Read (or quickly survey) Leviticus 8.  How does Israel (led by Moses) go about consecrating Aaron and his sons for service as priests?  Outline and describe the events that take place.

Describe the events that take place in 9:1-21.  How many sacrifices are offered?  What kind of sacrifices are they?  Who are they for?  What is this significant?

How does God respond to these sacrifices?  (10:22-24)  What are we to make of his response?

Why does God kill Nadab and Abihu?  (10:1-3)  What can we learn and apply from this incident in Israel’s history?

In 10:1, the text specifies that Nadab and Abihu offered a sacrifice of unauthorized fire that had not been commanded.  (Not unauthorized fire that had been specifically prohibited.)  What are we to make of this?  It is clearly important to avoid those things that have been specifically forbidden by God.  (For example Exodus 20:1-11, 13-17.)  But what about other instances, where there are clear commands, but not clear prohibitions?  (For example, Exodus 20:12)  How should we respond in situations like that?

Why was it necessary for the nation of Israel to have a priesthood?  What exactly did the priests do?  (10:10-11)

How does the office of the priesthood in Israel point forward to the person and work and ministry of Jesus?  How does Jesus function as a true and better priest of the New Covenant (as opposed to the Levitical priests of the Old Covenant)?  How is his ministry similar to theirs?  How is it different (better)?  (See also Hebrews 7:11-28)

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