And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
Moses at God's command took Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy influential elders up the mount to a place at a distance where they could behold the majesty of the divine presence while the people worshiped at its foot. They saw the God of Israel with what appeared under His feet like paved sapphire clear as the sky, the enshrouded glory of Christ, not His unveiled person whom no one can approach, and God spared their lives from harm so that they ate and drank in communion before Him. They were able to live through the sight because they had been prepared by fear that worked repentance, by loving and reverencing God, and by purifying themselves and contemplating His glory, purity, and mercy. God thus honored them and put His Spirit upon them to give them a clear sense of His greatness and wisdom to keep His fear before them in aiding Moses in leading Israel. Yet that great light and privilege gave no license to sin and demanded corresponding holiness and zeal, so the later transgression and rebellion of those so favored, as Nadab and Abihu and Korah with his company, was the more grievous and inexcusable and met with strict punishment.
The Vision on Sinai
At God's command Moses took Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the most influential elders and princes of Israel who aided his work up the mount to a place at a distance where they might behold the majesty of the divine presence while the people worshiped at its foot. Aaron was thus permitted to ascend, to approach into God's presence, and to behold the divine glory. The vision belongs to the solemn ratification of the covenant at Sinai. It came after Moses told the people all the words and judgments, the people unanimously answered with one voice that all that had been spoken they would do, Moses wrote the words, read the book of the covenant to the people who promised obedience, and sprinkled the blood of the covenant upon the people. It came immediately before the call for Moses to come up to receive the tables of stone with the law to teach, when Moses rose with his minister Joshua and went up into the mount of God, followed by directions for building the sanctuary and the pattern of the ark and by the exposure of the unbelief of the people when Moses did not soon come down.
They saw the God of Israel, with what appeared under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, clear as the body of heaven and as a clear sky. What they beheld was the inexpressible glory surrounding Him, the glory of Christ, enshrouded with thick cloud so that the people below could not behold it. They did not behold His person, but only the glory around His exalted majesty, for the Deity dwells in light which no one can approach. The vision was a revelation of God's glory before Israel. Upon the nobles of Israel God laid not His hand, but spared their lives from harm and destruction and did not strike them down or destroy them when they saw His presence. They saw God and ate and drank in His presence and before Him in communion with Him.
They could live through the sight because they were now prepared for it, whereas before they would have died. Exhibitions and displays of God's power had filled them with fear that wrought repentance for past transgressions. By loving and reverencing God and by purifying themselves and contemplating His great glory, purity, and mercy they were made able to approach nearer and to draw nearer to Him. God honored them with this nearer view of the glory around Him and put His Spirit upon them. That gift gave them a clear sense of His greatness, majesty, and power and fitted them with wisdom for their office, so that with His fear and glory continually before them they would act wisely in aiding Moses in leading Israel to the promised land and in guiding His people. These elders later assisted Aaron and Hur in caring for the people while Moses was on the mountain with God.
Privilege Demands Holiness
The instruction to which this seeing of God belongs remains to be studied and obeyed, guiding how to love one another, to end contention, and to deal justly with one another. The ascent of the nobles to behold God and eat and drink in communion with Him without being struck down was a great light, honor, and privilege. That privilege did not excuse later sin, give license to sin, or mean that wrongdoing would be overlooked or transgression lightly regarded. Those thus honored cannot afterward sin with impunity, but God will be strict to punish iniquity. Great light and privilege require returns of virtue and holiness corresponding to the light given, with ardor thrown into the spirit, zeal into effort, and vigor into carrying out His holy will, and must never lull to security or carelessness or breed the feeling that God will not be exact.
Nadab and Abihu stood highest in Israel next to Moses and Aaron and were especially favored and honored among those permitted with the seventy elders and princes of Israel to ascend, behold the divine glory, have communion with God, and dwell in the light of His glory. Having thus seen God, they knew that careful self-examination and sanctification were required before presenting themselves in the sanctuary where His presence was manifested. That knowledge and favor made their later transgression more grievous and not to be lightly regarded.
The leaders brought with Moses into God's presence to behold His glory forgot the honor received, making their rebellion and disregard of God's appointed servant especially inexcusable. Korah and his fellow conspirators were among those favored with special manifestations of God's power and greatness in going up with Moses and beholding the divine glory. Even after that privilege, a slight temptation harbored and encouraged strengthened until Satan controlled the mind and they ventured upon disaffection.
Moses at God's command took Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy influential elders up the mount to a place at a distance where they could behold the majesty of the divine presence while the people worshiped at its foot. They saw the God of Israel with what appeared under His feet like paved sapphire clear as the sky, the enshrouded glory of Christ, not His unveiled person whom no one can approach, and God spared their lives from harm so that they ate and drank in communion before Him. They were able to live through the sight because they had been prepared by fear that worked repentance, by loving and reverencing God, and by purifying themselves and contemplating His glory, purity, and mercy. God thus honored them and put His Spirit upon them to give them a clear sense of His greatness and wisdom to keep His fear before them in aiding Moses in leading Israel. Yet that great light and privilege gave no license to sin and demanded corresponding holiness and zeal, so the later transgression and rebellion of those so favored, as Nadab and Abihu and Korah with his company, was the more grievous and inexcusable and met with strict punishment.
The Vision on Sinai
At God's command Moses took Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the most influential elders and princes of Israel who aided his work up the mount to a place at a distance where they might behold the majesty of the divine presence while the people worshiped at its foot. Aaron was thus permitted to ascend, to approach into God's presence, and to behold the divine glory. The vision belongs to the solemn ratification of the covenant at Sinai. It came after Moses told the people all the words and judgments, the people unanimously answered with one voice that all that had been spoken they would do, Moses wrote the words, read the book of the covenant to the people who promised obedience, and sprinkled the blood of the covenant upon the people. It came immediately before the call for Moses to come up to receive the tables of stone with the law to teach, when Moses rose with his minister Joshua and went up into the mount of God, followed by directions for building the sanctuary and the pattern of the ark and by the exposure of the unbelief of the people when Moses did not soon come down.
They saw the God of Israel, with what appeared under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, clear as the body of heaven and as a clear sky. What they beheld was the inexpressible glory surrounding Him, the glory of Christ, enshrouded with thick cloud so that the people below could not behold it. They did not behold His person, but only the glory around His exalted majesty, for the Deity dwells in light which no one can approach. The vision was a revelation of God's glory before Israel. Upon the nobles of Israel God laid not His hand, but spared their lives from harm and destruction and did not strike them down or destroy them when they saw His presence. They saw God and ate and drank in His presence and before Him in communion with Him.
They could live through the sight because they were now prepared for it, whereas before they would have died. Exhibitions and displays of God's power had filled them with fear that wrought repentance for past transgressions. By loving and reverencing God and by purifying themselves and contemplating His great glory, purity, and mercy they were made able to approach nearer and to draw nearer to Him. God honored them with this nearer view of the glory around Him and put His Spirit upon them. That gift gave them a clear sense of His greatness, majesty, and power and fitted them with wisdom for their office, so that with His fear and glory continually before them they would act wisely in aiding Moses in leading Israel to the promised land and in guiding His people. These elders later assisted Aaron and Hur in caring for the people while Moses was on the mountain with God.
Privilege Demands Holiness
The instruction to which this seeing of God belongs remains to be studied and obeyed, guiding how to love one another, to end contention, and to deal justly with one another. The ascent of the nobles to behold God and eat and drink in communion with Him without being struck down was a great light, honor, and privilege. That privilege did not excuse later sin, give license to sin, or mean that wrongdoing would be overlooked or transgression lightly regarded. Those thus honored cannot afterward sin with impunity, but God will be strict to punish iniquity. Great light and privilege require returns of virtue and holiness corresponding to the light given, with ardor thrown into the spirit, zeal into effort, and vigor into carrying out His holy will, and must never lull to security or carelessness or breed the feeling that God will not be exact.
Nadab and Abihu stood highest in Israel next to Moses and Aaron and were especially favored and honored among those permitted with the seventy elders and princes of Israel to ascend, behold the divine glory, have communion with God, and dwell in the light of His glory. Having thus seen God, they knew that careful self-examination and sanctification were required before presenting themselves in the sanctuary where His presence was manifested. That knowledge and favor made their later transgression more grievous and not to be lightly regarded.
The leaders brought with Moses into God's presence to behold His glory forgot the honor received, making their rebellion and disregard of God's appointed servant especially inexcusable. Korah and his fellow conspirators were among those favored with special manifestations of God's power and greatness in going up with Moses and beholding the divine glory. Even after that privilege, a slight temptation harbored and encouraged strengthened until Satan controlled the mind and they ventured upon disaffection.