3# Shemini (Lev. 9:1-11:47) (SPIRITUAL FIRE: ‘DON’T BE A SPIRITUAL THRILL SEEKER’) (4-10-21)

(The Quality And Sincerity Of True Worship Is Not Manifest In Emotional Highs And Spiritua lGymnastics)!

Leviticus 9 ended with Fire Coming Out From The Presence Of The LORD and consuming the sacrificeson the altar. It was a Great Sign. The people shouted in ecstatic worship and prostrated themselves before God. Leviticus 10 opens with Fire Coming Out FromThe Presence Of The LORD and consuming the high priest Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu. These two stories is supposed to teach us a lesson about God. In both stories The Fire Came Out From The Presence Of The LORD. In both stories The Fire Represents God's Glory. In Both stories, It Is The Same Fire. It Is The Same God.

When we assemble together to worship, we should anticipate a close encounter with God. When Israel gathered for the first worship service in the Tabernacle, Fire Blazed Forth From God and Consumed Their Offerings. Everyone fell on their faces before The Glory Of The LORD. When we gather in His Houses Of Worship on His Appointed Times, it is reasonable to expect that He will be present in some manner and impact our lives.

On the other hand, The Fire Of The LORD did not blaze forth in that manner on a daily basis. The priests continued to serve and bring the offerings every day after that first miraculous worship service. They kept the divine fire alive by feeding the flames of the altar, but the amazing glory of the LORD did not blaze out again.

There were probably some Israelites who felt as if something or someone in The Congregation had done something wrong. "Why Has This Tabernacle Become So Spiritually Dry?" they might have wondered. Perhaps they went looking for other tabernacles where God's Spirit was "Really Moving." Some people are always looking for Spiritual Fire. They are in constant pursuit of emotional highs and over the top dazzlement. They judge the quality of a worship service and the sincerity of other worshippers by means of their Own Internal, Emotional Barometer, and they equate and confuse the daily obedient routine with spiritual lifelessness.

Other people are more like the priests. They may have had experiences with Spiritual Fire, but they do not live their lives in pursuit of experiences. Instead of demanding fresh fire from heaven every week, they are diligently keeping the spiritual flame alive as they go through the seemingly constant obedience of serving the Almighty according to His instructions. Sometimes there is fresh fire, but the mature man of faith serves steadfastly in all seasons.

(SPIRITUAL FIRE:‘DON’T BE A SPIRITUAL THRILL SEEKER’)

(This Torah Portion Teaches Us That The Quality And Sincerity Of True Worship Is Not Manifest In Emotional Highs And Spiritual Gymnastics, But The One Found Daily Working When His Master Returns)!