Leviticus 10:12-20: a reflection

12Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy; 13and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of the LORD made by fire; for so I am commanded. 14The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons’ portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel. 15They shall bring the heaved thigh and the waved breast with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD. It shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever, as the LORD has commanded.” 16Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned. He was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, 17“Why haven’t you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is most holy, and he has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? 18Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.” 19Aaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things as these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in the LORD’s sight?” 20When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.

When the priests, in a day of grief, do not follow a command to the letter, Moses is at first angry; but on hearing Aaron's reason, he is satisfied, showing that there is room for understanding and mercy in applying God's ways. Moses was angry that the sin offering had not been eaten as commanded; but Aaron explained the grief of that day, and when Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight. Aaron and his sons had that very day suffered a grievous loss; and in their grief, they had not eaten the offering as the command specified. Moses, zealous for God's command, was at first angry. But Aaron gave his reason: given the grief of the day, would eating it have been right? And Moses, hearing this, was satisfied. There was room, even in God's ways, for understanding and mercy, not only rigid enforcement of the letter. This shows that there is room for understanding and mercy in applying God's ways, not only rigid rule. There is room for understanding and mercy in applying God's ways, not only rigid rule. God's ways are not served by rigid enforcement without understanding. Consider the circumstances and heart, not only the letter, in applying rules. Grace and understanding have a place alongside faithful obedience.

Notice how this matter was resolved. Aaron and his sons had, on that very day, suffered a terrible loss. In their grief, they had not eaten the sin offering exactly as the command prescribed. Moses, rightly zealous for God's commands, was at first angry at the deviation. But Aaron did not simply defend himself with excuses; he gave a reasonable and heartfelt explanation: given the grief they were bearing that day, would it have been fitting, would it have been pleasing to God, to eat the offering as if nothing had happened? And Moses, hearing this, was satisfied; it was good in his sight. There was room, even here, for understanding the circumstances and the heart, not merely enforcing the letter rigidly. This holds a lesson about how we apply God's ways, and how we treat others in their keeping of them. Zeal for God's commands is good; but God's ways are not served by a rigid, unfeeling enforcement of the letter that takes no account of circumstances, grief, or the heart. There is room, as Moses found, for understanding and mercy: for considering the situation, the heart, the circumstances, and not merely condemning every deviation from the letter. This does not license carelessness with God's commands, but it warns against a harsh, rigid legalism that lacks understanding and mercy. We do well to apply God's ways, and to regard others in their keeping of them, with understanding and mercy, not merely rigid enforcement of the letter. Apply God's ways with understanding and mercy, not merely rigid enforcement of the letter. Consider circumstances and the heart, not only the letter, in others' keeping of God's ways. Zeal for God's commands leaves room for understanding and mercy. Beware a harsh legalism that condemns without understanding.

That is worth taking to heart, for there is room for understanding and mercy in applying God's ways, and we do well to allow for it, as Moses was satisfied on hearing Aaron's reason amid grief. We can rigidly enforce the letter without understanding; but Moses, hearing Aaron's reason for not following the command amid grief, was satisfied. Allow for mercy. Do not apply God's ways, or judge others in their keeping of them, with a rigid, unfeeling legalism; leave room for understanding and mercy, considering circumstances and the heart. Apply God's ways, and regard others in their keeping of them, with understanding and mercy rather than a rigid, unfeeling enforcement of the letter, as when the priests in a day of grief did not follow a command to the letter Moses was at first angry but on hearing Aaron's reason was satisfied, showing there is room for understanding and mercy in applying God's ways, since Aaron and his sons had that very day suffered a grievous loss and in their grief had not eaten the offering as commanded, and Moses zealous for God's command was at first angry, but Aaron gave his reason that given the grief of the day it would not have been fitting, and Moses hearing this was satisfied, there being room even in God's ways for understanding and mercy and not only rigid enforcement of the letter, which holds a lesson about how we apply God's ways and treat others in their keeping of them, since zeal for God's commands is good but God's ways are not served by a rigid, unfeeling enforcement of the letter that takes no account of circumstances, grief, or the heart, there being room as Moses found for understanding the circumstances and the heart and not merely condemning every deviation, which does not license carelessness with God's commands but warns against a harsh, rigid legalism that lacks understanding and mercy, so that we do well to apply God's ways and regard others with understanding and mercy.

Lord, when the priests, in a day of grief, do not follow a command to the letter, Moses is at first angry; but on hearing Aaron's reason, he is satisfied, showing that there is room for understanding and mercy in applying your ways. Moses was angry that the sin offering had not been eaten as commanded; but Aaron explained the grief of that day, and when Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight. Aaron and his sons had that very day suffered a grievous loss; and in their grief, they had not eaten the offering as the command specified. Moses, zealous for your command, was at first angry. But Aaron gave his reason: given the grief of the day, would eating it have been right? And Moses, hearing this, was satisfied. There was room, even in your ways, for understanding and mercy. Show me how this matter was resolved. Aaron and his sons had, on that very day, suffered a terrible loss. In their grief, they had not eaten the offering exactly as the command prescribed. Moses, rightly zealous for your commands, was at first angry. But Aaron did not simply defend himself with excuses; he gave a reasonable and heartfelt explanation: given the grief they were bearing that day, would it have been fitting to eat the offering as if nothing had happened? And Moses, hearing this, was satisfied. There was room, even here, for understanding the circumstances and the heart, not merely enforcing the letter rigidly. This holds a lesson about how I apply your ways, and how I treat others in their keeping of them. Zeal for your commands is good; but your ways are not served by a rigid, unfeeling enforcement of the letter that takes no account of circumstances, grief, or the heart. There is room, as Moses found, for understanding and mercy. This does not license carelessness with your commands, but it warns against a harsh, rigid legalism that lacks understanding. Take that to my heart. Keep me from applying your ways, or judging others in their keeping of them, with a rigid, unfeeling legalism; help me leave room, Lord, for understanding and mercy, considering circumstances and the heart, not only the letter, even as I keep zeal for your commands.