We left off with the death of Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s sons. There were two things, that I never really connected until last week, that had troubled me for years. The first, how did Aaron escape punishment as he led the people in idol worship? The second, how could Abihu and Nadab not follow Jehovah’s holy requirements on their first day of service? Let us tie this all together. First, the setting for the coming of Jehovah, all of which we had studied before.
Exodus 19:9 The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever." Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
19:10 The LORD also said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; 19:11 and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
19:12 "You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.19:13 'No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain."
9:14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments. 19:15 He said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman."
19:16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 19:17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
9:18 Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19:19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. 19:20 The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
It is quite clear that this event would be impossible to forget and all were there to witness it. Secondly, Jehovah invited Moses and others to confirm the covenant He created between them. A covenant is confirmed when there is an oath, a sacrifice, and a meal. The covenant was the oath, Moses performed the sacrifice, and now the meal with Jehovah.
Exodus 24:1 Then He said to Moses, "Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 24:2 "Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him."
This is a very specific gathering of men, but only four are named.
Exodus 24:9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
24:10 and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
24:11 Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.
Jehovah ate with them but did not kill any of them. What they saw is not really revealed, but it would have to be a life changing event. He came down in glory and was revealed in a manner that is very like the passage in Revelation 4.
Exodus 24:12 Now the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction."
24:13 So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 24:14 But to the elders he said, "Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, let him approach them."
24:15 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
24:16 The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 24:17 And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.
24:18 Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Everyone saw the appearance of Jehovah which was like a consuming fire. Moses put Aaron and the elders in charge during his absence. How well did Aaron do?
Exodus 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."
Exodus 32:2 Aaron said to them, "Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." 32:3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.
32:4 He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."
32:5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD." 32:6 So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
In just 40 days, everyone, including Aaron seemed to forget all that Jehovah had done. In fact, they are probably just four months or less out of Egypt. But, here we read that the future high priest, violated the first commandments spoken to all just 40-50 days earlier. Jehovah wanted to destroy all of them.
Exodus32:21 Then Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?"
32:22 Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil. 32:23 "For they said to me, 'Make a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'
32:24 "I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.' So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."
2:25 Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies— 32:26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him.
32:27 He said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.'" 32:28 So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
Moses rightly accused his brother of bringing such a great sin into the camp. Moses knew Aaron had both led them and allowed them to get out of control. Aaron fabricated a lie about the creation of the calf and blamed the people. He was put in charge and failed. He really deserved the death penalty. Now fast forward to Leviticus 10.
Leviticus 10:1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. Lev 10:2 And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
As we studied last week, Aaron was not to even mourn the death of his sons, who died in front of his very eyes. What lessons can we learn from this?
First, Aaron’s sin and lies were witnessed by his sons.
Second, why didn’t the 70 elders or Nadab and Abihu caution Aaron?
Third, Aaron’s example of sinful disobedience was not punished, so could his sons now view obedience as optional and not mandatory?
Fourth, who is watching us as we live out our testimony in front of them? Who are under our influence either directly or indirectly?
Fifth, Jehovah would not let Aaron mourn his sons, which could be viewed as putting his sons disobedience above Jehovah’s righteousness.
Lastly, Aaron’s sons death may indeed been Aaron’s punishment. But, his sons willfully disobeyed. They were not innocent of ignorant.
Who is watching how we live out our faith? Do we take full responsibility for out sins?
More next Saturday.