patriarchs and prophets-第81节

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power　with　awe　and　intense　interest。　They　saw　in　it　a　token　of　God's　glory
and　favor；　and　they　raised　a　universal　shout　of　praise　and　adoration　and
fell　on　their　faces　as　if　in　the　immediate　presence　of　Jehovah。

But　soon　afterward　a　sudden　and　terrible　calamity　fell　upon　the　family　of
the　high　priest。　At　the　hour　of　worship；　as　the　prayers　and　praise　of　the
people　were　ascending　to　God；　two　of　the　sons　of　Aaron　took　each　his　censer
and　burned　fragrant　incense　thereon；　to　rise　as　a　sweet　odor　before　the
Lord。　But　they　transgressed　His　command　by　the　use　of　〃strange　fire。〃　For
burning　the　incense　they　took　common　instead　of　the　sacred　fire　which　God
Himself　had　kindled；　and　which　He　had　commanded　to　be　used　for　this　purpose。
For　this　sin　a　fire　went　out　from　the　Lord　and　devoured　them　in　the　sight　of
the　people。

Next　to　Moses　and　Aaron；　Nadab　and　Abihu　had　stood　highest　in　Israel。　They
had　been　especially　honored　by　the　Lord；　having　been　permitted　with　the
seventy　elders　to　behold　His　glory　in　the　mount。　But　their　transgression　was
not　therefore　to　be　excused　or　lightly　regarded。　All　this　rendered　their　sin
more　grievous。　Because　men　have　received　great　light；　because　they　have；
like　the　princes　of　Israel；　ascended　to　the　mount；　and　been　privileged　to
have　communion　with　God；　and　to　dwell　in

360

the　light　of　His　glory；　let　them　not　flatter　themselves　that　they　can
afterward　sin　with　impunity；　that　because　they　have　been　thus　honored；　God
will　not　be　strict　to　punish　their　iniquity。　This　is　a　fatal　deception。　The
great　light　and　privileges　bestowed　require　returns　of　virtue　and　holiness
corresponding　to　the　light　given。　Anything　short　of　this；　God　cannot　accept。
Great　blessings　or　privileges　should　never　lull　to　security　or　carelessness。
They　should　never　give　license　to　sin　or　cause　the　recipients　to　feel　that
God　will　not　be　exact　with　them。　All　the　advantages　which　God　has　given　are
His　means　to　throw　ardor　into　the　spirit；　zeal　into　effort；　and　vigor　into
the　carrying　out　of　His　holy　will。

Nadab　and　Abihu　had　not　in　their　youth　been　trained　to　habits　of
self…control。　The　father's　yielding　disposition；　his　lack　of　firmness　for
right；　had　led　him　to　neglect　the　discipline　of　his　children。　His　sons　had
been　permitted　to　follow　inclination。　Habits　of　self…indulgence；　long
cherished；　obtained　a　hold　upon　them　which　even　the　responsibility　of　the
most　sacred　office　had　not　power　to　break。　They　had　not　been　taught　to
respect　the　authority　of　their　father；　and　they　did　not　realize　the
necessity　of　exact　obedience　to　the　requirements　of　God。　Aaron's　mistaken
indulgence　of　his　sons　prepared　them　to　become　the　subjects　of　the　divine
judgments。

God　designed　to　teach　the　people　that　they　must　approach　Him　with　reverence
and　awe；　and　in　His　own　appointed　manner。　He　cannot　accept　partial
obedience。　It　was　not　enough　that　in　this　solemn　season　of　worship　nearly
everything　was　done　as　He　had　directed。　God　has　pronounced　a　curse　upon
those　who　depart　from　His　commandments；　and　put　no　difference　between　common
and　holy　things。　He　declares　by　the　prophet：　〃Woe　unto　them　that　call　evil
good；　and　good　evil；　that　put　darkness　for　light；　and　light　for　darkness！　。
。　。　Woe　unto　them　that　are　wise　in　their　own　eyes；　and　prudent　in　their　own
sight！　。　。　。　which　justify　the　wicked　for　reward；　and　take　away　the
righteousness　of　the　righteous　from　him！　。　。　。　They　have　cast　away　the　law
of　the　Lord　of　hosts；　and　despised　the　word　of　the　Holy　One　of　Israel。〃
Isaiah　5：20…24。　Let　no　one　deceive　himself　with　the　belief　that　a　part　of
God's　commandments　are　nonessential；　or　that　He　will　accept　a　substitute　for
that　which　He　has　required。　Said　the　prophet　Jeremiah；　〃Who　is　he　that
saith；　and　it　cometh　to　pass；　when　the　Lord　commandeth　it　not？〃　Lamentations
3：37。　God　has　placed　in　His　word　no　command　which　men

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may　obey　or　disobey　at　will　and　not　suffer　the　consequences。　If　men　choose
any　other　path　than　that　of　strict　obedience；　they　will　find　that　〃the　end
thereof　are　the　ways　of　death。〃　Proverbs　14：12。

〃Moses　said　unto　Aaron；　and　unto　Eleazar　and　unto　Ithamar；　his　sons；　Uncover
not　your　heads；　neither　rend　your　clothes；　lest　ye　die；　。　。　。　for　the
anointing　oil　of　the　Lord　is　upon　you。〃　The　great　leader　reminded　his
brother　of　the　words　of　God；　〃I　will　be　sanctified　in　them　that　come　nigh
Me；　and　before　all　the　people　I　will　be　glorified。〃　Aaron　was　silent。　The
death　of　his　sons；　cut　down　without　warning；　in　so　terrible　a　sina　sin
which　he　now　saw　to　be　the　result　of　his　own　neglect　of　dutywrung　the
father's　heart　with　anguish；　but　he　gave　his　feelings　no　expression。　By　no
manifestation　of　grief　must　he　seem　to　sympathize　with　sin。　The　congregation
must　not　be　led　to　murmur　against　God。

The　Lord　would　teach　His　people　to　acknowledge　the　justice　of　His
corrections；　that　others　may　fear。　There　were　those　in　Israel　whom　the
warning　of　this　terrible　judgment　might　save　from　presuming　upon　God's
forbearance　until　they；　too；　should　seal　their　own　destiny。　The　divine
rebuke　is　upon　that　false　sympathy　for　the　sinner　which　endeavors　to　excuse
his　sin。　It　is　the　effect　of　sin　to　deaden　the　moral　perceptions；　so　that
the　wrongdoer　does　not　realize　the　enormity　of　transgression；　and　without
the　convicting　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit　he　remains　in　partial　blindness　to
his　sin。　It　is　the　duty　of　Christ's　servants　to　show　these　erring　ones　their
peril。　Those　who　destroy　the　effect　of　the　warning　by　blinding　the　eyes　of
sinners　to　the　real　character　and　results　of　sin　often　flatter　themselves
that　they　thus　give　evidence　of　their　charity；　but　they　are　working　directly
to　oppose　and　hinder　the　work　of　God's　Holy　Spirit；　they　are　lulling　the
sinner　to　rest　on　the　brink　of　destruction；　they　are　making　themselves
partakers　in　his　guilt　and　incurring　a　fearful　responsibility　for　his
impenitence。　Many；　many；　have　gone　down　to　ruin　as　the　result　of　this　false
and　deceptive　sympathy。

Nadab　and　Abihu　would　never　have　committed　that　fatal　sin　had　they　not　first
become　partially　intoxicated　by　the　free　use　of　wine。　They　understood　that
the　most　careful　and　solemn　preparation　was　necessary　before　presenting
themselves　in　the　sanctuary；　where　the　divine　Presence　was　manifested；　but
by　intemperance　they　were　disqualified　for　their　holy　office。　Their　minds
became

362

confused　and　their　moral　perceptions　dulled　so　that　they　could　not　discern
the　difference　between　the　sacred　and　the　common。　To　Aaron　and　his　surviving
sons　was　given　the　warning：　〃Do　not　drink　wine　nor　strong　drink；　thou；　nor
thy　sons　with　thee；　when　ye　go　into　the　tabernacle　of　the　congregation；　lest
ye　die：　it　shall　be　a　statute　forever　throughout　your　generations：　and　that
ye　may　put　difference　between　holy　and　unholy；　and　between　unclean　and
clean；　and　that　ye　may　teach　the　children　of　Israel　all　the　statutes　which
the　Lord　hath　spoken。〃　The　use　of　spirituous　liquors　has　the　effect　to
weaken　the　body；　confuse　the　mind；　and　debase　the　morals。　It　prevents　men
from　realizing　the　sacredness　of　holy　things　or　the　binding　force　of　God's
requirements。　All　who　occupied　positions　of　sacred　responsibility　were　to　be
men　of　strict　temperance；　that　their　minds　might　be　clear　to　discriminate
between　right　and　wrong；　that　they　might　possess　firmness　of　principle；　and
wisdom　to　administer　justice　and　to　show　mercy。

The　same　obligation　rests　upon　every　follower　of　Christ。　The　apostle　Peter
declares；　〃Ye　are　a　chosen　generation；　a　royal　priesthood；　an　holy　nation；　a
peculiar　people。　1　Peter　2：9。　We　are　required　by　God　to　preserve　every　power
in　the　best　possible　condition；　that　we　may　render　acceptable　service　to　our
Creator。　When　intoxicants　are　used；　the　same　effects　will　follow　as　in　the
case　of　those　priests　of　Israel。　The　conscience　will　lose　its　sensibility　to
sin；　and　a　process　of　hardening　to　iniquity　will　most　certainly　take　place；
till　the　common　and　the　sacred　will　lose　all　difference　of　significance。　How
can　we　then　meet　the　standard　of　the　divine　requirements？〃　〃Know　ye　not　that
your　body　is　the　temple　of　the　Holy　Ghost　which　is　in　you；　which　ye　have　of
God；　and　ye　are　not　your　own？　For　ye　are　bought　with　a　price：　therefore
glorify　God　in　your　body；　and　in　your　spirit；　which　are　Gods。〃　1　Corinthians
6：19；　20。　〃Whether　therefore　ye　eat；　or　drink；　or　whatsoever　ye　do；　do　all
to　the　glory　of　God。〃
1　Corinthians　10：31。　To　the　church　of　Christ　in　all　ages　is
addressed　the　solemn　and　fearful　warning；　〃If　any　man　defile　the　temple　of
God；　him　shall　God　destroy；　for　the　temple　of　God　is　holy；　which　temple　ye
are。〃　1　Corinthians　3：17。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　32

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Law　and　the　Covenants


Adam　and　Eve；　at　their　creation；　had　a　knowledge　of　the　law　of　God；　they
were　acquainted　with　its　claims　upon　them；　its　precepts　were　written　upon
their　hearts。　When　man　fell　by　transgression　the　law　was　not　changed；　but　a
remedial　system　was　established　to　bring　him　back　to　obedience。　The　promise
of　a　Savi