I think a fair number of our group is familiar with the concept of "safety culture" at work. I think we can see something like that at play here in Leviticus 16, when the LORD comes to Moses and institutes what might be considered both administrative- and engineering controls with the priests' work and their work environment. As history (and the set-apart culture of the people of God) developed, I think that the LORD "rolled out" more of his plan for them and for the whole world. To be clear, I *don't* think that what became known as The Most Holy Place and The Day of Atonement were responses to bad behavior or failure to follow the rules; I think those were already coming, and now is the time that Moses and crew were given the applicable instructions. Seems more like we're still in the commissioning phase of the new facility and work being done there. LOL, lots of industry talk in this comment. - jeffrey
semi-related... I wonder if Nadab & Abihu - and perhaps most of the Israelites and other sojourners with them in the wilderness - just regarded the LORD and worshipping him in the same way that other people of their day practiced religion. Kind of makes sense that they *would* have compared it to, say, Egyptian or Canaanite religions... ...and so perhaps they were a little careless or casual in their listening to and following instructions for how to lead in the worship practices. I don't know what those priests were thinking or how they went about their work, but I am familiar with the "eh, close enough; God knows my heart" approach to modern religious practice, worship, and service...
...this part is certain: Both in Leviticus 10 when the brothers died and here in Ch. 16 with the rollout of explicit instructions, the LORD was letting everyone know He is serious about being known, worshipped, served, and declared as different than everything else. - jeffrey
Also, the concept of the "scapegoat" is established here in Lev. 16. Very cool that we see Jesus' work of redemption addressing both goats: the one whose blood covered the sins of his people on the Day of Atonement, and the one who carried away the sins of his people and was given into the power of the bad guys. Semi-related: don't know for sure who Azazel is, and what role that being plays in the supernatural and historical "big picture"...and I don't think that really matters, at least not in connection of what's going on here. This passage (and really, all of Scripture) is about knowing the LORD and walking in His ways, not a scouting report on the other team. - jeffrey
I think a fair number of our group is familiar with the concept of "safety culture" at work. I think we can see something like that at play here in Leviticus 16, when the LORD comes to Moses and institutes what might be considered both administrative- and engineering controls with the priests' work and their work environment.
ReplyDeleteAs history (and the set-apart culture of the people of God) developed, I think that the LORD "rolled out" more of his plan for them and for the whole world. To be clear, I *don't* think that what became known as The Most Holy Place and The Day of Atonement were responses to bad behavior or failure to follow the rules; I think those were already coming, and now is the time that Moses and crew were given the applicable instructions. Seems more like we're still in the commissioning phase of the new facility and work being done there. LOL, lots of industry talk in this comment.
- jeffrey
semi-related...
DeleteI wonder if Nadab & Abihu - and perhaps most of the Israelites and other sojourners with them in the wilderness - just regarded the LORD and worshipping him in the same way that other people of their day practiced religion. Kind of makes sense that they *would* have compared it to, say, Egyptian or Canaanite religions...
...and so perhaps they were a little careless or casual in their listening to and following instructions for how to lead in the worship practices. I don't know what those priests were thinking or how they went about their work, but I am familiar with the "eh, close enough; God knows my heart" approach to modern religious practice, worship, and service...
...this part is certain: Both in Leviticus 10 when the brothers died and here in Ch. 16 with the rollout of explicit instructions, the LORD was letting everyone know He is serious about being known, worshipped, served, and declared as different than everything else.
Delete- jeffrey
Also, the concept of the "scapegoat" is established here in Lev. 16. Very cool that we see Jesus' work of redemption addressing both goats: the one whose blood covered the sins of his people on the Day of Atonement, and the one who carried away the sins of his people and was given into the power of the bad guys.
ReplyDeleteSemi-related: don't know for sure who Azazel is, and what role that being plays in the supernatural and historical "big picture"...and I don't think that really matters, at least not in connection of what's going on here. This passage (and really, all of Scripture) is about knowing the LORD and walking in His ways, not a scouting report on the other team.
- jeffrey