The Tupelo journal., 1907-08-09
H SIN OF NADAB
AND ABIHU
Sunday School Lessonior Aug. II. 1907
Specially Prepared fer This Paper
LESSON rExr.-Lev. 1o.1-11. Memory

LESSON TExT.-Lev. 1O:1-11. Memory
verse o..
GOLDEN TExT.-"wine is a mocker,
strong drink is raging. and whosoever Is
deceived thereby Is not ~wise."-Prov.
20:1.
TIME.-April B. C. 1890 common chro-
nology); on the afternoon USv. 1912, 49,
OF the first day that the priests entered
upon the regular sacrifices of the taber-
nacle Qev. S:3S; cd, eight days after the
completion of the tabernacle, our last
lesson. Nearly q year after the exodus.
PLACE.-In the tabernacle near Sinai.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Situation-Everything was near
ly prepared for the onward march to.
ward the promised land. There had
been nearly a year of instruction and
training in the wilderness experiences
and at Sinai. The tabernacle had been
set up on the first day of the first
month. The priests had been pre-
pared and trained in their duty of
leading the people in true worship. In
40 days, the Goth of the second month,
they were to break up their long en-
campment and begin their journey
eek. 40:17; Lev. 81; Mum. 10:11-13).
The moral law had been given. The
ritual law had been announced and
taught. The divine fire Shone over the
Holy of Holes, like the sunlight,
peace, comfort, brightness, beauty,
life to those who use it Alright, but a
consuming fire to those who despise
and misuse its power. The divine fire
had kindled the fuel on the altar: a
perpetual flame .(Lev. 6:13) ito be
continually fed with the fuel especially
provided by the congregation, and
with the daily burnt offerings" ~Tra.
dition assures us that it never was
qUnched till the destruction of the
temple by Nebuchadnezzar." - DR..
G%insburg. The ceremonial of religion
as appointed by God, to continue as
the best method of worship and refg.
ious education of the people, was be-
gun.
V. 1. "Nadab and Abihu, the Sons
of Aaron" His eldest sons lex. 6:23,)
Just indicted into the exalted Office of
priests, next to their father, the high
priest, in the line of succession to the
highest office of religious leadership
and influence in the nation. A glorious
opportunity was before them.
They had passed through three great
portals of usefulness and happiness.
ID Their parettage was a fine advan.
tage. Moses was their uncle. Their
exalted family had given them great
privilege of association with the best
In h nation. (2) Their education
was remarkable. They had spent a
year in Gods wilderness training
school, receiving the lessons of the
riven rock, the quails, the mama, the
law written on the tables of stone.
Moreover, they had had the exalted
privilege of beholding with their own
eyes the glory of God upon tho holy
mount Eek. 24:1, 9, 10). 60 They
had passed through the portal of a
glorious calling. They had been ded-
icated to a scored and most honorable
trust. They wore the garments that
separated them, in the eyes of all men,
to the priests life of holiness and
obedience. Before each of them was
even the thrilling possibility of becom.
ing high priest some day.
Their sin was a direct. public, mex.
cusable disobedience to their God and
leader. 1t partook of the nature of
treason. They doubtless did it thought.
lessly, but there are occasions when
thoughtlessness is a crime.
The Necessity of the Punishment.
1t was the same as the necessity for
all punishment,-in it's justice, in it's
measurement of the evil of the sin,
and it's prevention of crime. No gov.
eminent of imperfect people can exist
or does exist without it. "As has Just
been pointed out, the ritual system
had been inaugurated on that very
day. All was new and strange, easily
d~islodged, deprecated, or corrupted,
and therefore needing special guard.
ing. The bud needs, and has protec-
ton from rough husks, which the flow.
er a do without. This swift death
of offenders against the new order has
its parallel in the swift death of
Ananias and Sapphire, which is to be
indicated on similar grounds. There,
too, the necessity was stringent for in.
slant removal of a springing root OF
bitterness, by which many might be
defiled, and for saving the young life
of the community from disease, which,
unchecked, might infect its whole flu.
ture.
One Cause of the Tragedy.-Vs. ell.
9. do not drink wine nor strong
drink" The nearness of this injunc.
ton to the story of Nadab and Abihu
implies that their sin was due, partly.
if not wholly, to i~ntoxieation. THE
Palestinian Chaldee adds here, as thy
sons did who died by burning fire."
-~Ginsburg. when We go into the
tabernacle"
The reasons given for this prohibi.
ton are two: () The tendency of
wine drinking is to obscure the (v. 10Y
difference between holy and unholy'
or common: and (2) they would be
better prepared to ". 11) teach
| all the statutes"
Practical Points.
Disobedience to Gods laws Is the
road to death, whether it be disobedi.
ence to his moral laws or to the laws
of health and right use of u bodies.
Even the moderate use of strong
drink shortens the life in years, and
shortens it still more in it's effective
power.
Alcohol is dangerous, not only by
49, -...- - ~