Wednesday, January 17, 2007

-Leviticus 10; Just when you thought you never learn anything from it. :)-

Leviticus 10
The Sin of Nadab and Abihu

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. 2 So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.
3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said,

‘I will display my holiness
through those who come near me.
I will display my glory
before all the people.’”

And Aaron was silent.

4 Then Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan, Aaron’s cousins, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel. He said to them, “Come forward and carry away the bodies of your relatives from in front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” 5 So they came forward and picked them up by their garments and carried them out of the camp, just as Moses had commanded.

6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not show grief by leaving your hair uncombed[a] or by tearing your clothes. If you do, you will die, and the Lord’s anger will strike the whole community of Israel. However, the rest of the Israelites, your relatives, may mourn because of the Lord’s fiery destruction of Nadab and Abihu. 7 But you must not leave the entrance of the Tabernacle[b] or you will die, for you have been anointed with the Lord’s anointing oil.” So they did as Moses commanded.

16 Moses then asked them what had happened to the goat of the sin offering. When he discovered it had been burned up, he became very angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons. 17 “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the sacred area?” he demanded. “It is a holy offering! The Lord has given it to you to remove the guilt of the community and to purify the people, making them right with the Lord.[c] 18 Since the animal’s blood was not brought into the Holy Place, you should have eaten the meat in the sacred area as I ordered you.”

19 Then Aaron answered Moses, “Today my sons presented both their sin offering and their burnt offering to the Lord. And yet this tragedy has happened to me. If I had eaten the people’s sin offering on such a tragic day as this, would the Lord have been pleased?” 20 And when Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

===================================================================

Today I'm quite perplex by my Q.T. =) Need sometime to think about it.

===================================================================

2 Days Later....

Thought about this passage for two days now, been pondering about it. Certainly it's a very strange iccident to me and I think nothing much like this happen in the bible. God was teaching his first ever priest of his ceremony for the first time in history.

When I first read this.. I was like WAT in the world. Wat was god doing? Is this the god I know? How can he burned two person just like this? What's his logic? What's his heart? What's his reasoning? Why do he wants in his heart when he said, "I will display my holiness through those who come near me. I will display my glory before all the people." It's just a incense fire man! Why so intense? They were like doing a lot of things, following instuctions and maybe being still for hours and days on ends! but just a mistake and paid for it. WHY? The worst is! he didn't even allow them to mourn and grieve. (dot dot dot right!)

How did Aaron feel? He's one big charecter in this whole episode. His two sons.. I'm not sure how old are they.. Never really go check. I assume they're in their teens. Most probably bored hardship with Aaron in Egpyt, farming the fields, working as a slave together. I think they must be pretty dear to Aaron. ARRGH! Of course, they are his sons! Imagine making a big mistake before this.. (make the calves and let the people went out of control). He must have warned his son or something before this.. "Hey sons.. be careful! The Lord is not to be messed with and everyone treat this seriously"

The bible never say much. Just say that Aaron was silent and he left a big impression on me. He think he felt humbled. He was making lots of "excuses and defensive statements" the last time he did a mistake but I think he truely learn from there and the bible say this time round. Just three short words. He was silent. (wah..So convicting) I think that is a true mark of humilty. Being able to keep silent before the Lord. (Jesus also was silent before the killers). They were silent, not because they were not strong mens (both have quite a tongue) but is mean being silent to god's will. I think that really convict me. =)

Although he make such a big mistake before this. Aaron truely grew instead of mourning and in verse 19-20, even grew to have this own convictions. The first high priest of Israel is starting to take charge!

I think, What i can applied it in my life, is I must learn to be humble like Aaron. Learn it. I think like him, is ok to have mistakes, Even big ones! but most important, must learn to be humble and have your own conviction in the end and step-up to the role and responsibility god given to me.

In regards to life, think I learn a lot of things from it. :) Now who say Leviticus is boring haha.

I think like Aaron and his sons, is maybe a seems like a little thing to us! Like lighting the incense the right way! and small things like downloading songs or being righteous at work, or telling white lies! I mean what is that! personally to a certain extend I feel is a bit dud! but god shows me in this passage that he minds about all the small little things and certainly I believe that he wants us to mind all the small things, not just because he like it or he's petty but because it can only be good for us. We can look at the issues dear and be overwhelmed. I feel like wow! God wants our hearts even in small things like this.

Woo! my first post. That was my Q.T all the way back in november. Hope you are inspired. Ha, just when you thought that you never learn anything from that book, it hit you like a ton of bricks. :)

| dew fought for sanity @ 8:25 PM| >> and the world kept spinning |

__________