Leviticus 16:1–10
The Bible4Jesus.com Podcast
About this episode
This is the one day in the entire year when one man, the high priest, could pass behind the veil into the direct, localized presence of the all-holy God and not be incinerated. And the reason we begin here today is given to us in the very first verse. This chapter opens under the shadow of a funeral pyre. Nadab and Abihu, newly consecrated priests, decided to innovate in worship. They assumed they could approach the living God on their own terms, with their own enthusiasm, their own inventions. They learned the hard way that God is not to be trifled with. He is a consuming fire, and His holiness is not a metaphor. It is the most concrete reality in the universe. This is the necessary backdrop for the Day of Atonement. We want to be entertained, to have our emotions stoked, to feel a certain vibe.