Although
much of the instruction concerning what to do with the grain and peace
offerings were already given previously, Moses again reiterated them here. He
was probably doing it in the light of what Nadab and Abihu had done, resulting
in their death. So, Moses must have felt the need to emphasize to Aaron
and the other two surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, on what they could eat
and where to eat them. The frequent repetition of the two words “most holy” and
the place to eat them shows the need to distinguish between what’s holy and
what’s not, and what’s clean and what’s unclean. The holiness of God must be
approached with the utmost honor and respect. Approaching God must not be taken
flippantly and casually. We must not make light of what is holy. Anything less
will be bordering on profanity.
In
verses 16-20, we see Moses chiding Aaron’s two sons. Apparently, instead of
bringing the blood into the sanctuary and eating their portion to bear the sin
of the people, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons had the goat burnt entirely on
the altar. They did not follow earlier instructions to eat the sin
offering of the people in the holy place. The goat was a people’s sin offering
to make atonement. It was “most holy” and should have been eaten by the priests
in the sanctuary. And its blood was to be taken into the sanctuary. In Moses'
eye, they did not follow the protocol. Aaron then stepped forward and took
responsibility for what the sons did. He was the one who had instructed them to
do it and he had his reasons. Firstly, he argued that in the light of what had
happened to him recently, he approached the matter with precaution. He wasn’t
sure if he and his remaining sons could partake of the offering in the light of
the wrath of God that his family had undergone. He was unsure so he made a
judgment call by having the entire goat burnt on the altar of sacrifice instead
of bringing the portion due to them into the sanctuary to eat it. Apparently,
Moses accepted the explanation and did not pursue the matter further.
This incident points to the necessity
for us to distinguish between what’s holy and what’s secular. There is a need
to discern rightly so that we will not make irreverent the things that rightly
belong to God. Discernment helps us see beyond the common everyday events and to
hear what God is saying to us through them. Learn to listen carefully to
the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction in the things of God.
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