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"Cain's offering was not accepted by God, but Abel's was," Elizabeth's teacher stated. He continued, "Nadab and Abihu were killed by God when they approached Him, but Aaron was not. Why?" "Abel and Aaron loved God but Cain, Nadab, and Abihu did not. They were hypocrites," Elizabeth answered. "That is true," her teacher responded, "and we can learn from this that God hates hypocrisy. But, I am thinking of a deeper teaching now -of how we may safely approach God." "Let me explain," he continued. "Cain brought his own fruits from the ground but Abel approached God by way of a bloodshedding sacrifice -which pictured Christ. Nadab and Abihu tried to come into God's presence with their own fire -not with the fire that Aaron used from the Brazen Altar, which testified of the sacrifice of Christ." He then asked, "What important lesson can we learn from this for ourselves? What will happen to us if we try to be our own priests -if we bring our own 'fruits' or our own 'fire' before God? Why will God reject and slay us? Why do we need Jesus Christ as our Priest?" |
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Why did the Old Testament priests bless the people after, but not before, their sacrificing and interceding work was completed? How does this relate to Christ's "foundational" and "resulting" work as shown in the chart on the previous page? |
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
But unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
- Genesis 4:3-5
And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.
- Numbers 3:4
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There is only one way in which sinners can safely approach God, and that is through the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Why? |
