We saw in the previous chapter that once divine order was achieved, the tabernacle erected, the glory of the Lord appeared. We read in Exodus 40:34-35 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
(1) What would happen to Moses were he to come face to face with the glory of God?______________________________________________
God had previously given instructions for the ordination of Aaron and his sons into the priest hood, being very specific as to their duties and how they should perform them, down to the last detail on their priestly garb.
Exodus 28:1 "Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests.
Exodus 29:44-45 "So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. 45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.
(1) Once divine order was established, what would God do?__________________
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The priest having been consecrated, divine order was in place, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, now notice the sacrilege of Nadab and Abihu. .
Leviticus 10:1
Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command.
(1) They took the censers, offered _________________ fire before the Lord, ____________ to His command.
They came with irreverence into the presence of God, with an unacceptable offering, They treated what was holy as common. (I) Now notice the result:
Leviticus 10:2 And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
(1) What was the result of their rebellion? _______________________________.
(2) In their arrogance were they not telling God that they knew how to run things better than He? ____________________________________________________.
Listen to the words of Moses immediately following this Judgement:
3 Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the Lord spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.' "So Aaron, therefore, kept silent. Leviticus 10:3
(1) Did God tolerate irreverence then? ____________________
(2) Has God changed? Should we expect Him to tolerate irreverence now? _______________
The pattern is clearly revealed; divine order, God's presence reveled, judgement for disobedience.
Nearly five hundred years later Solomon, King David's son, would begin the construction of another more permanent structure, the temple.
1 Chron. 22:14-16 "Now behold, with great pains I have prepared for the house of the Lord 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weight, for they are in great quantity; also timber and stone I have prepared, and you may add to them. 15"Moreover, there are many workmen with you, stonecutters and masons of stone and carpenters, and all men who are skillful in every kind of work. 16"Of the gold, the silver and the bronze and the iron, there is no limit. Arise and work, and may the Lord be with you."
Everything was in place (order). King Solomon began construction. We read in 2 Chron. 5:1 Thus all the work that Solomon performed for the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, even the silver and the gold and all the utensils, and put them in the treasuries of the house of God.
Everything was in place, Solomon now brings in the Ark of the Covenant, in the prescribed manner so that there would be no irreverence. After divine order was achieved we read: . . ., in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the Lord saying, "He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting," then the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. 2 Chron. 5:13-14
(1) What happened once divine order was achieved? ______________________.
Notice again the pattern develop: first divine order, the revealed presence of the Lord, and judgement.
2 Chron. 36:14-16 Furthermore, all the officials of the priests and the people were very unfaithful following all the abominations of the nations; and they defiled the house of the Lord which He had sanctified in Jerusalem. 15 And the Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; 16 but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy.
(1) How did the people show dis-respect for God:
a. They were _____________ following all the abominations of the nations.
b. They _____________ the house of the Lord.
c. They ______________ God's messengers.
d. They _______________ God's words.
c. They ________________ at His prophets.
2 Chron. 36:17-20 He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and spared neither young man nor young woman, old man or aged. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar. 18 He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord's temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. 19 They set fire to God's temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.
20 He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power.
(1) How did the Lord deal with their lack of reverence? ___________________
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(2) In each case discoursed, the garden, the tabernacle, the temple, judgement was quick and severe resulting in death. Were these judgement against pagans who have never experienced God? ____________________________________________.
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