DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- CONSECRATED WORSHIP

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – CONSECRATED WORSHIP

"And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 'Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, a bull as the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; and gather all the congregation together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.' … And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him." (Leviticus 8:1-2, 12)

These chapters of Leviticus tell a sad tale. It could have been so good, but it went so wrong. You can read the story in chapters 8 and 10. Aaron and his four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eliezer, and Ithamar, were consecrated – that is, set apart -- to do the ministry of priests. It was their job to present the offerings of Israel to God.

But two of the sons did not appreciate their God-given position as priests. Thus it is recorded in chapter 10:1-2: "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD."

What was the problem here? "And Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the LORD spoke, saying: "By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before the people I must be glorified"'" (vs. 3). That was the problem.

Worshiping God is an awesome thing, and must not be taken lightly. Nadab and Abihu dishonored God by offering "profane fire" before the Lord. The Hebrew word means "strange" fire and is translated thus in the KJV. It was strange because it was not what God had commanded. God had instructed them that they should not offer strange incense on the Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:9). But they decided to do their own thing by offering profane – common – incense that was not of God's choosing. And they died.

According to Peter, we are a royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9), and we offer spiritual sacrifices to God as our worship – the sacrifice of praise, as it says in Hebrews 13:15: "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (See Jeremiah 33:10-11.) So I ask myself, how often is my worship strange or profane? I'm afraid that if I was Nadab or Abihu, I would have been struck down long ago.

Worship is God-centered. I worship a holy God. But so often my worship is self-centered. I can go through the motions of worship and still not worship from my spirit. If the music doesn't fit my liking, I may sing but I don't worship from the heart. Or my mind is elsewhere, thinking of other things. Or I put on a show of piety and wonder if people can see me lifting my hands. Worship is not about making me feel good or making me look good. Jesus said that God is seeking those who worship in spirit and truth. My worship is strange or profane – that is common – if it is about me instead of God.

There is a contemporary song that says, "I'm coming back to the heart of worship – It's all about You, Jesus. I'm sorry, Lord, for the things I've made it when it's all about You, Jesus." Worship is not about doing my own thing or gratifying my own desires. It is about honoring the holy God of the Universe and the Savior of my soul. May my worship not be common or profane.

Love, Dad