The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-08-08
THE SIN OF NADAB
AND ABIHU
Ssadsy School Lesson for Aus. II. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Papsr
specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TExT.-Lev lo:1-l1 Memory
verse o.
GOLDEN TExT.-"wins 10 a mooker,
strong drink is raging. and whosoever Is
decsived thereby 10 not wise."-Prov.
20:i
TIME.-Aprii 3. G. 1890 common chro.
nolosy): on the afternoon OLev. io:2. Is)
OF the FIRST day that the priests entered
upon the regular sacrifices OF the taber-
nacie LEV. 8:ss: 9:D. eight days after the
completion OF ths tabernacle. our last
lesson Nearly 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
thS~s tsCNs lVs AA-loJs
The moral law had been given. The
ritual law had been announced and
taught. The divine fre shone over the
Holy Of HOLES. like the sunlight.
peace. comfort. brightness. beauty.
life to those who use II Alright, but .
consuming fire to those who despise
and misuse its power. The divine nrs
had kindled the fuel on the altar: a
perpetual flame (Lev. 6:13) TO be
continually fed with the fuel especially
provided by the congregation. and
with the daily burnt offerings" IRA
dition assures US that It never was
quenched till the destruction of the
temple by Nebuchadnezzar." - DIR.
Ginsburg. The ceremonial OF religion
as appointed by God. to continue a.
the best method of worship and relig.
ious education Of the people. was be.
gun.
" I. "Nadab and Abihu. the Sons
Of Aaron" His eldest sons (Ex. 6:23.)
just inducted into the exalted ONCE of
priests. next to their father. the high
priest, IN the line OF succession to the
highest ONCE 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.
(1) Their parentage was a fine advan.
tage. Moses was their uncle. Their
exalted family had given them great
privilege of association with the best
In the 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 the holy
mount (Ex. 24:1, 9. 10). (3) They
had passed through the portal of
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
oven the thrilling possibility Of becom.
Ing high priest some day.
Their sin was a direct, public. mex.
cusable disobedience to their God and
leader. It 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
II was the same as the necessity for
all punishment.-in its justice. In It's
measurement of the evil OF the sin.
and its prevention Of crime. No gov.
ernment of imperfect people can exist
or does exist without 1t. >"As has just
been pointed out. the ritual system
had been inaugurated on that very
day. All was new and strange, easily
dislodged. deprecated. or corrupted.
and therefore needing special guard.
ing. The bud needs. and has protec-
tion from rough husks. which the flow
or can do without. This swift death
of offenders against the new order has
its parallel In the swift death of
Ananias and Sapphira. which Is to be
vindicated on similar grounds. There.
too. the necessity was stringent for In.
stant 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 fu.
ture,
One Cause Of the Tragedy.--vs. oil.
3. 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,
II not, wholly. to intoxication. THE
Palestiuian Chaldee adds here. as thy
sons did who died by burning nre.
--Ginsburg. when ye 60 into the
tabernacle, se
The reasons given for this prohibi-
tion, are two: % The tendency OF
wine drinking II to obscure the ". 10)