UNROLL
Dusk in the tabernacle court: two plain bronze fire pans lie tipped on the sand before the tent's colored entrance curtain, a last thin wisp of smoke rising from one.

The Book of

Leviticus 10

The same day the fire of the LORD accepted the first offerings, two of Aaron’s sons come near in their own way.

20 verses≈ 5 min5 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–7The offeringsHow sinners draw near
  2. 8–10The priestsOrdained, and a warningChapter 10
  3. 11–15Clean and uncleanLife before a holy God
  4. 16The Day of AtonementSins carried away
  5. 17–27A holy peopleBe holy, for I am holy

The Sin of Nadab and Abihu

Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.

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So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.

Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’” But Aaron remained silent.

Leviticus 10:3

Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come here; carry the bodies of your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.” So they came forward and carried them, still in their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses had directed.

Moses

Reflect

Coming near

Nadab and Abihu were not strangers to God. They had been ordained that week and had seen His glory that morning. Then they came near in a way He had not asked. God said, “To those who come near Me I will show My holiness.” How do you come near to Him: in prayer, in worship, at His table? Is it with reverence, or out of habit? Write down one way you want to come to Him differently this week.

Restrictions for Priests

At night, seen from behind, Aaron in the high priest's garments and two sons in white linen sit in silence on a mat at the tent entrance by one small clay oil lamp, the dark camp beyond.

Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.”

0:23

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

In morning light, a stoppered clay wine jar and a plain clay cup set aside on a flat stone outside the white linen hangings of the tabernacle court.
Beside the bronze altar in morning light, round unleavened loaves on a white linen cloth on the sand, a priest's hands in white linen sleeves breaking one.

What they may eat

The priests’ share

  1. Most holy

    Grain offering: eaten by the altar

    And Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering that remains from the food offerings to the LORD and eat it without leaven beside the altar, because it is most holy.

  2. In a holy place: their share

    You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings to the LORD; for this is what I have been commanded.

  3. Peace offerings

    Breast and thigh for the family

    And you and your sons and daughters may eat the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution in a ceremonially clean place, because these portions have been assigned to you and your children from the peace offerings of the sons of Israel.

  4. Waved first, then theirs for good

    They are to bring the thigh of the contribution and the breast of the wave offering, together with the fat portions of the food offerings, to wave as a wave offering before the LORD. It will belong permanently to you and your children, as the LORD has commanded.”

Pray

Holy and common

God told His priests to “distinguish between the holy and the common,” and to teach His people to do the same. Ask Him for a heart that takes His holiness seriously, and a clear head when you come before Him. Pray for those who teach you His word, that they would know the difference and teach it faithfully. And thank Him that Jesus, our great High Priest, never once treated the holy as common.

Later, Moses searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked,

Moses

“Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the holy place? For it is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the congregation by making atonement for them before the LORD. Since its blood was not brought inside the holy place, you should have eaten it in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.”

Aaron

But Aaron replied to Moses, “Behold, this very day they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD. Since these things have happened to me, if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been acceptable in the sight of the LORD?”

it was given to you to take away the guilt of the congregation by making atonement for them before the LORD

Leviticus 10:17

And when Moses heard this explanation, he was satisfied.

Question

Quick question

Moses found that the goat of the people’s sin offering had been burned up instead of eaten.

Why didn’t Aaron and his sons eat the sin offering that day?

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Leviticus 10

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A verse to carry with you

Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’” But Aaron remained silent.

Leviticus 10:3

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