King James Daily Bible Study: The Power Of Things Unseen
Date: Friday February 04, 2011
Chapters: Leviticus 9-10
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-february-4
Details of Today's Reading: The first offerings of Aaron for himself and the people, Moses and Aaron bless the people, Fire comes upon the altar from the Lord, The sin and death of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron and his sons were forbidden to mourn for Nadab and Abihu, and the eating the holy things.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
Have you ever stopped to think about how powerful things are that you can not see? For instance, the wind, you can not see it coming, but when it does, you can sure feel it, it can be quite pleasant or it can be quite dangerous. How about electricity? You can not see it, it's everywhere and very powerful, it is quite pleasant to be able to turn on a light switch, but touch a live, bare wire and it can be quite dangerous. The same thing is true with God, you can not see Him, but when He is around you know it, and it can be a pleasant or dangerous experience. The Bible says, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?.. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby...Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.” - Hebrews 12:6,7,11,28,29.

In the past nine chapters we have learned that, through Moses, God had explained the purpose of all the sacrificial/meat offerings and instructed the priests on the specific manner in which they were to accept and handle the offerings for themselves as well as the people. The time had come to put action to the words, in order for the priest to begin receiving the offerings they first had to be cleansed. God commanded that Moses bring Aaron, his sons, and all the elders (heads of the twelve tribes) to witness this event.

“And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD. And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for to day the LORD will appear unto you. And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you.” - Leviticus 9:2-6.

God knew that if Moses just told the people that they were to start giving their sacrifices to Aaron or his sons that no one would believe him, so, He made sure that the elders saw this phenomenon. Did you notice that Aaron had to use a calf was added for a sin offering? Remember when he made the golden calf for the people who were complaining about Moses being gone so long? Aaron was to daily offer a calf in remembrance of that he rendered himself for ever unworthy of the honor of the priesthood, on which he had reason to reflect with sorrow and shame, through the atonement he made. This is a reminder that even though we are forgiven we still have to face the repercussions of those sins, especially if it caused others to sin. “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” - I Corinthians 13:6,7.

After the sacrifices were made, the glory of God appeared in the sight of the people, proving that God is a consuming fire. “And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.” - Leviticus 9:22-24.


These many sacrifices, which were all done away by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, they teach us that our best services need a washing in His blood, and that the guilt of our best sacrifices needs to be done away by one more purer and more nobler than we could ever do. Let us be thankful that we have such a High Priest. “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” - Hebrews 9:11,12.

You know, sometimes we can get so hyped up about doing things for God that we do not pay attention to what we are doing for Him. Of course, God loves a cheerful and eager servant, but we need to be careful of what we do and allow ourselves to get caught up in. This proved to be the case as we read about two of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu. Nadab, and Abihu were eager to show their love for God, but they failed to listen to what they were to offer up to God. “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. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. 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.” -Leviticus 10:1-3.

There are two kinds of fire, the eternal fire that comes from God and the eternal fire that comes from Satan. Satan's fire is like adding fuel to a fire, it's combustible, Nadab, and Abihu erred in offering Satan's fire before God. The sin and punishment of these priests showed the imperfection of the priesthood from the very beginning, and that it could not shelter any from the fire of God's wrath. Though Aaron's heart must have been filled with anguish and dismay, he spoke not a word to the justice served by God. We all have to be careful not to offer strange fire before God. “These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever... These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage...Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” - Jude 1:12,13,16,21.

The priests were not allowed one day's rest from serving God. While they were working they had to remain in the tabernacle. Why? It kept them separated from the corruptible dangers of the outside. “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. And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” - Leviticus 10:7-11. God's spiritual priests are constantly at work, which the duty of every day requires, they are like an on call physician, always there to minister to those in need.

Today, all who have chosen to serve God are spiritual priests and are to remain ready to serve Him when needed. Now, this does not mean that you can not enjoy life, it just means that you will always be on call, even on vacation, so, you better be doing things morally as you are God's tabernacle. When Jesus and His disciples were picking corn to eat on the Sabbath, He said, “What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.” -Matthew 12:11,12. Even Jesus ministered to people on His day of rest, since we are to be like Christ, we too may have to minister to someone on our day of rest.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through the lamb sacrifice (9:3). Jesus is the lamb who became the sin offering for all who accept Him. “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” - John 1:29.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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