Continuing a plan to get through the entire Bible in a year, follow as I journal through the reading. I have chosen a straightforward approach that begins in Genesis and ends in Revelation. This will not be an in-depth study or a comprehensive commentary. There are plenty of sources for such material. This is stage one Bible reading, taking the text at face value and sharing impressions.
Today’s reading comes from the book of Leviticus, chapters 8 through 10, in which Aaron and his sons are consecrated as priests before suffering great loss. Some impressions from the text:
- The ritual surrounding the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests, along with the ritual of sacrificing the sin offerings, was involved and time consuming. It was not done quickly or haphazardly. There was a detailed and exact process which the Lord expected to be followed to the letter. Today’s believers have been freed from such ritual by the work of Christ, which fulfilled the Law and atoned for the sin of all who believe.
- Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu were killed by the Lord after they “offered unauthorized fire before the Lord.” He consumed them with fire. This is a hard incident to conceptualize. Imagine being Aaron, the chosen high priest of Israel, and knowing that the God you serve killed your two sons with fire. How do you go on worshiping such a god?
- Through Moses, the Lord tells Aaron, “Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.” In other words, He is not to be trifled with. He is not to be minimized. Aaron “held his peace,” because he knew with whom he was dealing. God gave life to all, and may justly take it.
Return soon as we continue our year-long journey through the text of the Bible.
Catch up on the previous entries:
Archived Genesis posts (scroll down in link).
Archived Exodus posts (scroll down in link) .
Laws for sacrificial offerings, and their relevance today. – Leviticus 1-4
Feeling sorry for sin does not absolve you of it. – Leviticus 5-7
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