Levítico 10

Levítico 10

Garland has an intriguing comment on the Priesthood of Believers… Both now and in the future, our function is primarily priestly. That is, we are to minister to God. Here we run into an extremely important distinction which has not been adequately appreciated among many who lead God’s people. Our primary responsibility is to minister to God and not to men. Our focus is to be God-ward rather than man-ward. We are to “offer up spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ” (1Pe. 2:5-note). As we take care to minister to God, He will minister to men through us. The focus of our ministry is the New Covenant (2Cor 3:6-note), not the Law of Moses, and is characterized by a series of contrasts and seeming contradictions (2Cor 6:4-10). Our lives should evidence a consistency of living whether with the people of God or with unbelievers: “God intends the eventual abolition of all distinctions between holy and profane, sanctified and common (Zec 14:20-21).”… (Joseph Seiss adds) “Though believers are currently viewed as a royal priesthood (1Pe. 2:5, 9; cf. Ex. 19:6), this is only preliminary to the fullness of the way they will function alongside Christ in the Millennial Kingdom.”… The priestly duties of some will include service in the Temple: “I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the LORD." (Isa. 66:19-21) (Merrill Unger adds) What the prophet has in mind here [Isa. 66:21] is a completely new order of things: the inclusion of Gentiles in the service of the Lord, without regard to race or descent. (Compiled from Garland's notes on Rev 1:6, 5:10, 20:6) As Jamieson says the priests "had received repeated and solemn warnings as to the cautious and reverent manner of their approach into the divine presence." As in Exodus19:22 “And also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them.” And in Lev 8:35-note "At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that you may not die, for so I have been commanded.” Forewarned is usually forearmed, but apparently not in the case of Nadab and Abihu! "The souls of priests must be purer than the sunbeams" - Chrysostom.