Vers. 1-7.-Strange fire; and Jehovah', Judgment upon ll. Ver. 3, "Then Moses Mid unto Aaron, This is that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace." I. A GREAT OFFENCE against the holiness of God. 1. Defilement of his worship. ,folation of his written Word. Introduction of self-will and mere hnman device. Abuse of the joyful spirit of praise to insolent self-assertion and disregard of decencies- and reverence. 2. Special profanation of the sanctuary by disobedience of priests. Holy offices dishonoured is a fearful evil. 3. Hiding of God's glory with false glory. Ritualism. Mere show of human talent. Abuse of music. Forgetfulness of God in, his service. Temptation to vain-glory. U A SOLEMN VINDICATION of the sanctity of God's house and Law. Strange fire offended, true fire punished. 1. Profitableness of the study of providence, especially ecclesiastical history, as revealing the "consuming fire" of righteousness in the Church. 2. Representative character of all God's people, and especially those in prominent position. God glorified in us, whether by life or by death. 3. Double aspect of all Divine visitations of judgment, as confirming at once the strength of the Law and the faithfulness of the covenant, therefore both warning and encouragement. "Aaron held his peace," for he could only acknowledge the righteousness of God. Grace is above nature, and controls and exalts it. III. A GREAT LESSON on the infirmity of man and the necessity of redemption. Immediately that the temple service was inaugurated, man spoiled it, as it were, by his sin. Compare the inauguration of earthly life spoiled by the sin of Adam and Eve; the new world after the Flood by Noah's sin (Gen. ix.); defection in the new land of Canaan (Judg. ii. 13); Solomon (1 Kings xi.); the corruption of the early Church (Acts xx. 29, etc.); the final apostacy (Hev. xx. 7-10). On what can we depend but the preserving mercy, the rescuing grace of him who has redeemed us? The "strange fire" was thus solemnly condemned only for the sake of calling out faith and attaching the people of God the more firmly to that fire of his l?ve which, ~bile it consu~ed the Sacrifice on the cross, did also prepare the way for all into the hohcst, that all might be kings and priests unto God through Christ.-R.
EXPOSITION. Tm: OOMll!AND TO ABSTAIN J'BOM WINE Ver. 10.-Wine and other lntoxioating (vers. 8-11). The law given to Aaron liquors (~!!', whence the Greek word "'"'P"t (some mannscripte read Moses) against the Luke i. 19, wos made from dates, or barley, or honey) are forbidden to the priests during uee of wine by the priests during their their ministrations, that they may put a ministrations, by its juxtaposition with what di1ferenoe between holy and unholy ; tho.t is, has gone before, has led to the probable that their minds m11y not be confused, but supposition that Nadab and Abihu had be capable of distinguishing between right acted under the excitement of iutoxicating and wrong, what ought and what ought drink. It is possible that the aacrificio.l not to be done. No.dab o.nd Abihu, on the contrary, had not distinguished between the meals on the peace offerings had begun, and eo.cred and profane :fire, or between God's that at the same time that the congregation commands end their own unregulated im- was feasting, the two priests had refreshed pulses. If they had partaken too freely of themselves with wine after their long ser- the wine provided for the drink offerings, vice. The special ceremonial meal of the their sin would be similar to that of the :priests bad not yet been eaten. Corinthians in their abuse of the Lord's Supper. As to the use of wine by t!,e 4'H, X. 8-20,] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. l6l