Leviticus 1-9 pictures, through the symbolism of the prescribed sacrifices, the way that God had made for human beings to come into his presence. In chapter 10 we see what happens when people try other ways. In 9:24 we read that fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering. Now in 10:1 that same fire consumes two sons of Aaron. This happened because “they offered unauthorised fire before the Lord, contrary to his command”. In other words, they sought to enter the presence of God in their own way rather than going by the way that God had made. As a result, they were left to bear the fiery condemnation that, by God’s way, could have been borne by the sacrifice on the altar. Here is the point: the only way of access to God is God’s way. In our culture it is popular to believe that all religions lead to God. However, only Jesus Christ ever claimed to finally solve the problem of guilt that keeps us separated from God. There are not many ways. In fact, no one else ever even claimed to finally solve this problem. All other religions tell us (misleadingly) what we must do to become ‘spiritually right’. Only the Bible shows us what God has done to make us right with himself. And only Jesus achieved that. Jesus therefore said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Other religious traditions are not necessarily wrong about everything, they are just irrelevant when it comes to the main thing.
Commit yourself again to Jesus today and ask him to bless everything you do.
Read Leviticus 10.
