Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the grain offering left over from the offerings made to the Lord by fire and eat it prepared without yeast beside the altar, for it is most holy. Eat it in a holy place, because it is your share and your sons' share of the offerings made to the Lord by fire; for so I have been commanded. But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Eat them in a ceremonially clean place; they have been given to you and your children as your share of the Israelites' fellowship offerings. The thigh that was presented and the breast that was waved must be brought with the fat portions of the offerings made by fire, to be waved before the Lord as a wave offering. This will be the regular share for you and your children, as the Lord has commanded." When Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering and found that it had been burned up, he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's remaining sons, and asked, "Why didn't you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place, you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded." Aaron replied to Moses, "Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?" When Moses heard this, he was satisfied." Leviticus 10:12-20
Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s two sons and aides in the tabernacle ministry have died because of their disobedient conduct in the tabernacle. Aaron and his remaining sons have received guidance on abstaining from drinking alcohol before entering the tabernacle to perform their duties. In today’s passage, we find Moses giving further instruction to "Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar" regarding sacrifices and how they were to conduct them.
It’s during this discourse that Moses inquires about a sacrifice already performed, the "goat of the sin offering" and we read where Moses is "angry with Eleazar and Ithamar" when he learns the offering had been burned up. He asks, ""Why didn't you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place, you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded." It was the custom for the priests and their assistants to eat the sin offering in the sanctuary, symbolic of the sins of the people being forgiven and swallowed up. It is clear that Aaron’s sons did not obey the command and on the surface, you might fear that they might face a fate as fatal as Nadab and Abihu. But this matter was different and interestingly, we find Aaron coming forward to intercede for his remaining sons.
Aaron explains to Moses, "Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?" In other words, Aaron takes accountability for what has happened and places himself in as much a place of guilt as his sons. Through his actions, we see an incredible display of spiritual growth in Aaron from what we saw in the past.
For rewind back to when Moses was on Mount Sinai (Exodus 32). At one point during the forty days and nights he was on the mountain, the people became restless and yearned to have an idol to worship. So they approach Aaron with the idea and instead of rebuking the people and standing firm for God, he tells the people to bring him all their gold jewelry which he melts down and forms into a golden calf. The people then dance and worship the calf, clearly in violation of God’s commandments and the covenant the people had made with Him.
You’ll remember that when Moses came down the mountain with God’s commandments written by His finger on the two stone tablets, Moses smashes the tablets on the ground and asks Aaron what had happened. You’ll recall that Aaron blamed the people only and formed his account as if he had no willingness in the matter. Moses knew better however and saw where Aaron had "let them get out of control."
That was then…this is now. Aaron speaks up now, takes accountability for what has happened and explains the matter to Moses in such a way that Moses was "satisfied". So what did Aaron say that convinced Moses that there wasn't as serious a violation of God’s command as what had been committed by Nadab and Abihu?
It all came down to the matter of repentance.
For Aaron and his sons were so struck by the judgment on Nadab and Abihu, that they saw themselves also sinful…so much so that they didn’t feel worthy to consume the sin offering. After all, why would Aaron and his sons eat meat that was to represent the sins of the people when they were just as blemished? Aaron and his sons did not feel consecrated or set apart to represent the people before the Lord thus they didn’t consume the goat in the Holy Place and instead burned it. It was this humble acknowledgement of their unworthiness and unholiness before a most Holy God that preserved them and prevented judgment. Their heartfelt emotions and actions in support of those emotions showed that they had already passed judgment on themselves.
Question: How do we respond when we realize our sinful failings? Do we display the kind of heartfelt repentance and remorse found in Aaron and his sons in scripture today? Do we take full accountability for our sinful actions or do we attempt to make excuses, blaming other things instead?
Truly, we can learn a lot from Aaron, his sons and their actions. We see where we should always examine ourselves as to our standing before God. If we have sinned, then we should be in a state of reverent repentance, solemnly bowing down before the One who we have wronged, confessing where we have went wrong and recommitting ourselves to His will and way…a will and way that will allow us to turn from our sinful ways.
Thanks be to God for His word and the truths it reveals, especially when those truths lead us to see where we fall short of His expectations. For the word also helps instruct us on how to get straightened out and restore our relationship with God. May we, like Aaron, ever seek to be restored and grow spiritually each and every day.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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