The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 197

~b. ix. 15) thnt this forl1idden act 'Was done very soon indeed after the solemnities described in the preceding chapter (ix.). Otherwise we should have inferred that it was familiarity with sacred rites which had bred irreverent unconcern, and issued in disobedience. We seem shut up to the conclusion that these y'oung men, even when the solemn inaugural scenes were fresh in their memories, and the commandments of the Lord clearly before their minds, deliberately and wantonly took fire from another source than the heaven-kindled flame on the brazen altar (eh. ix. 24). Their action was, therefore, not only a defiant vir.lation of the Law they had received from Moses, the ser"ant of Jehovah, but it was a perverse disregard of- the manifest will of God, made known in special supernatural disclosure. II. THE EXPLANATION OF THE PUNISHMENT. (Ver. 2.) This may seem severe, has seemed so to some. Why not exclusion from office or excommunication from tha -congregation of the Lord? Why the extreme penalty for one act of error in worship? The answer is manifold. 1. Their deed was (as has been said) an act of wilful and wanton disobedience. 2. It was committed by those who were in high position. 3. It was a sin on the part of men in the enjoyment of high privilege, and in the exercise of no slight influence. 4. It was an evil thing done in the holy place and before the very face of God; it was disobedience in connection with the public worship of Jehovah- the supreme sphere of activity, in regard to which it was of vital consequence to the nation that everything should be done aright. 5. One signal mark of high displeasure might be mercy as well as justice-inspiring holy awe and saving many others from similar transgressions. III. THE LESSONS WIIICH THE BIN AND THE PENALTY LEAVE BEIIIND THEll, We learn from this solemn and painfol scene: 1. That God's will must be sedulously regarded in our approaches to himself: "I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me" (ver. 3). 2. That God will vindicate his Law in unmistakable ways: "before all the people I will be glorified" (ver. 3). 3. That there is no exemption from exposure to temptation: not (1) sonship of the· holy; (2) being in a holy place; (3) engagement in holy things; (4) recency of special privilege. 4. That the heinousness of sin -depends on many things beside the nature of the overt act. ' 5. '!'hat between sin and suffering there will be found a striking correspondence. With fire they sinned, and by £re they were consumed. God makes meet penalty to overtake transgression : what- soever a man sows, that he reaps (Gal. vi. 7). Sins against the soul lead to spiritual injury; against the body, to weakness, disease, and d~.atlr; against society, to social dishonour and shame, etc.-C. Vers. 1, 3.-" Strange fire." "I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me." Great and small things vn the worship of God; Doubtless it seemed to Nadab and Abihu a matter of so consequence at all that they should take fire from one altar rather than from another. To us it may seem a comparatively small thing, when viewed in connection with the terrible doom that immediately ensued. Obviously, however, it was a great thing in the sight of God. The act of punishment by which he showed bis high displeasure, and the words of the text, sufficiently prove this. The seriousness -0f this particular transgression on the part of the sons of Aaron ·arose from several attendant considerations (see Homily on" Sin and penalty," etc.): its seriousness to us, in the fact that we may be disregarding as small and insignificant thnt which, in God's sight, is great and even vital; that we may be approaching him with what we think acceptable service, when he is prepared to reject it as "strange fire," and condemn ue severely for our disregard of his revealed will. In connection with the worship of God, there is- I. TnE APPARENTLY AltD Il'ITRINBIOALLY SMALL. Bo far as the things themselves &re con~erned, it is of no consequence to that most High God "who dwelleth not in temples made with hands," what is (1) the style of architecture of our sanctuaries, (2) the character of their furniture, (3) the order of the services, (4) the number of ministrants who serve at pulpit or desk, (5) the particular text chosen for the day, i.\to, The judgment of good and faithful men may differ on these things, nnd their differences may be of no moment in the eight of God; in no way invalidating the .sc_rvice rendered, or lessening or lowering the blessing gained. But even in connectio11 \nth the smaller matters, as also apart from that connection, there is- -OH. X.1-7.] 'THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 159