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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
God does not speak ambiguously; His voice is certain. When He issues commands for others to follow, He leaves no question as to the author of these commands. Today’s message deals with the issuance of an entire set of commands to the nation of Israel, a set of commands that was to last for years to come.
Our focus text reads: “And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” (Leviticus 9.23-24).
The nation of Israel was not unfamiliar with the “glory of the LORD.” At Sinai they had seen it and been fearful. On the same mount Moses recorded that “…The sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.” (Exodus 24.17). However when the glory of the LORD appeared on the occasion we are studying today, an additional event impressed them even further. To fully appreciate the impact of this event, the reader should go back in the text several verses and set the stage for this miraculous manifestation of Jehovah God.
In Leviticus 9.1-4, Moses commanded Aaron to offer a certain sequence of sacrifices; additionally Moses assured Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel if they did what God commanded, “…Today the LORD will appear to you.” With that assurance, Aaron proceeded to offer for he first time the complete set of sacrifices that would be repeated countless times over – a sin offering, a burnt offering, and peace offerings. Moses continued, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded you to do, and the glory of the LORD will appear to you.” (Leviticus 9.6). With this assurance, Aaron began the rituals that were to foreshadow all such rituals that were to follow. When all was complete, “Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down [from the platform surrounding the altar].” (Leviticus 9.22).
It was at this point that “…the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar.” When these miraculous and unmistakable manifestations appeared, “…all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” (Leviticus 9.23-24). There was no doubt! God had spoken, they had obeyed, and God confirmed His acceptance of their worship by means of the miracles that followed.
The events recorded in Leviticus 9 are similar to what happened with Elijah on Mt. Carmel when he challenged the prophets of Baal (see 1 Kings 18). They also bear a striking similarity to the signs that were manifested at the time Solomon’s temple was dedicated when “…the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.” (1 Kings 8.11). On all three occasions The LORD had need to draw a clear distinction between His word and the mere edicts of man. The miraculous signs drew that distinction without any question!
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2.1-4). The Gospel brought an end to the rituals Aaron initiated and God confirmed the significance of the day with signs just as He had done on so many occasions before. God does not speak ambiguously!
Questions:
1. How did God signify that Aaron’s actions were acceptable to Him?
2. Who was able to see the evidence God gave indicating the acceptability of Aaron’s actions?
3. Why did God care that people knew that Aaron’s actions were consistent with His commands?
4. On Pentecost, what kind of signs did God give to signify the cessation of the rituals Aaron initiated? Who saw these signs? Why did God care that people knew that the Old system had been fulfilled by the New?
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