The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-08-06
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST 10

|
Lesson. Lev. T.. ILL Golden Text. I.
Thess.. W. 6-Memory Verses. Sill
commsntarv on the Days Lesson.
"Nadab and Abihu." These were the
eldest sons of Aaron and nephews OF
Moses. They were next to Aaron in posi-.
ton and rank. They had just been in.
Quoted into the priestly office, and their
first acts as priests asssss brought them a, to o..
sel used for burning incense. Incense"
burning. Il was composed Of fragrant
spices lEx. 30: A-3S), and was symbol OF
prayer. Strange fire." Instead OF talking
| FIRE which the Lord Himself had kindled
(chap. 9:2a), from of the altar OF burnt.
| Offering, they took common hire which
was expressly forbidden. Chap. 10: T.
Their sin seems to have consisted. !. In
going without orders. 2. In taking Their
! own censers. instead Of using the utensils
but the high priest was allowed to do.
1. In that they went together at the same
time. whereas the incense was only TO DC
offered by one. s. In going at an hour
| not appointed for this service. 9. In Of
fering strange FIRE. It is thought By some
that they even entered into the holy OF
| holies. The whole service on this solemn
| day OF Inauguration was to be performed
By Aaron himself. and his sons were only
to attend him. These two young priests
were presumptuous. rash and irreverent.
| It is the prevailing opinion that they were
in state OF intoxication when they en-.
tered upon their duties (see vs.. s, 81. and
| that this was the reason they acted 50
rashly and wickedly.
2. Fire from the Lord" Fire from
the Lord had just consumed the burnt.
offering and the fat upon the altar 70: 24l
| in token OF divine complacency and sacred
nearncss and the acceptance Of human
worship, aud that some fire went out
from the Lord and consumed the auda.
cious priests. The very FIRE which they
their destruction. So Gods truth is a
SAVIOR Of life unto life or Of death unto
death. 2 Cor. 3: l4-l6. The Holy Spirit
will either reQenerate Titus 3: 81 and seal
| ~ (Eph. {: 30), or consume Us. Heb II:
| o. "Died before the Lord" That is, be.
| fore the veil that covered the mercy.seat.
God was now teaching His children ODE
dience, as became servants. In this sin
was manifested 3 contempt for Moses and
the divine law, and for Gods glory. The
| punishment was necessary according TO
the law.
3. Sanctioned" etc. T will be made
to appear holy by those who administer
in Ny name" This refers directly to the
priests They had received solemn warn.
ings as to the cautious and reverent man.
ner Of their approach into the divine
| presence. Aaron held his peace" He
! submitted in silent resignation to what
he saw was "the righteous JUDGMENT OF
God" Far be it from him to honor his
sons more than God. or wish Gods name,
or house. or law, to be exposed to re-
proach or contempt to preserve his family.
4. "Out Of the camp" The burylns
S. an their coats" Burying them in
their priestly robes was sign Of their
being polluted by the sin of their irreie:
| ious wearers. Aaron was not permitted
to die in his priestly garments. in order
that they might be worn by Eleazar'
6 Uncover not your heads" They
were to use no sign OF grief or mourning.
l. Because those who were employed IN
the service Of the sanctuary should avoid
everything that might unfit them for that
brethren was 90 highly provoking to God.
and so fully merited the punishment
which He had inflicted, that their mourn.
| ing might he considered as accusing the
Divine Justice of undue severity. It was
the law that the priest should never leave
the altar or 10 to burials, or interrupt ms
sacred ministry BY shedding tears. whole
house of Israel" All the people were TO
bewail the burning. not only on account
| of the loss OF their priests, but especially
! because God had been displeased. They
must bewaii the burning kindled, that u
might burn no further: Aaron and his
sons were in danger of being too much
Affected with the providence, therefore
they are forbidden to mourn; the house
Of Israel was in danger Of being too little
affected. and therefore are commanded to
| lament" ~ S.1-. '.s,
| To come in contact with secular affairs by
abandoning the service of the tabernacle"
Lest ye die" Many Christian minister
has suffered spiritual death BY voluntar.
| lily going forth from the tabernacle to en-
ter upon secular matters.
8. "Spake unto Aaron. This command
was Immediately gwen to Aaron to en-
courage him by such token OF regard !:
and because the Lord would not have It
appear az IL Moses had not sympathized
in his affection, or had intended to charge
him with criminality in this respect.
8. DO not drink wine, etc. This
strongly implies that Aaron's sons had
sinned through excess of wine. and had
ATTEMPTED to celebrate the divine service
| in a state OF inebriation.' This VINE Is
| in Hebrew 'yayin,' the most general term
for the beverage, especially when it Is In
toxicatinc. In seventy-6ve out OF hun.
dred and thirty.siI passages it is spoken
Of with condemnation by reason OF Its
disastrous effects. Strong drink Is ap-
plied to all fermented liquors except WINE.
II included beer and cider and the Ter.
mented Juices of various other fruits and
vegetables" Lest We die" God fixes
the penalty and gives it as q warning.
10. May put difference. TO be able
to distinguish between what was sacred
and what was common. Wine draws a
hlm over the spiritual eve and confounds
mora. distinctions" This is a strong
reason wins :hey should drink no intoxi.
eating liluor. that their understanding
being clear. and their Judgment correct
they might be always able to discern be-
tween the clean and the unclean and ever
pronounce righteous judgment. INDEED
common sense itself shows that neither
drunkart nor 4 sot should ever oe SUI
fered to minister in holy things:
IL. Teach the children The priest
was the proper person to teach. ana y
he were addicted to drunkenness ne wouia
be indeed very unfit to teach people Gods
laws or statutes. for two reasons, namely,
Because they who live after the flesh can
NOT have an experimental knowledge OF
the things o: the Spirit; and because they
would. by their example, destroy all their
own teaching. Drunkenness Is sinful,
therefore IS considered feshly. Temper.
,nce i. a virtue and does not unfit one to
learn OF Christ and the things OF His
kingdom" The law OF the Lord Is per.
Sc .,nrevt;p, the soul "