QT 4/9/2026 Exo 24:1-11, Remaining humble

Exodus 24:1–11 (ESV) —

1 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. 2 Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” 4 And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. 6 And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” 8 And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

 

NOTE: This is a high point for Nadab and Abihu, unfortunately it will come to an end all too soon. God will take their lives for offering foreign fire. While their deaths are clouded in mystery, it would have to be a very serious issue for God to have responded as he did. Some speculate it has to do with drinking alcohol, because of a specific conversation God has with their father Aaron after the incident. At this point, I'm sure that there was a temptation to think of oneself as exalted - eating in the presence of God and seeing a floor of sapphire stone. There is always the danger of pride when a person undergoes a miraculous event or their name is lifted up.

 

What is the lesson? How do we protect ourselves from overwhelming pride that ultimately might result in an even greater fall? How do we maintain humility in times of great achievements? I'm not sure of the answer because I don't think I have done well in those situations. Certainly, preparing yourself mentally to be humble, living in humility, always treating every person (janitor to CEO) with the same respect and kindness -- these are all good ideas. But when the moment happens will we remember?

 

I used to travel first class a lot (I was getting upgraded quite a bit) and I never saw the seat any different from an economy seat. I was grateful. I did not expect any extra treatment. And I worked heart to be kind and appreciative to the stewardess's. I also had a lot of poor examples to see and remind me of what I do not want to look like. A congresswoman from Houston was a constant reminder of what I never want to look like. I guess a negative example had more of an impression on me in terms of what I don't want to be.

 

PONDER:

1. How do I respond to acclamation or praise?
2. What do I do to remember that it is not me, but God who is at work?

 

PRAYER: Twice now, I have had young men who sat down next me because "I was a spiritual giant" in their minds. Both times, I was not very kind because I was not what they thought, and I did not like it. But even in that case, I should have been kind. Forgive me for my ugly stupidity. I pray I would never be like that again.