Leviticus Chapter 10

This chapter is one of those passages of the Bible that causes us to gasp and ask God why.  We want to know why he would spare the life of Aaron who constructed a golden calf forgiving him for such a horrible sin and yet take the life of his two sons in an instant.  Sometimes when we ask why, God answers that question for us, but other times when we ask why, God is silent.  It is in those times when God is silent that we find life to be very difficult, but we must trust God who is sovereign over all.

As I read this account, I relate it to a personal experience of my own father.  This was a time when I asked God why and He answered me.  My dad was a believer that God had used in a great way in his lifetime.  Dad came to know the Lord as a young married adult.  He grew spiritually in the Lord very quickly.  He was active in the local church teaching teenage boys the gospel, then later taught adult Sunday School classes.  He became a deacon in our church and was often called upon to preach when the Pastor of the church was absent or needed a break.  He was heavily involved in a large building program of the church.  He was a spiritual leader to many and had the opportunity to lead several people to salvation in Christ.  Many people respected him and went to him for spiritual advice.  But my dad had some inner struggles of his own and in his forties, he went back to his old ways of drinking alcohol.  One day while driving home after a day spent fishing and drinking with a friend, we believe that my dad fell asleep at the wheel.  He drove his pick-up truck into a large ditch and the impact caused his body to be ejected from the vehicle.  My dad passed away at the young age of 48. 

When I asked God why my dad had been taken, I heard the answer loud and clear.  There was no doubt in my mind, why it was that he was gone.  God reminded me of all the ways my dad had served Him, just as I relayed to you, and that his drinking was now marring his testimony and would cause others to stumble.  God had brought him on home before he could cause harm to other believers in their walk with Christ.

Now I know the story is a bit different here in Leviticus, but my point is that these two sons of Aaron had just spent an entire week consecrating themselves to God to be spiritual leaders for the whole congregation of Israel.  People were going to look up to them for guidance.  God’s requirements for the priests and their standard of conduct was expected to be pleasing to God.  I don’t know what these two sons were thinking, but it seems clear to me that they were defiantly disobedient in the actions they took.  They purposed in their hearts to disobey God.