See His Glory

Read Leviticus 8-10
 
Leviticus 8:12 Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, anointing him and making him holy for his work.
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Leviticus 10:1-3 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. 2 So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said, 'I will display my holiness through those who come near me. I will display my glory before all the people.” And Aaron was silent.
 
THE Bible often records displays of God’s glory. Words that help define God’s glory include abundance, wealth, treasure, honor, dignity, splendor, brightness, majesty and infinite perfections. These two scriptures show two very different ways God displays his glory to Israel.
   As we first consider Aaron’s anointing as Israel’s High Priest, we can see God’s glory in his abundant grace. Remember in Exodus 32 that Aaron formed a golden idol to please Israel’s demand for a god to worship. While Moses was on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments and instructions for Aaron’s priestly garments, Aaron was listening to and doing evil. He then irresponsibly blamed the people for making him violate God’s first and second commands. It seems God would have displayed his glory of infinite perfection and majesty with Aaron’s swift death at that point.
   But God chose to preserve and elevate Aaron to the high office. Perhaps this was God’s way to help Aaron understand God’s mercy to save, even from great sin. God’s bountiful grace demonstrated the splendor of his love toward the chosen priest. Our God abundantly forgives.
   But then came Nadab’s and Abihu’s swift death for a seeming trivial violation of God’s commands. It seems they were careless with the coals and incense, but it is enough to know they the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. It is enough to know they were wrong. They sinned. In all the language up to this point regarding the Tabernacle, each person involved had done exactly as the LORD commanded. As we’ve mentioned, there was no room for any mistake in God’s holy dwelling. The Tabernacle was God’s glory – abundance, majesty, brightness, perfection, dignity - come from heaven to earth. Any small change in God’s holy place is unholy and must be judged. God said it this way: Leviticus 10:3 “I will display my holiness through those who come near me. I will display my glory before all the people.”  This is a lesson they must know as their journey continues.
   Aaron had to accept God’s justice and continue his work in submission to the LORD. Aaron will know God’s more perfectly as he ministers to Israel.
 
Isaiah 40:5 “Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”