After the deaths of his sons Nadab and Abihu, Aaron received instruction from God:
"Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die" (Lev 10:9).
God also explained the reason for this rule: "You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses (vv 10-11). The priests would need to be in complete control of their faculties to make important distinctions and teach effectively.
Aaron would have important decisions to make, starting right away, and the sacrifices had to carried out correctly. Moses was initially upset with Aaron for not properly completeing the purification offering for the people that day. A portion was to be eaten by the priests, symbolizing the transfer of sins from the people to the priests and completing an atonement process for the people. But the offering had been allowed to burn up on the altar (v 16).
Aaron explained to Moses that it wouldn't have been proper for them to eat their portion that day. How could they participate in the people's atonement when they were to some extent to blame for what had happened with Nadab and Abihu? After hearing Aaron's explanation, Moses concurred.
In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on Dec 11, 2021, Kyle Kettering brought out both the blessings and the dangers associated with alcohol. As a "kingdom of priests" ourselves, we are to make sound decisions about these things, including being flexible and accommodating about our individual approaches to the use of alcohol.
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