Aaron Remained Silent

Ever once in a great while something that someone speaks into your life becomes a milestone. The words explode in your head and you know that something just changed in your heart. You sense that this was not a passing thought, but something that God would use to help you make a turn that you've needed to make for a long time, but didn't quite know how. Thanks to a wonderful man of God who lives in the mountains of Israel and whom I have met on a couple of my trips over there, I had such a moment this past Shabbat. Rabbi Ari Abramowitz and his close friend Jeremy Gimpel have a farm in Israel, where they are raising their families but also hosting an online fellowship and time of teaching on Sunday mornings.

Ari was reading to us from the book of Leviticus in Chapters 9-10. It is a pretty familiar story to many of us, yet it still leaves one with questions. In this story Aaron, the High Priest, is together with Moses and the Israelites. Moses tells Aaron, "Come to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and the people; sacrifice the offering that is for the people and make atonement for them, as the LORD has commanded."  (Leviticus 9:7)

In this way, Aaron becomes an intercessor for the people. He stands in the gap for their sin and sacrifices a calf as a burnt offering to God to make atonement for himself and for the people. He is, in this passage, a type and shadow of Yeshua/Jesus, atoning for the sin of the people. When you think about it, this was a significantly intense role; an extremely holy work.  His sons, Nadab and Abihu, were participating in the process with him. Verse 12 says, "His sons handed him the blood and he (Aaron) sprinkled it against the altar on all sides. They handed him the burnt offering piece by piece, including the head, and he burned them on the altar." Aaron continues this sacrificial work as he slaughters a goat for the people's sin offering and and I note that in verse 16 it says, "He brought the burnt offering IN THE PRESCRIBED WAY." That's a vitally important verse on which our God puts much emphasis. As in the building of the tabernacle, God is in every detail of this worship at the brazen altar.  He is directing every single move that Moses and Aaron make, and when the sacrifices are complete, they go into the Tent of Meeting and bless the people. But the people don't just disperse and gather for coffee and donuts in the fellowship hall. They linger in the Presence of the LORD and then "fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it they shouted for joy and fell face-down." (Lev. 9:24) What a remarkable moment of supernatural, joyous worship!

But as the story progresses in Chapter 10, something happens that has long been shrouded in mystery. Leviticus 10:1-3: Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when He said: "Among those who approach Me I will show Myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored. '
AARON REMAINED SILENT.

Wait, what? He just witnessed the death of his two beloved sons, torched by a bolt of lightning from the hand of Almighty God and he remained silent? He did not cry out "O God, why did this happen?" He did not fall down, heaving great sobs of grief? No. He remained silent. And, friends, here were the words that exploded in my head and made what I hope will be a permanent change in my life. Ari pointed out to us the silence of Aaron and summarized it this way: "Aaron remained silent after seeing both of his sons die. In his heart he was saying, "Whatever is happening right now is what God is allowing to happen and God will use it and God will cause me to grow from it because whatever God allows to happen is from LOVE."

He continued: "Don't stand before God begging. Stand before Him and ask, 'How do I live my best life before You? Show me what sacrifices I need to make to become the person You created me to be."

Romans 12:1: Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.

I want to get this. I no longer want to stand before God begging, but remain SILENT - as I offer Him whatever sacrifice He asks of me, and do it in the prescribed way. Not my casual censer-fire show, but the quiet, holy work He desires.