The Sin Of Nadab & Abihu – Part Two
As we continue this lesson we want to look at some additional lessons we can learn from out text (Leviticus 9:22-10:7)
Another lesson we learn is one of regarding the priority of God. Service to the Lord comes before service to the family. This we learn when Aaron was not allowed to grieve for his sons. It was necessary for others to take the bodies out of the camp - Lev 10:4-5 “And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, "Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and out of the camp." So they came near and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said.” Aaron had been consecrated, and service to the Lord came first - Lev 10:6-7 “And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, "Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the LORD has kindled. And do not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you." And they did according to the word of Moses.”
Jesus made a similar point on several occasions as He was calling people to follow Him - Lk 9:59-62 “To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."’ Again as He addressed the multitudes following Him - Lk 14:25-33 “Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. "Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."’ Again as He prepared His disciples for their work - Mt 10:34-37 ‘"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” When conflict arises between the Lord and the family, Christ comes first! For example, by obeying the gospel, despite the objection of family members. Another example is, putting the assemblies of the Lord’s church first when company comes. This does not require that we be rude to our guests. Let them make themselves at home until you return. -- This is what it means to “seek first the kingdom of God...” - Mt 6:33.
It is very easy for us to become complacent in our service to the Lord.... When this happens, it shows in our worship and service to the Lord. Rather than regard Him as Holy and glorify Him as He deserves by doing exactly as He commands, we begin to offer in worship how we want and when we want. Thus our worship is one of convenience rather than of conviction! We need to be reminded of incidents like that which happened to Nadab and Abihu to humble us in the presence of God and to remind us of the seriousness of serving God. Do we regard God as holy, and properly glorify Him in our service to Him? Do we serve Him first? Even above those closest to us? May the example of Nadab and Abihu encourage us to do that which honors God!
As we continue this lesson we want to look at some additional lessons we can learn from out text (Leviticus 9:22-10:7)
Another lesson we learn is one of regarding the priority of God. Service to the Lord comes before service to the family. This we learn when Aaron was not allowed to grieve for his sons. It was necessary for others to take the bodies out of the camp - Lev 10:4-5 “And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, "Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and out of the camp." So they came near and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said.” Aaron had been consecrated, and service to the Lord came first - Lev 10:6-7 “And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, "Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the LORD has kindled. And do not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you." And they did according to the word of Moses.”
Jesus made a similar point on several occasions as He was calling people to follow Him - Lk 9:59-62 “To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."’ Again as He addressed the multitudes following Him - Lk 14:25-33 “Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. "Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."’ Again as He prepared His disciples for their work - Mt 10:34-37 ‘"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” When conflict arises between the Lord and the family, Christ comes first! For example, by obeying the gospel, despite the objection of family members. Another example is, putting the assemblies of the Lord’s church first when company comes. This does not require that we be rude to our guests. Let them make themselves at home until you return. -- This is what it means to “seek first the kingdom of God...” - Mt 6:33.
It is very easy for us to become complacent in our service to the Lord.... When this happens, it shows in our worship and service to the Lord. Rather than regard Him as Holy and glorify Him as He deserves by doing exactly as He commands, we begin to offer in worship how we want and when we want. Thus our worship is one of convenience rather than of conviction! We need to be reminded of incidents like that which happened to Nadab and Abihu to humble us in the presence of God and to remind us of the seriousness of serving God. Do we regard God as holy, and properly glorify Him in our service to Him? Do we serve Him first? Even above those closest to us? May the example of Nadab and Abihu encourage us to do that which honors God!
