament- R Laird Harris, Gleason L Archer Jr., Bruce K Waltke- excellent resource) See Related Topic - Mourning: Mourn - Easton's Bible Dictionary Mourn - Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature - Thorough Article Bakah in NAS - bewail(1), crying(1), mourn(1), sob(1), weep(27), weep not at all(1), weep continually(1), weep… longer(1), weeping(12), weeps bitterly(1), wept(60), wept bitterly(1). Bakah - 99v (most often in Genesis = 14x, 1/2Samuel = 20x) - Gen 21:16; 23:2; 27:38; 29:11; 33:4; 37:35; 42:24; 43:30; 45:14f; 46:29; 50:1, 3, 17; Ex 2:6; Lev 10:6; Num 11:4, 10, 13, 18, 20; 14:1; 20:29; 25:6; Deut 1:45; 21:13; 34:8; Jdg 2:4; 11:37f; 14:16f; 20:23, 26; 21:2; Ruth 1:9, 14; 1 Sam 1:7f, 10; 11:4f; 20:41; 24:16; 30:4; 2 Sam 1:12, 24; 3:16, 32, 34; 12:21f; 13:36; 15:23, 30; 18:33; 19:1; 2 Kgs 8:11f; 13:14; 20:3; 22:19; 2 Chr 34:27; Ezra 3:12; 10:1; Neh 1:4; 8:9; Esth 8:3; Job 2:12; 27:15; 30:25, 31; 31:38; Ps 69:10; 78:64; 126:6; 137:1; Eccl 3:4; Isa 16:9; 30:19; 33:7; 38:3; Jer 9:1; 13:17; 22:10; 41:6; 48:32; 50:4; Lam 1:2, 16; Ezek 8:14; 24:16, 23; 27:31; Hos 12:4; Joel 1:5; 2:17; Mic 1:10; Zech 7:3 Lesson - The disciple of Christ who says he loves God must keep His commandments (Jn 14:15) and at times must put allegiance to Christ before family obligations (Lev 10:6–7). Jesus our Great High Priest said And another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me; and allow the dead to bury their own dead. (Mt 8:21-22) He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. (Mt 10:37) Leon Hyatt - The loyalty of the other priests in the face of the tragedy (Lev 10:6-7) Verse 6. And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleasar and to Ithamar, his sons, You must not loosen [the hair of] your heads, and you must not tear your clothes; then you will not die, and He will not be angry toward all the congregation. And your brothers, all the house of Israel, will mourn the incineration that Jehovah kindled. And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, “You must not loosen [the hair of] your heads, and you must not tear your clothes; then you will not die. Moses urged Aaron and his two remaining sons not to leave their duties in The Tabernacle to participate in the ceremonies of mourning and of the funeral for Nadab and Abihu. They were not to go out of The Tabernacle, or to tear their garments for sorrow, or even to dishevel their hair. Moses gave this command, not because it would have been wrong to mourn for men who had rebelled or because expressing sorrow would have shown dissatisfaction with God’s judgment, as Keil suggested. It was because they were in the midst of completing the offerings that God had commanded (see comments on Lev. 10:12-20-note in MESSAGE 13), a task too important to leave for any purpose. Service to God at the altar took precedence over everything else, even over mourning for loved ones (see comments on Lev. 21:1-4,10-12-note) in MESSAGE 25). A priest had to put Jehovah first above everything else, or he was not worthy of his holy calling. It was especially important for the new priests to demonstrate that kind of loyalty at a time when two priests had already rebelled. Therefore, Moses told them to remain at the job or die (see Introduction to Chapter 20 and comments on Lev. 20:2-note in MESSAGE 24), and He will not be angry toward all the congregation. Moses also told them that failure to remain loyal to their holy duties would bring wrath on the whole congregation. This statement did not mean that the people would be punished for the sins of the priests but that, if the remaining priests rebelled, the people could not remain loyal. They too would desert and be destroyed by God’s wrath. And your brothers, all the house of Israel, will mourn the incineration that Jehovah kindled. Moses told Aaron and his sons to let the people do the mourning for them. The mourning of the people was approved, not because they were less dedicated to God and, therefore, could mourn for sinful men without being punished, as Keil suggested. It was because they could do so without deserting a duty to God. All the Israelites were called “brothers” to Aaron and his sons. This family spirit was most comforting to them in their sorrow. It was a deep satisfaction for them to know that their loved ones were being honorably mourned by their brothers, even in spite of what the sons had done. This knowledge helped them pass the test of loyalty and complete the holy task that was theirs. The word translated “incineration” is a noun related to the verb used in Leviticus 4:12, which refers to fire that either strengthens or destroys but does not totally consume (see comments on Lev. 4:12-note in MESSAGE 2 under the heading And he shall incinerate it). Jehovah’s fire had killed Nadab and Abihu, but it had not consumed them. (Leviticus 15 - Message 11 - Lev. 10:1-7) Leviticus 10:7 "You shall not even go out from the doorway of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for the LORD'S anointing oil is upon you." So they did according to the word of Moses. shall: Lev 21:12 Mt 8:21,22 Luke 9:60 anointing: Lev 8:12,30 Ex 28:41 30:30 40:13-15 Acts 10:38 2Co 1:21 Leviticus 10 Resources Lev 21:10 ‘And the priest who is the highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured, and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor tear his clothes; 11 nor shall he approach any dead person, nor defile himself [even] for his father or his mother; 12 nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him: I am the LORD. You shall not even go out - The point is that their mission was to minister in the Tent of Meeting, and they were not to be side-tracked even by this tragic loss. He does not say they cannot grieve, but because (notice the "for" which is a term of explanation) they had "the LORD's anointing oil" they should be about the Lord's business of priestly ministry to which they had just been ordained seven plus days prior. Keil and Delitzsch remarks that "They were not to go away from the door (the entrance or court of the tabernacle) to take part in the burial of the dead, lest they should die, for the anointing oil of Jehovah was upon them. The anointing oil was the symbol of the Spirit of God, which is a Spirit of life, and therefore has nothing in common with death, but rather conquers death, and sin, which is the source of death (cf. Leviticus 21:12)." (Leviticus 10 Commentary) New Testament parallel for the LORD's anointing oil on them. Believers have been anointed with the Holy Spirit (but we are to "go out" and spread the good news of the Gospel in the power of the Spirit!)… 1Jn 2:20, 27-note But you have an anointing (chrisma) from the Holy One, and you all know. 27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you (Note: This refers to the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, Who enables us to discern truth from error), and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 2Cor 1:21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God So they did according to the Word of Moses - Would it be true that all God's priests would obey without hesitation or procrastination (I'm applying this especially to all of us NT believer priests!) Given the severity of the punishment, they could have reasoned "This job is not for me! It is way too dangerous!" But they remained steadfast, immovable, abiding, abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that their toil for His Name's sake would not be in vain. (cp 1Cor 15:58-note). Leon Hyatt - The loyalty of the other priests in the face of the tragedy (Lev 10:6-7) Verse 7. And do not go out from the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the oil of the anointing of Jehovah [is] on you. And they did according to the word of Moses. And do not go out from the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the oil of the anointing of Jehovah [is] on you. Moses warned them not to depart from The Tabernacle because the anointing oil was on them, which set them apart to God’s service, and that responsibility had to come ahead of everything else. They were in the midst of ceremonies that were their first responsibility, and it was urgent that they not desert that responsibility. If they left the holy ceremonies, they would show that their service to God was not first in their lives; and they would die. And they did according to the word of Moses. Moses, Ithamar, and Abiathar did as Moses commanded them and proved that loyalty to God was first in their lives, even above their family. Application Absolute loyalty to God is a necessity for Christian ministers. They must put God above all other interests and responsibilities. To put Him first, they must obey His commands completely. They must not allow the privilege of handling holy objects to lead them to believe they can handle those holy articles according to their own ideas. They have no more right to tamper with baptism or the Lord’s Supper than Aaron’s sons had the right to tamper with the fire-offerings. They must take care to see that familiarity with holy responsibilities does not breed in them contempt for those holy duties. They must take care to avoid getting so accustomed to their holy obligations so that they begin to take a light and frivolous attitude toward them. Leadership in worship must not become a mere habit or a commonplace task. They must always consider holy service to God to be an awesome and thrilling challenge. They must keep their service to God fresh and exciting, by being sure that every responsibility to God is bathed in a continually renewing experience with God Himself. Family responsibilities, and especially death in the family, will at some time or other severely test the loyalty of every minister; but he will serve his family best if he will put God first at all times. If he fails to do so, he may not lose his life as Nadab and Abihu did; but he will surely lose his power, his influence, and perhaps his position in the ministry. If he succeeds in putting God first in all things, God will comfort him in sorrow and strengthen him in service. In recent years, a high sounding but mistaken piece of advice has often been given to ministers. In overzealous desire to encourage ministers not to neglect their families, ministers have been told, “Put your family first. Too many ministers have neglected their families and lost their children. To honor your family and save your children, your family must come ahead of your ministry.” The truth is that a minister’s family is a part of his ministry. He must lead and serve his family not because they are first but because that responsibility is part of His service to God. They will not be first, but neither will God let him neglect them. When I proposed to my wife and she accepted, we talked for a time about our hope for our life together. Among many other statements, I said to her, “I feel guilty is asking you to marry me, because you will never be first in my life.” She said, “If you put God first, I know you will treat me better than any other man in the world who would put me first.” To date, that approach has produced 59 wonderful years of togetherness in ministry. I believe it is Scriptural, and I heartily commend it. (Leviticus 15 - Message 11 - Lev. 10:1-7) Leviticus 10:8 The LORD then spoke to Aaron, saying, Leviticus 10 Resources Note that here Jehovah does not go through Moses to give the instructions, but speaks directly to the consecrated high priest Aaron. Of the 36 times we encounter the phrase "The LORD (then) spoke" every one is to Moses with the exception of this time!
Levítico 10
Trapp comments on the fact that they should… have eaten it - Thus, by misreckoning a point, ye have missed the haven, and hazarded yourselves to the rocks of the divine displeasure, against which your brethren so lately split. God is usually most angry when He is about a reformation; as here against Nadab and Abihu: so afterwards against Uzzah, Ananias and Sapphira, etc. Leon Hyatt - Verse 18. Behold, its blood was not brought inside The Holy [Place]. Behold, its blood was not brought inside The Holy [Place]. The word translated “The Holy [Place]” means literally “The Holiness.” It was used to refer to any holy place, that is, any part of The Tabernacle complex (see comments on Lev. 4:6-note, in MESSAGE 2 under the heading of The Holy Place). In this clause, it refers to the tent portion of The Tabernacle because Moses spoke of “inside The Holy [Place].” Moses noted that the blood of the sin-offering had not been taken inside The Tabernacle. Jehovah had specified that the blood of a bull sin-offering, which was the usual sin-offering for a priest or for the whole congregation, was to be taken inside the first room of the tent potion of The Tabernacle. Some of it was to be splattered seven times at the face of the veil that shielded the inner room, and some of it was to be smeared on the horns of the altar of incense (see comments on Lev. 4:6-7-note and on Lev. 4:16-18-note in MESSAGE 2). On this occasion, the blood of the sin-offering of the congregation was not taken inside The Tabernacle. The reason was that a buck of the goats had been offered instead of a bull. In a goat sin-offering, the priest was to smear some of the blood on the horns of the altar of re-dedication-offering, and pour the remainder at the base of the altar (see comments on Lev. 4:25-note in MESSAGE 2). Moses made no mention of any deviation from these instructions on the part of Eleazar and Ithamar, so they must have handled the blood properly for a goat sin-offering. Therefore, the meat of the offering should have been eaten by the priests. Eating, you should have eaten it in The Holy [Place], as I commanded. In this clause, the term “The Holy [Place]” referred, not to the tent portion of The Tabernacle, but to the courtyard. The word is exactly the same as that in the previous clause, but the two clauses refer to two different parts of The Tabernacle complex. The term could refer to any part of The Tabernacle. The difference in which part of The Tabernacle is referred to in these two clauses is made clear in that the previous clause spoke of “inside” The Holy [Place], whereas this clause speaks only of “in” The Holy [Place]. Moses found fault with the way Eleazar and Ithamar had handled the meat of the sin-offering. Jehovah had given instructions in MESSAGE 7 concerning a difference in the eating ceremony between the two types of the sin-offering. The meat of a sin-offering whose blood was not taken inside The Tabernacle was to be eaten by the priests in the courtyard of The Tent of Meeting (see comments on Lev. 6:26-note in MESSAGE 7), but the meat of a sin-offering whose blood was taken inside The Tabernacle was to be incinerated in a clean place outside the camp (see comments on Lev. 6:29-note in MESSAGE 7). Moses stressed that, since the blood of the sin-offering had not been taken inside The Tabernacle, the priests should have eaten its meat in the courtyard. Instead they had incinerated it. We must suppose that they incinerated it properly in a clean place outside the camp (see comments on Lev. 4:12-note in MESSAGE 2 under the heading and he shall incinerate it . . . .). Incinerating the meat in a clean place outside the camp was proper for a bull sin-offering, but not for a goat sin-offering, which the congregation had offered on this occasion. Moses’ reprimand was appropriate, because the priests had improperly mixed the ceremonies of the two types of the sin-offering. (Leviticus Message 13 - Lev. 10:12-20) Leviticus 10:19 But Aaron spoke to Moses, "Behold, this very day they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD. When things like these happened to me, if I had eaten a sin offering today, would it have been good in the sight of the LORD?" this very day: Lev 9:8,12 Heb 7:27 9:8 would it have been good: Dt 12:7 26:14 1Sa 1:7,8 Isa 1:11,15 Jer 6:20 14:12 Ho 9:4 Mal 1:10,13 2:13 Php 4:4 NIV - Aaron replied to Moses, "Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the LORD have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?" Deffinbaugh - As I follow Aaron’s logic, he is saying that it was probably on this very day that Nadab and Abihu were stuck down by God for their sin, and it was also on this day when Eleazar and Ithamar were required to offer a sin offering for themselves, just as Aaron and his two oldest sons had done as recorded in chapter 9. Because of the tragic events of the day and the inauguration of his two younger sons, Aaron felt that eating of the sin offering of the people would have been inappropriate. Thus, the meat which could have been eaten was burned up, just as the uneaten portion would have been anyway. Aaron’s actions and those of his two younger sons were not normal, but then this was no typical day in the lives of the priests. In the light of this, Moses was satisfied that they had not done something forbidden, but had only declined from exercising their priestly privileges, for higher considerations. The significant fact here is that Aaron has come into his own, and that even Moses had to recognize his position and his wisdom in the decision he had reached and the actions which followed it. John Trapp - God loves a cheerful server. {Deut 12:7; Deut 26:14} Mourners’ bread is polluted bread, {Hos 9:4} and those unkind husbands are blamed for causing their wives, when they should have been cheerful in God’s service, to cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and with crying out, so that he regarded not the offering any more. {Mal 2:13} This Aaron knew, and allegeth for himself. Leon Hyatt - Moses accepted Aaron’s explanation (Lev 10:19-20) Verse 19. And Aaron said to Moses, Behold, today they offered their sin-offering and their rededication-offering at Jehovah’s face when [events] like these have happened to me. So [if] I had eaten the sin-offering today, would it have been pleasing in the eyes of Jehovah? And Aaron said unto Moses. Aaron spoke in defense of Eleazar and Ithamar and also of himself. He assumed responsibility for the action, showing that he was aware of what they had done and had approved it. Behold, today they offered their sin offering and their rededication-offering at Jehovah’s face. Most interpreters assume that “they” refers to Eleazar and Ithamar and to the offering Moses had commanded in Leviticus 9:2-note. This assumption is not warranted for two reasons: (1) The offering Moses commanded in Leviticus 9:2 was offered by all the priests, not just Eleazar and Ithamar. (2) A priest’s bull sin-offering was to be incinerated in a clean place outside the camp, not eaten in The Holy Place, as Moses was demanding (see comments on Lev. 4:11-12-note in MESSAGE 2). Others think that “they” refers to Nadab and Abihu, because Moses referred to their deaths immediately afterward. However, Nadab and Abihu did not die for offering a sin-offering and a rededication-offering, but for offerings incense on a censer in front of The Tabernacle, a ceremony Jehovah had in no way authorized. Most surely, the sin-offering and the rededication-offering to which Aaron referred were offerings offered by the congregation. Their offerings were the ones Moses was asking Aaron and his sons to complete. when [events] like these have happened to me. The point Aaron was making was that on the same day that the congregation had offered their offerings that he needed to complete, he had lost two sons under tragic circumstances. He meant his heart was not in eating while his sons were being buried. If he had eaten the meat of the sin-offering, he would have done it perfunctorily and not with feeling. Every part of the offerings had a spiritual meaning and was to be performed with understanding and sincerity. Aaron could not eat the meat of the sin-offering with the sincerity that God expected. His heart was too full of sadness to perform the duty in the proper spirit. So [if] I had eaten the sin-offering today, would it have been pleasing in the eyes of Jehovah? Aaron asked what good it would have done for him to eat the sin-offering just for the mere performance of the ceremony if his heart was not in it. Would God have been pleased just because Aaron and his sons went through the ceremony, if the right attitude was not in their hearts when they did it? Even though Aaron and his two remaining sons had remained in The Tabernacle to put their duty to God ahead of even the burial of their own family members, it was scarcely possible for them to feel like eating while the oldest sons of the family were being buried. Aaron implied that Jehovah, who puts the main emphasis on the heart, would surely see their hearts and interpret their failure to eat for what it was—not rebellion but natural human sorrow. Keil rejected this explanation, taking the position that Aaron and his sons refused to eat because they sad and therefore did not feel sufficiently holy on this occasion. Keil took the position he did because he insisted that it was wrong for Aaron and his sons to sorrow over Nadab and Abihu. The text does not support that idea. They were human, and Jehovah understands and accepts human sorrow. The action that would have been wrong for them to do that day would have been for them to desert their duty because of their sorrow. But, even in doing their duty, their sorrow was real; and it kept them from being able to eat with a joyful attitude over forgiveness for the congregation. Under such circumstances, Aaron was convinced that a reasonable substitute for eating the meat would be acceptable to God. In a bull sin-offerings for a priest and in a bull sin-offering for the congregation, incinerating the sin-offering in a clean place outside the camp was the authorized substitute for eating the meat in The Holy [Place] (see comments on Lev. 4:11-12-note in MESSAGE 2 under the heading he shall take out to the outside of the camp to a clean place). Aaron was sure it was also an acceptable substitute on this occasion. (Leviticus Message 13 - Lev. 10:12-20) Leviticus 10:20 When Moses heard that, it seemed good in his sight. 2Ch 30:18-20 Zec 7:8,9 Mt 12:3-7,20 Leviticus 10 Resources Why did what had seemed bad, now seem good to Moses? If you recall the warning of Lev 7:19-21, it is reasonable to propose that Aaron had taken this teaching to heart and thus felt "unworthy" (? unclean), as suggested by his statement "When things like these happened to me." The New Living Translation tends to support this thought - "Then Aaron answered Moses on behalf of his sons. "Today my sons presented both their sin offering and their burnt offering to the LORD," he said. "This kind of thing has also happened to me. Would the LORD have approved if I had eaten the sin offering today?" Ryrie explains Moses change of heart this way - When Moses asked why the sin offering had not been eaten (cf. Lev 6:26), Aaron replied that, because of the death of his two sons, he and his remaining sons had felt unworthy. Moses accepted the explanation. C K Mackintosh has a slightly different explanation… Thus, then, Leviticus 10:1-20 opens with positive sin, and closes with negative failure. Nadab and Abihu offered "strange fire;" and Eleazar and Ithamar were unable to eat the sin offering. The former was met by divine judgment; the latter, by divine forbearance. There could be no allowance for "strange fire." It was positively flying in the face of God's plain commandment. There is, obviously, a wide difference between a deliberate rejection of a plain command, and mere inability to rise to the height of a divine privilege. The former is open dishonor done to God; the latter is a forfeiture of one's own blessing. There should be neither the one nor the other, but the difference between the two is easily traced. Old John Trapp has an interesting remark regarding Moses' change of heart - For that time at least. It is not good sowing in a high wind. To choose a fit time to admonish an offender, is a singular skill, and a very great advantage. The mildest medicine is troublesome to an eye that is inflamed. Wenham ties Leviticus 10 to the NT - Nowhere in the NT is this particular episode referred to, though there are a number of lines of theological continuity linking this passage with NT teaching. The disciple must put allegiance to Christ before family obligations (Lev 10:6–7; Mt 8:21–22). Ministers, like Aaronic priests, should be temperate (Lev 10:9; 1Tim. 3:3, 8). But the most striking principle endorsed by the NT is that the closer a man is to God the stricter the standard he will be judged by (v. 3). Our Lord said: “Everyone to whom much is given, of him will much be required” (Luke 12:48). Peter: “Judgment begins with the household of God” (1Pet. 4:17). James (3:1): “We who teach shall be judged with greater strictness.” The story of Nadab and Abihu vividly illustrates these NT sayings. (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament). Leon Hyatt - Verse 20. When Moses heard [Aaron’s explanation], it was pleasing in his eyes. Moses understood the correctness of Aaron’s position and accepted it without the necessity of a spoken revelation from Jehovah. Enough had already been revealed to show that Aaron was correct. Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar had not repeated the sin of Nadab and Abihu. What they had done was within the scope of what Jehovah had revealed and was not an unauthorized action that they had devised for themselves. Jehovah showed that he agreed with Aaron’s interpretation, because he did not kill Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar, as he had Nadab and Abihu. Application. Two wonderful truths of great significance for Christians shine forth from this passage like bright rays of light. First, God is primarily interested in the hearts of men. Offerings and ceremonies of worship are important only if they genuinely express the feelings and intentions of the heart. What God looks for most when people worship Him is a sincere and devoted heart. The intent of the heart is the factor God uses to judge the reality and acceptableness of people’s worship of Him. Second, God will overlook lapses in the outward performance of worship if the heart is sincere. God will extend no patience to the person who alters the worship taught in the Bible in a spirit of glibness or rebellion, as Nadab and Abihu did. But, He will have infinite patience with a person who falters in the outward performance of worship because of human weakness. If the heart is sincere, God will forgive the weakness and the deviation and will accept the act of worship as fully as if it had been perfectly performed. (Leviticus Message 13 - Lev. 10:12-20) STRANGE FIRE Leviticus 10 Rob Morgan When I was growing up in the mountains, some of the preachers on the Tennessee / North Carolina border were known as “Hellfire and Brimstone” preachers because every time they took to the pulpit, their sermons scorched and singed whoever heard them. They preached very hard against sin, and to them almost everything was a sin. Some of these preachers were so negative they became the butt of jokes. I remember how amused my father was on one occasion when my grandmother went to a revival meeting one night only to hear the preacher thunder away at her particular hairstyle, which was in vogue at the time. She stormed home as mad as a hornet, much to my dad’s amusement. But now things have gone to the opposite extreme. Sermons are so market-driven and positive in nature that one seldom hears anything at all about “Hellfire and Brimstone.” There is little preaching against sin, and almost nothing is said about the subjects of judgment and hell. I think one of the great benefits in preaching through a book in the Bible such as we’re doing with Leviticus is it allows a minister and a congregation to study the whole counsel of God. An expositional pulpit ministry that preaches through the Scriptures covers everything that God covers in His Word. And today, in our study through Leviticus, we’re coming to a story that is so rarely used in a message that I don’t ever remember having heard a sermon about it in all my fifty-two years. Instead of jumping right into the book of Leviticus, I’d like to ask you to turn with me to the book of Exodus, to do a little advance work. The story of the book of Exodus, as you might know, tells how the twelve sons of Jacob, having gone down to Egypt during a time of famine, multiplied until they became a mighty nation. The authorities in Egypt became alarmed at their numbers and they enslaved them and placed them under bitter bondage. But God raised up two men to deliver them. Two brothers. Moses and his brother Aaron. We always focus on Moses and we frequently neglect Aaron. But look at what the Bible says about Aaron’s family in Exodus 6:23: Aaron took to himself Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Nahshon, as wife; and she bore him (four sons)—Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Almost every week we have a child born into our church family, and what a joy it is to see those little roly-polys, to hold those children. What love there is between mother and child, and between father and child. I’m sure it was no less in biblical times. Aaron must have loved his four sons very much. Well, these boys grew up. The two oldest ones took their place alongside their father and helped him in the work. Look at what happened when the Children of Israel arrived at Mount Sinai in Exodus 24:1: Now He (God) said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.” And Ex 24:9: Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. Out of all the millions of Israel, these seventy-four men saw the glory of the Lord on Sinai and had a vision of God hovering over His throne. And it was on that mountain—Mount Sinai—that God explained to Moses that in developing these masses of people into a great nation, He had chosen Aaron and his sons to be the religious leaders for the entire nation. Look at Exodus 28: Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. The last several chapters of the book of Exodus are devoted to the instructions God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai for the building of a worship center—the Tabernacle—and the instituting of the priesthood under Aaron and his sons. And then we come to Leviticus. The first seven chapters tell us about the five great sacrifices that were to be offered on the Tabernacle altars—every one of them designed in advance to teach us a different aspect of our Lord’s sacrifice on Calvary. And then in chapters 8 and 9, Aaron and his sons are set aside to be the priests of Israel. Look at Leviticus 8: And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, a bull as the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; and gather all the congregation together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting… And the story goes on to tell about the great and glorious initiation and inauguration of the priesthood in ancient Israel. It was all pointing toward our Lord Jesus Christ, as we saw last week. And the sacrifices were offered, and look at the way Lev 9 ends: And Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. Notice what happened. Aaron and his sons offered the first sacrifices ever offered on that huge, bronze Tabernacle altar. The priesthood was inaugurated. And in token of the wisdom and wonder of these very first offerings, fire fell from heaven like a bolt of lightening, and the sacrifices were supernaturally consumed in the flames. It was so dramatic that the entire nation instantly fell on their faces in worship and wonder. None of them could have imagined that this powerful supernatural fire—this divine lightening bolt—was about to fall again. Let’s turn the page and continue now our series of studies in the book of Leviticus as we come today to Leviticus 10: Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.’” So Aaron held his peace. Then Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.” So they went near and carried them by their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said. And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled. You shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses. (Lev 10:1-7) This is one of the greatest tragedies in the history of ancient Israel. On the very day that the priesthood of Israel was inaugurated, the two oldest sons of Aaron—Nadab and Abihu—offered strange fire upon the altar and were stuck dead in a flash of divine judgment. What was the nature of their sin? What was this strange fire? We aren’t sure. As I studied this passage in the commentaries, I found several theories. Some Bible scholars believe they offered cultic fire; that is, they inserted some worship ritual they had learned from a neighboring pagan religion. We know they were acquainted with the pagan worship practices of the surrounding nations, because Aaron himself had previously fashioned a golden calf to be worshipped. So some think they were introducing some element of cultic ritual into the worship of Jehovah. Others believe that they were drunk. They were trying to lead the Israelites in worship but they were too drunk to do it correctly. What indication is there of that? Well, look at the very next verses—Leviticus 10:8ff: Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying: “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, between unclean and clean, that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by the hand of Moses. From this point on, the priests were always forbidden from drinking wine when they were on duty in the temple, and drunkenness was always prohibited for everyone. A third theory is that these boys had attempted to go into the Holy of holies. Look at Leviticus 16: Now the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane fire before the Lord, and died; and the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he died; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. These two men were ministering with fire and incense, and the incense altar stood in the holy place inside the Tabernacle tent, just in front of the veil that separated off the Most Holy Place. So perhaps they grew curious and careless, and decided to enter the Most Holy Place with their fire of incense in a way that God had not prescribed. A fourth theory is just that they were reckless and indifferent when it came to the things of God. Here they were, on the very first day of the inauguration of the priesthood, and they were to be the spiritual models for all the Israelites. They were to be types of Christ, pointing toward Christ. They were to be God’s priests, representing Him to the people and the people before Him. But they were indifferent, insouciant, flippant, reckless. They didn’t go about things as God had demanded. They were careless and unthinking. They were capricious. Rash. Hasty. They did not take seriously the holiness of the great God whom they were representing. And the Lord would have none of it. Just as the fire had fallen to consume the burnt offerings on the Temple altar, so it fell again to consume the two sons of Aaron who had handled the things of God disrespectfully and carelessly. The principle is laid down in Lev 10:3, and it really serves as the theme for the whole book of Leviticus: By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified. My question today is this: Is it possible that you and I could offer strange fire before the Lord. Is there anything about Nadab and Abihu that should be instructive to us? Well, yes. I’ve said several times that the books of Leviticus and Hebrews are interrelated. You can’t really understand Leviticus without studying it through the lens of the book of Hebrews, and you can’t study really understand Hebrews without knowing something of Leviticus. So, does the writer of the book of Hebrews have any commentary on this story in Leviticus? I think he does. Look at Hebrews 12:28-29: Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Let me briefly give you some ways in which it may be possible for you and me to offer “strange fire,” as it were. When We Treat the Word of God Disrespectfully We can offer strange fire when we treat the Word of God disrespectfully. God had given very specific instructions about the way He intended for the priests to go about their duties. He had given inspired and authoritative instructions to Nadab and Abihu, but those two men did not show a real respect and reverence for God’s Word. They took what God said with a grain of salt. They didn’t really treat His commands with seriousness. And it’s very easy for us to do the same. The old Scottish Christians had a habit of never letting anything be placed on top of their Bibles. They never sat another book or a cup of tea or so much as a handkerchief on top of their Bibles. They reverenced and respected their Scriptures greatly. But what disturbs me today is how carelessly the Scripture is treated in many churches and by many preachers. There are nearly a thousand churches in this city. You could go to very many of them today and not find a truly biblical sermon. And even in our own denomination and in many others like it, we have a tendency to take a verse or two of Scripture and to use it as a diving board from which to preach our own opinions. My favorite definition of preaching is found in Nehemiah 8:8 where it says that Ezra read from the book of the law distinctly, he gave the sense, and he caused the people to understand the reading. In our personal lives and in our churches, we must read this book distinctly, correctly interpret the sense of it, and apply its meaning to our own lives. Pursue in the Worship of God Irreverently Second, these two men pursued the worship of God irreverently. They were careless and haphazard when it came to worshiping the God of gods, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. It’s possible for us to worship God in an irreverent way, too. It bothers me when I see people mingling around and talking around the periphery of our Celebration Center, waiting until the music is finished because they don’t get anything out of singing; they just want to come in to hear the sermon. It bothers me when people are chattering away with their neighbors as we’re singing “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty” or some other such hymn or song of praise. It bothers me people complain they didn’t get anything out of the service as though they were the ones for whom the worship was prepared and to whom the worship was rendered. I don’t think corporate worship should be stiff and somber and severe, but neither should it be careless and irreverent. We serve a very great King. We have a very holy God, and we should worship Him with reverence and awe. Regard the Holiness of God Lightly The third implication of this strange fire is that these two priests regarded the holiness of God lightly. This is at the crux of the matter, for the Lord drew a lesson for us: By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified. I think we may be in danger of offering strange fire on the altar when we regard the holiness of God lightly in our personal lives, and one of the ways we do this is by tolerating little sins on our lives. There’s an interesting word that comes into play here. Desensitization. There was an article this week in USA Today about this as it relates to the violence in some video games. After awhile, children and teens and others become desensitized to the violence. We become used to it. It bothers us less and less, and we can tolerate more and more. As a society and as Christians in this society, we’re in danger of becoming desensitized. We become very tolerate of the things that used to shock us. We become accustomed to sin. We get used to it in our own lives. In my research for this sermon, I came across a message that Charles Spurgeon once had preached on the subject of “little sins,” in which he said that the best of men are always afraid of the smallest of sins. He told the story of a noble warrior for Christ, Martin Arethusa, a bishop in the days of the Roman Empire. He had led the people of his city to pull down the pagan temple, but when the apostate emperor Julian came to power, he commanded the people to rebuild the temple. The city fathers were bound to obey and rebuild this center of paganism on pain of death. But Arethusa cried out against the evil until Emperor Julian had him arrested. The emperor then made an offer. If Martin Arethusa would offer just a single half-penny toward the building of this pagan temple, he would be freed. Otherwise he would be tortured to death. Just a tiny half-penny. But he refused. He would not commit the tiniest sin to save his life. As a result, he was disrobed, pricked with knives, smeared with honey, and exposed to wasps until he was stung to death. But he would not sell his soul for a half-penny. A half-penny might seem like a little thing. A censor of profane fire might seem like a small indiscretion. But it violates the holiness of God, and the Bible teaches that our God is a consuming fire. I wonder if there is a little sin in your life that you’ve tolerated until it has desensitized your soul. This week I noticed that one of the tires on my car was flat, and I took it down to the service station. The young man sprayed a mixture of water and soap onto my tire and studied it very carefully. There was a tiny, tiny nail that had become embedded in my tire. It was so small he could hardly find it. But it had punctured my tire and was letting the air escape. We’re supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but there might be a tiny, tiny sin that you’re tolerating in your life. It has punctured your soul and all the air is escaping. As a result, your Christian experience is going flat. The Lord says: By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified. Our God is a God of love and a God of grace, but the Bible teaches that He is also a consuming fire. We think too infrequently about His holiness and about His divine judgment. But there is coming a day of judgment on all the earth when the secrets of men will be revealed and all will be laid open and the wrath of God will burst forth against those who disregard our Lord Jesus Christ. Recently as I did some research into 19th century hymnology, I came across a poem by a man named Bert Shadduck who wrote this hymn in 1894. It’s one of the few poems we find on the subject of the judgment of God. It says: I dreamed that the great judgment morning Had dawned, and the trumpet had blown; I dreamed that the nations had gathered To judgment before the white throne; From the throne came a bright shining angel, And he stood on the land and the sea, And he swore with his hand raised to Heaven, That time was no longer to be. And O, what a weeping and wailing, As the lost were told of their fate; They cried for the rocks and the mountains, They prayed, but their prayer was too late. The rich man was there, but his money Had melted and vanished away; A pauper he stood in the judgment, His debts were too heavy to pay; The great man was there, but his greatness, When death came, was left far behind! The angel that opened the records, Not a trace of his greatness could find. The widow was there with the orphans, God heard and remembered their cries; No sorrow in heaven forever, God wiped all the tears from their eyes; The gambler was there and the drunkard, And the man that had sold them the drink, With the people who gave him the license, Together in hell they did sink. The moral man came to the judgment, But self righteous rags would not do; The men who had crucified Jesus Had passed off as moral men, too; The soul that had put off salvation, “Not tonight; I’ll get saved by and by, No time now to think of religion!” At last they had found time to die. And O, what a weeping and wailing, As the lost were told of their fate; They cried for the rocks and the mountains, They prayed, but their prayer was too late. Today I’d like to ask you to regard the God of our Fathers and our Lord Jesus Christ with great reverence and seriousness. Recognize His holiness, and let us serve Him as we should. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.