Offering the Wrong Way (09/30/2001)

Good morning, everyone. Like to have you turn to first Peter chapter 4 verse 12. Almost didn't say that right. Did I? First Peter chapter 4 verse 12. Yeah, that was a good sermon. We already heard wasn't it?

Thank you, brother Roger. Good good preaching first Peter chapter 4 and we'll start with verse 12 and we will finish our little Studies on the feast here today. We we've been studying the Character of God lately and we had been on the omniscience of God and we took a little time out because of these fall feasts.

The Meaning of Yom Kippur and the Fall Feasts

Wanted to just speak a little bit on the fall feast while they were going on. Yom Kippur was this past week and it's the highest time of the year in Israel and. And so I want to finish our lesson on Yom Kippur today and and Remember that after that comes the Feast of the Tabernacles.

We won't take time to teach on that this fall, but it's the one that's That will be going on After it and it pictures the Millennial Kingdom. So it's a Beautiful thing how the children of Israel had these types now.

They could not see them clearly as we can with hindsight. But the Feast of the Trumpets pictures the tribulation period the Feast of Yom Kippur which we're talking about and finishing up this morning pictures literally the second coming and The judgment that takes place at that time and then the next the Tabernacles pictures the kingdom so it was all there for them to see and It's there for us to see even more clearly so let's look at this first Peter chapter 4 verse 12.

We'll start here and we're gonna go back into Leviticus where we were last week, but I wanted to start with this passage. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you.

But rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed that that is Speaking of the second coming, of course when his glory shall be revealed. You may be glad also with exceeding joy now that is a little taste of or a little hint of the judgment that comes at the second coming and This prayer is that we might be glad when this takes place now.

The only way you will be glad and that I'll be glad when it takes place is if we're ready when it takes place. And that's what this exhortation is all about in verse 14 says if you be reproached for the name of Christ.

Happier ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on Their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer as a thief or as an evildoer a busybody and other men's matters.

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed. But let him glorify God on his on this behalf. For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God and if it first began at us What shall the end be for them that obey not the gospel of God and as Roger said this morning?

There's only one gospel. There's not a gospel of Muhammad or a gospel of Buddha. These Jesus. Jesus himself said there are nothing but murderers and thieves. Who come to kill and destroy the souls of men?

But he says and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God. Commit the keeping of their souls to him and well-doing as unto a faithful creator.

So we get a glimpse of this judgment that is to come that begins at the second coming. That's not where it is all takes place, but that's where it begins and the Bible tells us it begins with the house of God.

So now let's go back into the book of Leviticus. The chapter 10 where we were last time. I want to get you to think a little bit on a deeper level on this particular passage for a few moments. We looked at Leviticus chapter 10 and we saw four points in this passage.

And there are a lot more points to see than that, but that's what we had time to look at last time but let's review those a little bit and I want to get you to think a little more deeply about it with me.

Now I got to do this though. Keep your hand there in chapter 10 and go over to chapter 16 and I want you to read the first verse with me and then we'll go back because really. The passage about Yom Kippur is in chapter 16.

But I wanted you to see that that passage where they're given Instruction on how this feast should take place and when it should take place and so forth. The very first verse is this verse and the Lord spake unto Moses.

After the death of the two sons of Aaron when they offered before the Lord and died. That's how this whole passage begins on how to do this. The right way is it points out that it was done the wrong way now.

Let's go back to chapter 10 where this took place and Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron took either of them his censer and put fire therein and Put incense thereon and offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not.

Now let's look back at chapter 16 in verse 12 and see how God had commanded. That it would be done. It's not the only place but this isn't going to be in a passage. We'll get later. So Leviticus 16 12 and he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord in His hands full of sweet incense beaten small and bring it within the veil.

That's what they were supposed to have done. And apparently they took their fire from a different place. They did not take it from the fire of the altar and they did not prepare it in this fashion because God said That this was strange fire and it was in a way that I commanded them not.

Now back into chapter 10 in verse 2 and there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them and they died before the Lord and You look at that and you think. Well, the first thing that comes to mind is that they offered in an inappropriate way.

They tried to come before the Lord and worship and do it their own way. But not God's way. And this is obviously so. Then Moses said unto Aaron This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified in Aaron he had held his peace.

So we talked about last time how when we come to worship the Lord we ought to have a place in our hearts That is set aside for God only. And he should be sanctified within us. And then we looked over At verse 9 and we saw a second point point that there should be a difference between the holy and the unholy and so forth.

And Then we looked down at verse 11 and we saw another point that when we meet together to worship the Lord There ought to be teaching. It says and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes Which the Lord has spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

Teach all the statutes that means preach through the Bible. Don't just pick a favorite part of it and stay there all the time. Preach through the counsel of God teach the people the sense in Which the Lord said these things and then we saw the fourth point over in verse 17.

And this is the part that I want us to take off on this morning and take a little deeper. Look at this passage so far. What we've noticed is that these two young men Nadab and Abihu Offered fire in their own way.

Not God's way and God did not accept it and they were killed by the direct hand of God. But now when we go down we see something very fascinating. As you look down about verse. We'll skip some of it just for sake of time this morning, but you go down to about verse 16 let me kind of set this up before we start with it, but You and you'll find out when you go into a chapter 16 you see all these things laid out exactly as God wants them done in great detail, but there is a procession of things that is supposed to take place and now we have two of Aaron's sons having been killed before his own eyes and Apparently he has to these two sons left that this passage is going to speak of.

And I want you to start to feel like Aaron is about to begin to feel in this little passage. Now what is supposed to happen when they sacrifice? These sacrifices the priests themselves are supposed to take the meat of the sacrifice and Have a fellowship and a dinner and Eat that meat and they're supposed to do it the same day in the same evening of the giving of the sacrifice.

And if any of it was left over the next day They had to destroy it totally by fire out and take it outside the camp and totally they were not allowed To partake of it beyond that day. But they were supposed to partake of it.

Now this is what Moses is coming at this moment to look at and to see and perhaps he was going to Take part in this. But let's look at the wording of it in verse 16 and Moses Diligently sought the goat of the sin offering now.

He knew these offerings had already taken place. Moses knew that the goat that had been offered was supposed to be feasted upon that evening and he was looking for it and he couldn't find it and And behold it was burnt.

Now when were they supposed to burn it all up the next the next morning. They take what's left after the after they partake of it and they burn it all up, but it was already burnt now. Think about how Aaron must have been feeling right about now as Moses comes in and Moses is now Angry on the same day that the other two sons were burnt by God and Here Moses comes in looking for this sin offering and he can't find it.

I wish we had a little more time this morning to talk about the difference between the sin offering and all other offerings. But I will say this that the sin offering appears to be peculiar to the law of Moses, although all the Way back from the times of even Adam and Eve after they left the garden.

We believe that there were offerings and sacrifices that God taught them to do. This particular word that's used is peculiar to the law of Moses, I happen to believe now. I've read some commentators who believe that that the sin offering was instituted with Moses and I think perhaps they're being too technical with the usage of the terms in the grammar because it seems to me that God Told Cain at one point that sin lieth at the door and Some believe that means the sin offering Was at the door of his tent for him to partake of.

Should he choose to? So I won't get that technical with it. But I will say that the sin offering is different than the other offerings. The other offerings are called freewill offerings. This offering is not called a freewill offering.

It's always called a sin offering and It is the offering that atones for the sin of the nation this particular one is done only once a year at Yom Kippur in this particular fashion and So Moses comes now and he sees that the goat is missing and he finally sees that it has been burnt and Look at the next phrase.

He was angry with Eliezer and Ithamar the sons of Aaron which were left alive. Now, how do you think Aaron is feeling right now? And how do you think these two sons are feeling right about now? Well. Wherefore have you not eaten the sin offering in the holy place seeing it is most holy and God has given it you To bear the iniquity of the congregation and to make atonement for them before the Lord.

Behold the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place. You should indeed have eaten it in the holy place as I Commanded now. He doesn't just mean as I commanded. He means as God taught me to teach you.

Now Look, the next verse is is kind of interesting because this is not what one would expect to see happen. One expects at this point to see fire come from heaven again and Why would we expect that? Well, what is the difference?

What's the difference here. Nadab and Abihu Brought the fire in their sensors in a different way than what God had told them to do. These two young men Did not take the blood of this offering and sprinkle it within the veil as they were told to do and they did not eat the offering itself and Burn it the next morning exactly as God told them to do it.

So, what did they do? They did it their way, didn't they? Outwardly, it appears to be exactly the same sin as the other two young men had and That's where we have to be careful as the people of God. Is we have to be careful in judging by outward appearances?

Because outwardly they had done even a worse deed they had neglected to sprinkle the blood in the appropriate place and to eat the sacrifice itself as they had been instructed to do a far worse Outward appearance than what the two who were killed Had done.

But now let's look at the remedy of this Is almost odd because as we go into verse 19 now Aaron who does not want to lose his last remaining two sons comes before Moses and pleads for them. Now you have to read all that into this because God is very concise in the word.

But I mean, that's why he leaves it to us preachers to expand it for an hour or two but but get in here and live here and feel what Aaron was feeling now and Aaron comes to Moses and He said says unto Moses behold.

This day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord and Such things have befallen me. He's talking about the other two sons this very day and If I had eaten the sin offering today Should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?

He's questioning whether or not with the death of his two sons and he being in the presence of them as dead bodies is He fit to offer this offering in the first place. Would God even have accepted it?

He says and when Moses heard He was content. Hadn't that interesting. What is the difference between the sin of the two boys who were burnt by fire and the sin of the two who were not? Outwardly very little.

But as we see the father Aaron coming and pleading for their cause. What does he show to Moses? He shows the heart. Now look back at verse 3 when this happened to the first two sons and look what Moses said the answer was.

And I love the way Moses instantly had this answer immediately. He had this answer for Aaron and He said this is that. Now, what does that mean? This is that it means I've already this is the Word of God that you already know.

You've already been taught this and learned it and you know, this is true. And this is that this is what happened. This is that. The Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come near to me.

Now what does that tell you about the latter two sons who were not destroyed by fire. They may not have done it exactly. Perfectly, but where was their heart? Their heart was right and God was in their heart now who of all people can see that.

Who's the only one who can see that at any given moment in our lives as we as we stand here before the Lord and sit Here before the Lord today. How do I know his pastor who who's right. With the Lord sitting here today who came in here with their heart prepared and ready.

I can't know that but who does know it God. That's right. And the Lord knew it in this place and Aaron I believe knew the difference. I believe Aaron knew his sons. I Think he knew his sons. And I think maybe he didn't say a word first of all because God said for him not to say a word about it but he also knew his sons and He knew that out of the four these two young men that were left.

They did not make this mistake because their heart was wrong or was out of place with God or because the Lord was not in their heart and I think Aaron took the blame here because he's saying that they followed my Leadership as the father of the two that were lost.

We just we just didn't do this, right? And they were forgiven when Moses heard it he was Content now. I want us to think a little bit about the heart this morning. It's more important than our outward deeds now Jesus taught that the things we say and the things we do come from the heart so they're important also don't think for a minute that.

That what happened with Nate dabbing a bye who was not important that we noticed that outwardly they were not doing it God's way. But far more important as demonstrated by this interesting passage of scripture is that the heart is the place God looks first.

And that's the place we can't truly see in one another though. We can see some of it upon our countenances and so forth, but God's the one who truly sees therefore He is the only righteous judge. Now Yom Kippur is all about judgment.

It's all about the second coming and what happens at the second coming. Turn with me to Matthew chapter 7 in verse 21. I think that's encouraging somewhat to us to read that second passage because really Jesus said when I come while I find the faith.

It makes you wonder if what we're doing here today is anything near to an early church church service, doesn't it? Doesn't it make you wonder if the way we have church today? Is anything close? To what it was all about when the early Christians met.

Might we be doing some things differently than the way God laid out for us to do today? So praise be to God that he's looking at our hearts. To see if we have the Lord Jesus Christ sanctified there and if we love him with all of our hearts and if we do He spares us.

This is the mercy of God and that's where the mercy of God goes is to the heart that has a place for God now as We think of this picture that God gave the children of Israel of Yom Kippur. Remember at the trumpets.

What happened after the feast. The trumpets there were ten days and what did they call them? Who can remember the ten Something days the ten terrible days the ten awesome days. Because they believe that during these ten days God was preparing them for judgment and that at the end of those ten days He would come and judge them and that's a picture of the second coming and the judgment and that's what this feast typifies Yom Kippur.

The beautiful thing about it is that the sacrifice that was ordered to be given on that day is unique of all the others and Beautiful in its Typification of the Lord Jesus Christ more than all the others and we'll look at that if we have time this morning.

But I want us to look forward to the second coming a little bit here now, this is a passage here. Tell me what verse I lost my place. Thank you very much. Okay 721 now I want you to notice the phrase a little bit into verse 22.

The phrase that day and I want you to think about with me what day this is referring to. As we read at verse 21, not everyone that saith unto me Lord Lord Shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven is the one that will enter in he implies Many will say to me in that day which day in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and thy name have cast out devils in thy name done many wonderful works and Then will I profess unto them when is this in that day?

I will profess unto them. I never knew you Depart from me ye that work iniquity. Do you notice that the thing that makes them depart is not? Specifically the deeds of their hands. It is actually whether or not they were the known.

And that's the difference between the latter two sons of Aaron and the former two sons the latter two were known of God from the foundation of the world as a matter of fact. Now these The Lord says depart from me and they said but I've done many wonderful religious works in your name.

Even to the point of casting out demons and written doing miraculous works with power in your name. And he said but I don't know you. Depart from me ye that work iniquity. Well this day that is referenced here is in fact The day of the Lord or the second coming.

Jeremiah 23 31 says behold. I am against the prophets. Sayeth the Lord that used their tongues and say quote he saith. He says I'm against the preachers and the teachers. They use their tongues and say things and then say God told me to say that.

Or there's a group of people doing that today, aren't there? All over the place and they don't have a chapter in a verse for a lot of what they say. But they say the Lord gave me this in a vision or a dream and he wants me to share this with you.

God says I don't have any use for these. I am against those who say with their tongue. God said to say this when I really never said it. Well, many of these will come in this day and say Lord did not do these things in your name.

But he still says depart from me. Now, let's go over here to chapter 25. This is where you would think you would find most of the scriptures about that day. Which is the second coming but that day was referenced back there in chapter 7.

It's the same day and on that day. There is a judgment that will determine Who goes to hell and who doesn't? Now it's not the great white throne judgment that you've studied before because that happens at the end of the Millennial Kingdom.

But it is a judgment where this determination is made. The great white throne judgment is a judgment where in fact they're judged for their works. Isn't it interesting that neither the lost or condemned for their works nor are the saved saved by their works?

And as we look at this judgment that comes at the second coming. He didn't say so much that I'm sending you to hell because of your works. He said I'm sending you help because I didn't know you. Now that's a big difference between that judgment in the great white throne judgment where he judges them for their works.

But they've already been in hell for a thousand years not technically hell. But they've been in Hades for a thousand years when that happens and then they're brought forth to stand for what they did and Then they're cast into the lake of fire, which is what we think of as hell forever and ever.

But now the second coming takes place a thousand years before that but they're already judged for their eternal destiny because God did not know them and We see here in chapter 25. Let's turn over and look at.

Let's Go to about verse 31. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him. Then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory now. We don't have any problem at all telling the point in time here.

This is the second coming. There's no Way around it. It's just so clear and so obvious and he says Jesus will step onto this earth again he will set foot on the planet and he will take up his throne and Before him shall be gathered all nations all peoples all races and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divided his sheep from the goats and He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Now notice these are individual separations. One from another it says so he's not setting one nation over here and another nation over here. He's he's dealing with individual people out of all the nations and He's putting one group on his left and they are called goats and another group on his right and they are called sheep.

Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. God's elect the ones that he had foreknown the ones that he had known from before the time of any thing.

Physical before the existence of angels before the existence of this world or the universe or any of us. He knew his own those he says come and. And see the kingdom that's been prepared for you from when before the foundation of the world and.

That you there are those of you for whom it has been prepared. Notice that in this at the second coming even though it is a judgment. Even though the king is sitting on his throne at this moment, and he has divided the goats from the sheep.

Notice that he doesn't mention the works of the sheep when he sends them into the kingdom. He simply says it has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For then he goes in he says for I was an hungered and he gave me meat.

I was thirsty and you gave me drink. Now. This sounds like good works, doesn't it? And it is good works. But notice this something this something brother Otis taught me when I first met him almost two years ago now.

But I want you to see That this is not even though we're mentioning works. The emphasis is not there because he says when I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was stranger and you took me in naked and you clothed me.

I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came into me and look what the righteous then say those who are about to go into the kingdom. Then shall the righteous answer him saying Lord. When saw we thee?

Unhungered they did not even know they had done these works. They had not done these works in order to be saved. They did not even know they had done enough good works to be saved and they said when did we ever do anything good?

To you. And he says well when you did it to the least of one of these you did it unto me. And the truth is the heart comes first. Jesus Christ in us is the hope of glory not our works not our deeds and this judgment has not to do with our deeds.

But it has to do with the reason we did the deeds and that is because we were given the Lord Jesus Christ he was placed within us and we were then given his nature and Therefore we do what our nature says to do.

We have the nature now to do good works. So that's why we do them, but that's not what took us to heaven and we see that very clearly here now he goes on into this passage and Look at verse 41. Then shall he say also to them that are on the left hand depart from me cursed Into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

And he goes through this same little group for I was hungry and you gave me no meat. I was thirsty and you gave me no drink and then verse 44 says then shall they also answer him saying Lord when saw we thee hungry and Thirsty or a stranger naked or sick and in prison and did not minister unto thee.

See, they thought they had done all the good works in the world. These are the people that were doing good works to try to approach God. All of the great religions of the world other than true biblical Christianity.

All of them are in this group saying that we did do these good things. When did we not do these good things? Then shall he answer them saying barely I say unto you and as much as you did it not to one of the least of these.

He did it not unto me and These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. Now this whole passage occurs at the second coming the Bible teaches very clearly. Now turn with me to Romans chapter 14 in verse 1.

Now what we're going to find at this Judgment seat of Christ. Is we're going to find that the goats are going to be cast away. The goats are going to be cast into Hades for a thousand years, which I believe is in the center of this earth.

Later after that thousand years is over and they've been in torment for a thousand years. That will be poured into the lake of fire and we don't know where that is necessarily at least some of you may but I I'm not sure.

I know where the lake of fire will be but It will be a literal place I can assure you of that. Now they're cast into Hades in the center of this earth into fire and They do not die and they cannot die and they live there in that torment for a thousand years.

The rich man said sin Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue or I am tormented in these flames and that's the place these people are cast into and I believe at the moment after that happens and they are no longer there to accuse us.

They are no longer in our presence. I Believe is where the judgment seat of Christ takes place. Romans chapter 14 verse 1 he that is weak in the faith receive he but not to doubtful disputations when we have babes in the Lord come and they're saved and they come and they join our church and they're.

They're in our midst and we're teaching them in classes and we're teaching them the word and so forth from time to time. They will they will bring up a disputation about something. The Bible says and it says don't Receive them to doubtful disputations if they get off into something that's just totally unbiblical and you know that Don't let him go on with it is what this is now.

The next verse says for one believeth that he may eat all things. He's gonna give us an example the kind of disputations that he's not interested in us having in church when we're together. He doesn't want us to debate on things like this.

One says he may eat all things and other says He eateth only vegetables. He's a vegetarian. Now notice the scripture calls that one the weak one. Now the reason he's weak is because he believes he's spiritual because he doesn't eat meat.

You see it's not. He's not weak because he's a vegetarian. He's weak because he believes that if you're not like he is that you're carnal. Let not him that Edith despise him that Edith not. Now those who are eating the meat can have a tendency to be a little Bit bitter towards him because he's acting like I'm not spiritual.

So I don't want to be around him. Because he thinks he has something with God that I don't have and I know he's wrong. But I just don't want to be around him because he's like that. Well, it says let not him that Edith despise him that Edith not and let not him that Edith not judge him that Edith.

You see the weaker ones always gonna judge. The weaker Christian will always judge the others. That's that's the way it goes and they will always judge them on the basis of outer things. Things they say things they do.

Places they go they'll judge them and say well, you're not really spiritual or you wouldn't do those things. Now if they had been there, which two sons of Aaron would they have killed? Both. They'd killed all four of them, that's why God didn't let us be the judge.

Now we go on here and he says who art thou that judges another man's servant. Who are we any way to judge another man's servant? Whose servant are we? Who is our master? I'm glad y 'all knew that answer this morning.