I Will Be Sanctified

Leviticus 10

About the Sermon

Strange fire and the death of two priests named Nadab and Abihu. What does this have to do with the death of Christ? On Good Friday we continue our series through the book of Leviticus, now in chapter 10. We've learned about the sacrifices God requires for fellowship with him and about the priesthood he sets apart to mediate our relationship. In Leviticus 9 the Lord appeared. Like a consuming fire he burned up the burnt offering on the altar. For the first time, the Lord dwelled among his people since Eden.

About the Series

Life. That’s not what typically comes to mind for modern readers of Leviticus. This is that book filled with animal sacrifices. Life with God might sound even more out of touch. The many laws in this book may give us the impression that the Lord intends to keep his distance. Yet Leviticus is not about distance but nearness. The story of Exodus closed out with a problem: the Lord came to his tabernacle but Moses could not enter. How then can any of us get back to Eden? In Leviticus, the Lord answers that question. Yet the tabernacle and its laws are not the end of the story, but a shadow. Together they are a model of the entire cosmos, God’s heavenly dwelling, and the way to fullness of life with God.
Life. That’s not what typically comes to mind for modern readers of Leviticus. This is that book filled with animal sacrifices. Life with God might sound even more out of touch. The many laws in this book may give us the impression that the Lord intends to keep his distance. Yet Leviticus is not about distance but nearness. The story of Exodus closed out with a problem: the Lord came to his tabernacle but Moses could not enter. How then can any of us get back to Eden? In Leviticus, the Lord answers that question. Yet the tabernacle and its laws are not the end of the story, but a shadow. Together they are a model of the entire cosmos, God’s heavenly dwelling, and the way to fullness of life with God.

Sermons in the Series