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February 24th
The Bible reading for today is in Numbers chapters 3 & 4.
These two chapters deal with God’s work in and through the life of Aaron and his priestly line. Remember our reading in Leviticus 10...God ordained Aaron and his sons as priests. They had not been ordained priests for a whole day before Aaron lost his oldest two sons to the fiery judgment of God right there in the Tabernacle.
That would have been a hard day for any father...especially for one who had been a part of their training.
Aaron was ordained the High Priest. He knew the important job that was given to him by God. He was the intercessor for the congregation before Holy God. And he was responsible to train up his replacement. He knew that upon his death the responsibilities of High Priest would be passed down to his oldest living son.
He must have thought that he had many good years left to train Nadab and Abihu so that one of them could follow him as High Priest. But it didn't work out that way.
“Did I not make sure that they understood God’s instructions? Am I to blame for their death?” Undoubtedly, Aaron was upset and confused about this terrible and sad situation. Was there anyone to comfort him? The boys had neglected the direct instructions of God. They filled their sensors with strange fire...fire other than that from the bronze altar.
And they were about to enter the Holy of Holies...in which only their father was allowed. And the fiery glory of the Lord struck them to death.
Moses was given the job to comfort his older brother...and he gave Aaron....”God’s answer” to the situation...
Quote...“Those who come near me must regard me as “holy”...and before all the people “I” must be “glorified.”
Aaron’s sons were ordained to “come near God”....but instead of regarding God as “holy” with His fire...they regarded God “as common” by using unholy fire in their worship...thus failing to “glorify God” before all the people.
Interesting isn't it...how God dealt with Aaron’s heart with the truth?...and since God is love, God gave this hurting spiritual leader “truth in love” to heal his broken heart.
There was something else that God did for Aaron after the funeral of his boys.
He ordained the tribe of Levi (Aaron and Moses’ clan) to serve Aaron and his two youngest sons in the work of the Tabernacle. They wouldn't do the work of the priest, but they would assist them in any way that was needed.
Aaron lost two sons. But God gave him a host of sons to serve alongside him for the next forty years before he died.
In Exodus, we read where God told Moses that the firstborn male, of every Hebrew family, “especially” “belonged to Him”.
So what did that mean? It meant that the firstborn male was to act as the family priest. But that was about to change. God was transferring the priestly duties of the firstborn sons to the Levites.
Why the Levites? you ask. Maybe it was because of their zeal for God...maybe it was because of a faith that was courageous enough to choose God over their nation.
Remember when Moses came down off Mt Sinai to find the people dancing in worship of a “golden calf”? Remember what Moses said? “Those who are on the Lord’s side come stand by me.” And only the “Levites” gathered around Moses. And God used them in His judgment against Israel as they strapped on their swords and executed 3000 that day at God’s command.
Obviously, God was looking for faithful men...courageous men... to stand with Him...and with those whose hearts were aligned with God’s. As we can see, Israel needed Aaron to intercede with God for them. They were fortunate to have him.
We needed Jesus to intercede with God for us. And we are eternally fortunate to have him.
Have a great day
