Strange Fire
Christian Standards • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 6 viewsIn the Old Testament, willful disregard for the Sabbath was punished by the death penalty. On the other extreme, in the New Testament, the Sabbath became a burden weighed down by unbiblical commandments. How can we restore the Edenic Sabbath?
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Dedication of sanctuary
consecration of priest
first sacrificees.
And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
Everyone was
in awe.
Like
Gideon
Solomon
Elijah
(Able).
God showed favor
accepted offering.
From then
to keep this
fire going.
Nadab Abihu
Priest
Sons of Aaron.
They knew all
policies and procedures
of the sanctuary.
God had been explicit.
God is Holy
Sanctuary is Holy
They were representation
Jesus Christ.
Holy Fire was
always burning.
Represented
holiness of God.
The candle stick,
The Incense
Altar of Sacrifice
lit by God
no outside fire.
Nadab and Abihu,
didn’t take serious
living impure lives
meaningless rituals.
Brought fire
from outside sanctuary.
God said
the fire was holy.
They said,
what difference
does it make?
Fire is fire!!!
Was fire just fire???
Come back to this.
Quick History of Sabbath?
Quick History of Sabbath?
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
God gave
to Adam and Eve
to all humanity
best part of creation:
Sabbath.
Gift to Humanity
We only have
2 Gifts Pre-fall
Institutions
Ceremonies
Covenants:
Marriage
Sabbath
Cherish Both
Take a closer look:
And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.
What did God do?
rested?
What is rest?
Was God tired
Was Adam and Even tire?
What is rest
Purpose of Sabbath
Purpose of Sabbath
They not physically tired.
What is rest?
Spiritual
rest
communion
revitalization
Even in perfection
God created us
eat daily
drink daily
tree of life regularity
spiritual nourishment.
EGW is clear:
Patriarchs and Prophets Chapter 3—The Temptation and Fall
In order to possess an endless existence, man must continue to partake of the tree of life. Deprived of this, his vitality would gradually diminish until life should become extinct.
This was a lesson
continual dependence
upon God for wellbeing.
Joy of Sabbath
Sabbath was
most joyful time
commune with creator.
Sabbath Lost
Sabbath Lost
With
sin
distractions
work
worldlines.
majority abandoned
true worship.
Sacrificial system
Sabbath
Repentance
mostly lost.
Small group
covenant people
somewhat pure worship.
Until slavery.
God needed to
bring this gift
back to front burner.
The Command
The Command
Moses sent to
set covenant people free.
But first God taught
people about Sabbath.
And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!”
Pharaoh angry
Moses teaching people
to keep Sabbath.
Through many miracles
God’s people are
set free from bondage.
First order of business???
Sinai
establish true worship.
Sanctuary
Sacrifices
Spiritual Leadership
Sabbath
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.
For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Slaves were
not allowed to
rest
worship
commune.
God taught them
power of sabbath
through daily things.
Manna
Manna
Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”
The manna’s cycle
of food delivery and prep
constant reminder
40 years
Sabbath cycle.
It was powerful
re-education process.
about God
and worship.
Protecting Sabbath
Protecting Sabbath
God loved Sabbath.
It was like
Date night.
No distraction,
be present
focus on relationship.
As humans,
we know that
date nights only happen
if you protect them.
God taught us
how to do that.
Principles of Sabbath Observance
Principles of Sabbath Observance
Holy
Holy
We saw in Gen:
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy...
Holy.
What does it mean.
Only used for spiritual purpose
not secular purpose.
Time
Time
Other principles,
same passage:
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy...
Sabbath is time linked.
Specific time.
What does God want?
time and attention.
God picked a time,
special weekly date night.
Our job
be ready for date!
But How?
Prepare
Prepare
How to be ready
for the date?
Prepare!!!
Organize calendar
no other conflicts.
Get self ready.
“clean up.”
On Friday let the preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See that all the clothing is in readiness and that all the cooking is done. Let the boots be blacked and the baths be taken. It is possible to do this. If you make it a rule you can do it. The Sabbath is not to be given to the repairing of garments, to the cooking of food, to pleasure seeking, or to any other worldly employment. Before the setting of the sun let all secular work be laid aside and all secular papers be put out of sight. Parents, explain your work and its purpose to your children, and let them share in your preparation to keep the Sabbath according to the commandment.
Finish other responsibilities...
No Work
No Work
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work...
As mentioned before
simply not working
is not Sabbath observance.
Said differently,
just because you don’t work
on Saturday,
doesn’t mean you have a date!
Not working is
just to help us
make sure we don’t
miss the date!
God had also given
instruction about
certain work that was
permissable on Sabbath.
Healing
Healing
One of the biggest
controversies between
Jesus and Pharisees
healing on Sabbath.
Jesus was pained by
Jew’s false teachings
about date night.
So many rules.
They made Sabbath
“What You Don’t Do.”
Jesus knew
Sabbath is about
what you do.
One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?”
But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” And they could not reply to these things.
What was Jesus’s teaching?
Providing help
needed on Sabbath
emergencies or
required for basic living
honorable on Sabbath.
Medical work
Family emergencies
Permissible.
If you can
find employment at
non-SDA hospital.
not on Sabbath
Do it.
Often physicians are called upon on the Sabbath to minister to the sick, and it is impossible for them to take time for rest and devotion. The Saviour has shown us by His example that it is right to relieve suffering on this day; but physicians and nurses should do no unnecessary work. Ordinary treatment, and operations that can wait, should be deferred till the next day. Let the patients know that physicians must have one day for rest. The Lord says, “Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations.” Exodus 31:13.
Let no man, because he is a physician, feel at liberty to disregard this word of the Lord. He should plan his work so as to obey God’s requirements. He should not travel on the Sabbath except when there is real suffering to be alleviated. When this is the case, it is not a desecration of the Sabbath for physicians to travel upon that day; but ordinary cases should be deferred.
If you must
work on Sabbath.
That is God’s
holy date night.
Money earned
is not yours
but God’s.
Rest
Rest
The rest part
not just absence of work
it is
going on the date!!!!
Investing in the relationship!!!
The Sabbath is not intended to be a period of useless inactivity.
The goal is
not to sleep all day!
Child Guidance Section 18—Maintaining the Religious Experience
None should permit themselves, through the week, to become so absorbed in their temporal interests, and so exhausted by their efforts for worldly gain, that on the Sabbath they have no strength or energy to give to the service of God.
The Sabbath is
for service.
We must then,
Preserve some energy
to serve.
What else help us
focus on
date with God?
No Buying or Selling
No Buying or Selling
In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food. Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?
What was the evil?
Buying food on Sabbath.
Why is that evil?
Stealing from
date night.
Guarding the Edges
Guarding the Edges
Testimonies for the Church, Volume 6 Section 6—Cautions and Counsels
We should jealously guard the edges of the Sabbath. Remember that every moment is consecrated, holy time.
That Sabbath is
meant for enjoyment.
You don’t want to
miss any of it.
Don’t keep
your date waiting
still making your hair.
Make It Enjoyable
Make It Enjoyable
As a child,
Sabbath seemed
rules about
what can’t do!!!
Sabbath was drudgery!
Don’t do that
with your kids!!!
Isaiah says:
“If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;
then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Notice:
don’t seek own pleasure.
make it a delight!
Sabbath should be
very delightful!!!
But activities
should be things
that bring
delight to God
not just ourselves.
Story about
church member
eating out on Sabbath
with conference people.
Pharisees
Pharisees
Danger of believing
Sabbath Protection is
Sabbath observance.
Does God Care? Is it a Salvation Issue?
Does God Care? Is it a Salvation Issue?
OT -
pretty clear:
You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
OT
Death Penalty
Specific story:
While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation. They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him. And the Lord said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.”
To be clear
I’m not advocating
stoning church members.
Just asking question:
How seriously does
God consider
ditching the date night?
We must agree,
pretty big deal.
It means eternal salvation to keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord.
We need this
date night for
continued spiritual development.
In fact,
God list this
among reasons
for Babylonian Captivity
Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
Suffice to say,
God really cares about
date night with us.
Creeping Compromise
Creeping Compromise
Today,
Ask yourself question.
Have I been
compromising about
joy of Sabbath?
protection of Sabbath?
activities on Sabbath?
If so...
shore it up!
Strange Fire
Strange Fire
Finish Story of
Nadab and Abihu...
They were great leaders
knew everything
honored among people.
Didn’t take God seriously.
Patriarchs and Prophets Chapter 31—The Sin of Nadab and Abihu
Nadab and Abihu would never have committed that fatal sin had they not first become partially intoxicated by the free use of wine. They understood that the most careful and solemn preparation was necessary before presenting themselves in the sanctuary, where the divine Presence was manifested; but by intemperance they were disqualified for their holy office. Their minds became confused and their moral perceptions dulled so that they could not discern the difference between the sacred and the common.
What was the sin
of Nadab and Abihu?
Willful disregard
for holy worship
that brings life.
We need Sabbath
like tree of life
EGW is clear:
Patriarchs and Prophets Chapter 3—The Temptation and Fall
In order to possess an endless existence, man must continue to partake of the tree of life...
Like the tree of life,
we depend up
Sabbath communion.
We have been programmed
to die without it!
It means eternal salvation to keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord.
It is a matter of
life and death.
Not because God is
going to kill those who
break His law!!!
But because we
cannot live without it!!!
Appeal
Appeal
Protect Sabbath.
like your life
depends on it.
Because it does!
Your eternal life!
