LEVITICUS 25


     We will begin this lesson with Leviticus 10:1 "And Nadab and
Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire
therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the
LORD, which he commanded them not."

     The word strange, in the verse above, means profane or commit
adultery. In this case, this would be spiritual adultery. Nadab and
Abihu had been instructed in the things of the sanctuary along with
Aaron. They knew how important it was to keep every little detail.
Perhaps, they were so excited by the presence of God that they forgot
this training. This verse 1 above begins with an and, which indicates
that this happened at the same time as the happenings in chapter 9.
We do not know where they got the fire from in the verse above. We
really do not know what was wrong about the offering at all. Perhaps,
they had made an offering to God that only the high priest was to
give. As we read on in this chapter, Aaron is warned of God not to
allow anyone ministering in the sanctuary to drink alcoholic
beverages. To say for sure, just what the offence was, would be an
error on our part. We do know that whatever they did, it was not
offered God's way. We ended the last chapter by saying that the
important thing was for these offerings to be done God's way and not
man's way. There is a verification of this in numbers. Numbers 26:61
"And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the
LORD."  Whatever this sin was, they each committed it. The Scripture
says either of them took his censer.

     Leviticus 10:2 "And there went out fire from the LORD, and
devoured them, and they died before the LORD."

     God was quick in His judgement of them. He killed them. Many
believe that these two priestly sons of Aaron had indulged in
alcoholic beverages and were attempting to minister in the tabernacle
under the influence of this alcohol. This could certainly be the case.
Not only would God not let them minister in the tabernacle under the
influence of alcohol, but their judgement would be greatly impaired on
how they were to go about the service to the Lord. It really doesn't
matter what was the problem, they were guilty of sin and God killed
them. These sons of Aaron had been trained in the ways of the
sanctuary, and they were without excuse. These were not just any young
men, but were in authority in the tabernacle, just under Aaron. For
sure, this would make a never ending impression on the onlookers. Most
people want to believe in Jesus and believe He is their Saviour, but
very few want to acknowledge the fact that He is also Judge. The same
God, who blesses if His commandments are kept, will curse if they are
not kept.

     Leviticus 10:3 "Then Moses said unto Aaron, This [is it] that the
LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me,
and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his
peace."

     Moses was actually the uncle of these boys, and he hated what
happened to them. Moses quickly reminds Aaron that God is justified in
this. This tabernacle was not to be as the world, but was to be a
separate place. The high priest and his sons, the priests, were to
glorify God in everything they did. They could not glorify God, unless
everything was done His way. This tells us so much about how we should
conduct services to God. WE CANNOT BRING THE WORLD INTO THE CHURCH.
That does not glorify God. Ministers are the only visible connection
some people will ever have with God {here on the earth}. Just as Aaron
represented God to the people in the tabernacle then, our ministers
represent God to their congregation now. The minister and his, or her,
family must live beyond reproach to be able to show the world Christ
in them. Aaron does not speak out against what God has done, because
he knows it was justified.

     Leviticus 10:4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of
Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your
brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp."

     Moses, Aaron, or the other sons of Aaron could not touch a dead
body while they were ministering in the temple. Mishael and Elzaphan
were cousins of the 2 dead and they were called of Moses to come and
take the bodies away. One of the Scriptures covering this is found in
Leviticus 21:10 "And [he that is] the high priest among his brethren,
upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated
to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his
clothes;" Leviticus 21:11 "Neither shall he go in to any dead body,
nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;"  Leviticus
21:12 "Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the
sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God
[is] upon him: I [am] the LORD."

     Leviticus 10:5 "So they went near, and carried them in their
coats out of the camp; as Moses had said."

     Had these 2 not been called to do this task, they would have been
in trouble, too. The thing that saved them was the fact they were
called. They covered them up with their coats. They actually made a
type of sling and carried them out. This had to be a sobering lesson,
not only for Aaron and his sons, but for the congregation, as well.

     Leviticus 10:6 "And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and
unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your
clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let
your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the
LORD hath kindled."

     Aaron and his other 2 sons are not to mourn at all for the 2
brothers that were killed by God. This would show that they believed
the punishment of God was just. The congregation would be allowed to
grieve, but Aaron, Ithamar, and Eleazar could not show any signs of
mourning, or the wrath of God would fall not, only on them, but on the
entire congregation. I believe the bewailing the congregation did was,
also, a kind of trembling at the wrath of God in action.
     Leviticus 10:7 "And ye shall not go out from the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of
the LORD [is] upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses."

     The fear of God was greater than their desire to grieve. They did
as Moses told them. They would not be able to bury their own dead. It
was a very serious thing to be anointed with the holy oil for service
in the tabernacle. A very good example of this is when Jesus said, let
the dead bury their dead in Matthew. Matthew 8:22  "But Jesus said
unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."  Another
Scripture that indicates the calling of God is ahead of all other
calls, is in Luke 9:60 "Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their
dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God."

     I would tend to believe that this is saying, if a person is dead,
there is nothing you can do for them. Go to the living and preach the
gospel, so that when they die, they will spend eternity in heaven.

     This may seem to be a hard lesson, but I believe God is trying to
drive home the fact that the call of God has to be above everything
else. A person who answers that call has to put the world behind them.
Their thoughts and deeds must be stayed on God. The world must be able
to see Jesus in you. Even family must not stop you from serving God.
The call of God, is without repentance. There are few pleasures in
this life for those who choose to answer that call, but the rewards in
heaven far outweigh any problems we might face here on the earth. Once
you have decided to serve, never look back, just move forward with
God. This next Scripture tells of how God feels about those who do not
stay with their call. Luke 9:62 "And Jesus said unto him, No man,
having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God."























                             Questions 25

1.  Who were the 2 sons of Aaron who offered strange fire before the
    LORD?
2.  What does the word strange mean in verse 1?
3.  What kind of adultery would this be?
4.  What single word in verse 1 indicates that chapter 10 is a
    continuation of chapter 9?
5.  What were 2 of the possible wrong-doings these sons did?
6.  What important message did we end the last lesson with, that
    applies here?
7.  In what other book of the Bible do we read of the wrong-doings of
    Nadab and Abihu?
8.  How do we know that both of the sons committed this sin?
9.  What killed Nadab and Abihu?
10. What do a great number of people believe the sin was, of these 2?
11. What position in the tabernacle did Nadab and Abihu hold?
12. We all want Jesus as our Saviour, but we do not want to admit He
    is our _____.
13. Moses told Aaron that God wanted to be sanctified in whom?
14. Before all the people, God was to be ________.
15. What does, Aaron held his peace mean?
16. We cannot bring the _______ into the church.
17. Who represented God to the people in the tabernacle?
18. Which 2 did Moses call to take the dead bodies out?
19. What relation were these 2 to the 2 who died?
20. Why could not their other 2 brothers take them out?
21. What special rules prevailed over Aaron while the anointing of the
    tabernacle with the oil was upon him?
22. How did the 2 cousins carry the dead bodies out?
23. What other 2 sons of Aaron are mentioned in verse 6?
24. What warning did Moses give Aaron and his 2 remaining sons?
25. Who would the wrath of God fall on, if Aaron or his 2 remaining
    sons disobeyed God in this?
26. In what Scripture did Jesus say, {Let the dead bury the dead}?
27. What does the author believe this is really saying?
28. The call of God has to be above _________.
29. Quote Luke chapter 9 verse 62.