The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-08-09
SIN OF NADAB
AND ABIHU
Sunday School lesson Tor AUG. II. 1907
Specially Prepared fer This Paper
LESSON T4lxT.-Lev. 1o.1-iL Memoir,
Specially Prepared fer This Paper

GsStooE To ls-IcNs III
verse ..
GOLDEN TEXT.-"wine is a mocker,
strong drink is raging, and whatsoever 10
deceived thereby is not wise -
20:1.
TiME.-Aprli b.. C. 1890 Common chro-
nology); on the afternoon Lev. 1912. 1O
of the first day that the priests entered
upon the regular sacrifices of the taber-
nacle (Lev. 1888; gid, eight days after the
completion of the tabernacle, our last
lesson. Nearly a 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
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 trcj worship. In
40 days, the goth of the second month.
they were to break up their long en-
campment and begin their journey
(EX. 40:17; Lev. OIL; 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 it's 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" Ira
dition assures us that it never was
q%uenched till the destruction Of the
temple by Nebuchadnezzar." - DR..
Ginsburg. The ceremonial of religion
the best method of worship and relig-
ious education Of the people, was be-
u
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.
Q) 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 tho holy
mount (Ex. 24:1, 9, 10). (3) 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 d~isobedience to their God and
leader. 1t paytook of the nature of
treason. They doubtless did 1t 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 its
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. Gas 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
ton from rough husks, which the flow
er can 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 roo Of
bitterness, by which many might be
defiled, n for saving the young life
of the community from disease, which
unchecked, might infect its whole fu
ture.
One Cause Of the Tragedy.-vs. ell
8. do not drink wine nor strong
drink" The nearness of this injunc
ton to the story Of Nadab and Abihl
implies that their sin was due, partly
II not wholly, to intoxication. eth,
Palestinian Chaldee adds here, as tn.
sons did who died by burning fire.
-Ginsburg. when We go into tn,
tabernacle"
The reasons given for this prohibit
ton are two: (1) The tendency O
wine drinking is to obscure the ". 10,
difference between holy and unholy'
or common; and (2) they would b,
better prepares to ". III teach . f.