STOP FURTHER LOSS!
Eleazar and Ithamar
Leviticus 10:12 Then Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the grain offering that is left over from the LORD's offerings by fire and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy.
13 "You shall eat it, moreover, in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons' due out of the LORD's offerings by fire; for thus I have been commanded.
14 "The breast of the wave offering, however, and the thigh of the offering you may eat in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you; for they have been given as your due and your sons' due out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the sons of Israel.
15 "The thigh offered by lifting up and the breast offered by waving they shall bring along with the offerings by fire of the portions of fat, to present as a wave offering before the LORD; so it shall be a thing perpetually due you and your sons with you, just as the LORD has commanded."
16 But Moses searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned up! So he was angry with Aaron's surviving sons Eleazar and Ithamar, saying,
17 "Why did you not eat the sin offering at the holy place? For it is most holy, and He gave it to you to bear away the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD.
18 "Behold, since its blood had not been brought inside, into the sanctuary, you should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, just as I commanded."
19 But Aaron spoke to Moses, "Behold, this very day they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD. When things like these happened to me, if I had eaten a sin offering today, would it have been good in the sight of the LORD?"
20 When Moses heard that, it seemed good in his sight.
INTRO
DEATH OF NADAB AND ABIHU
(Article written on July 27, 2021 – post the second wave of COVID 19 )
Most difficult sermon to write, I tell you I am struggling and wresting with God to kind of escape this assignment; however, I am burdened in my heart to preach this today from the chapter of Leviticus 10 where the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu died because they made unauthorized offering that was not commanded by the Lord. May be you ask ‘what is the big deal, why should they be killed for making an offering?’ For those of you who have not read the previous chapters where elaborate details are given of the anointing of Aaron and his four sons for priesthood. Let me just quote one scripture: Leviticus 8:9”He also placed the turban on his head, and on the turban, at its front, he placed the golden plate, the holy crown, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.” People like the crown but they don’t want commitment! Are you listening? Imagine 4 sons ordained as priests in a family! Such a privilege and honor; however, two of them trampled the love of God, dishonored God and His rules and went daringly to offer strange fire in the midst of the assembly.
When questioned about prayer life, Bible reading or when believers are questioned about their absence for early morning payer or fasting prayer by their spiritual leaders, people get offended and they immediately stop coming to church. They jump from church to church, where they can invisibly attend the service and vanish, such is the rebelliousness in the body of Christ today. ‘Don’t question me’ is the attitude! We see lot of strange fire in the pulpit, off the pulpit, prayer cells and the burning desire today is to be a celebrity with shining armor that attracts people to themselves and not to Christ. Alas!!!!!!!
GRATEFUL FOR HIS MERCIES:
What God expects from HIS children, the remnant that has escaped the COVID 19, the remnant that is alive now, the ones that has survived the plague and oxygen crisis? (Article written on July 27, 2021 – post the second wave of COVID 19 ) We have clear explanation in this chapter, listen! Leviticus 10:12 Then Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the grain offering that is left over from the LORD's offerings by fire and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy.”
We need to be grateful for the people who are surviving than think of the loss, Moses who is the uncle of the dead boys demands his brother Aaron to do his duty. God did not want his priest Aaron who still had the anointing oil fresh on him to sit in a corner and mourn for his two disobedient sons but he wanted him to be a priest and do his duty.
They had sinned when the anointing was still fresh on them, read:
Leviticus 9”24 Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
Leviticus 9: Aaron Offers Sacrifices
1 Now it came about on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.”
Instead of blaming God for the calamities that comes in our life due to our negligence and disobedience, we need to set right our crooked lives and do our duty for God.
Illustration: When Bro Augustine Jebakumar’s (Founder of GEMS and missionary sent to Bihar) little son, who was a special child with disabilities died, he was preaching in a convention meeting, far away from his home. He did not stop the meeting but he told his wife to bury his son and he continued to stay and preach the remaining days. Phew! Let that spirit rub off on us today! Hallelujah! We live in an era where people stop going to church for a drizzle or an argument with a church member or because the pastor offended them, but God expects more of Moses and Jebakumars’.
OBEDIENCE IN THE MIDST OF LOSS:
Leviticus 8:31 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, "Boil the flesh at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and eat it there together with the bread which is in the basket of the ordination offering, just as I commanded, saying, 'Aaron and his sons shall eat it.'
32 "The remainder of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn in the fire.
36 Thus Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD had commanded through Moses.
After the above scriptures, we read a terrible statement in Leviticus 10, that NADAB AND ABIHU offered strange fire and died. What happened?
Caution for parents whose children are ordained for ministry and who have the anointing oil over them, fast and pray for them regularly so that satan does not entice them. Especially children who are gifted and anointed, they need more prayer, so that they do not fall prey to the enemy and his wicked devices. What they watch, what they read, whom they follow, whom they associate with, what kind of music they listen to…….everything is important and it has to be covered by the blood of Jesus. Ah, I wish I can say more and more…..because I have two grown up children who are in the ministry.
Double care and diligence should be taken:
When there is a death in the house, we need to carefully analyze whether that person was saved, was his/her life pleasing unto the Lord, were they materialistic or spiritual? If found lacking in God then we need to grieve and sob for our carelessness of not praying enough for the salvation of their soul. Anybody listening?
Double care has to be taken for the people who escaped death and prayers have to be made for their salvation rather than going ahead with our status quo life without God. Caveat! If Naomi had been careful after the loss of her husband, she would not have lost her sons too. So be careful! Ruth 1:
3 Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.
4 They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.
5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband.
Stop further loss in your life!
On November 26, 2008, ten Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists entered Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai and ravaged the place. They launched a coordinated shooting and bombing attacks in Mumbai at five major locations, killing 166 people and injuring over 300 people. They then proceed to the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel. They first attacked guests around the swimming pool and then moved inside to the bars and restaurants. Two of the terrorists entered the hotel through the front door and started shooting and throwing grenades. They killed at least 31 people in this four-day siege.
Even though the Hotel was reopened after a month of attack, also to avoid such an attack, security systems at the hotel too were upgraded. The Taj Mahal Palace now has a modern security system. Yes DOUBLE CARE has to be taken to avoid further damage!
Deuteronomy 22:8 "When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.”
Yes, your children are the new house and they need a fence of prayer, so that they don’t slip and fall.
SIN HAS ITS CONSEQUENCES IF WE DO NOT REPENT:
1 Corinthians 15:34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
Acts 17: 30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,
31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.
2. Proverbs 17:11 Evil people are eager for rebellion, but they will be severely punished.
3. Psalm 107:17-18 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
4. Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
