Title
Beware of Offering False Fire
Scripture
“This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’”
(Leviticus 10:3)
Devotional
When we gather for the express purpose of worshipping, we are to do so reverently. We are not to approach God flippantly or apathetically. He is to be regarded, as He is, Holy. This does not mean that we are not to celebrate His majesty, nor rejoice in His presence; on the contrary, we are to glorify His name.
Aaron’s sons came before the Lord in disobedience. They offered God that which He did not request. Their sacrifice of praise was not the sacrifice that God required. This was the sin of Cain. Cain’s sacrifice was not what God demanded. Anything less than what God demands is unacceptable. We must ask ourselves, “Do I approach the Lord with regard to His holiness?” “Do I glorify Him before all the people?” We must.
When we gather together in His house, in His presence, we are to do so with dignity and respect. We are to come prepared to praise and worship. We are to do so with regard to His holiness, and we are to glorify His name.
Text For The Day
Leviticus 10:3: “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.’”
Thought For The Day
“If we haven't learned to be worshipers, it doesn't really matter how well we do anything else.” Erwin Lutzer, Senior Pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago and author of many books including Men of Integrity and The Da Vinci Deception.
Questions To Ponder
· How do we “come near” the Lord? Consider Psalm 100:4
· With the sons of Aaron, it was the physical act that was wrong. Like Cain, they brought the wrong offering. How do we bring the wrong offering?
· What should our attitudes be when we come into the house of worship?
Morning Study Guide
Defining: Holy, “properly, whole, entire, or perfect, in a moral sense. Hence: pure in heart, temper, or dispositions, free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy, as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil dispositions. We call a man holy, when his heart is conformed in some degree to the image of God, and his life is regulated by the divine precepts. Hence, holy is used as nearly synonymous with good, pious, godly.” Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language
Referencing: “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
Applying: Heed Noah Webster’s definition of holiness.