Something New to "Chew" On

I love the Old Testament - I love the old stories - I love reading how God shows up in people's stories - I love reading about heroes of the faith and realizing that they were just as human as I am.

But one story has puzzled me and this time reading it in the Message translation, sheds a bit more light on it but questions still remain.

Leviticus 9-11 - God is telling Moses and Aaron what to do and how to do the different sacrifices and the differences between them. Then Aaron's two sons decided to do some "offerings" of their own and God consumed them with fire. Moses tells Aaron - "this is what God meant when He said, ' to the one who comes near Me, I will show myself Holy; before all the people, I will show my Glory.'"

They were in the presence of a Holy God and offered something different and in a different way than God instructed. I understand that it was paramount in the days of offerings and sacrifices that it was to be done strictly in the manner that God instructed. It seems a bit over the top of a punishment to me but I live and have been raised in the "grace" era.

My question to the Holy Spirit, who loves to teach us by the way, is is there a difference between seeing His Holiness and seeing His Glory. God makes that distinction.....He says to the one who comes near Me....then I believe it meant that those who came into the Holy of Holies to offer those sacrifices (which were a very select few). They had to be of the right family and tribe. And then He showed His Glory to the people - the masses. So is there a difference?  Is there a reality, a responsibility, a deeper level of understanding when we come near to God?  I know He doesn't want to be a standoffish God. I know He wants us to know His Father Heart. Is the way to be near a very distinct, very strict way to go?  Is it a way that not many want to follow?  Is it easier to just be within the masses and see His Glory? Is there not much of a response that is required to just see His Glory?

And if there is all this difference, responsibility, reality - do I really and truly want to come near to Him?  What is the benefits to that? I don't want to be in fear that if I step the wrong way, or say the wrong thing that I will get zapped.

Then I remember that God is a God of Love and He gave His Son to us and through His Son - all the requirements, rules and regulations of the old way of doing things were fulfilled by His Death and Resurrection. He draws us to His Heart with His Loving Kindness. He longs for us to draw near to His Heart so we can hear it beating and how it beats and why it beats. He is no longer behind this curtain that divided the worship center from the holy of holies where His Presence was. His Presence is now in us and among us and we are now the temple of His Presence - so we carry His Presence with us everywhere we walk and everywhere we live.

There is this requirement that "we love Him with all of our hearts, minds and souls AND we love our neighbor as ourselves."  Jesus said that all the law of the prophets is summed up by these commandments. All those sacrifices, all that shedding of blood, all of those requirements, rules and regulations have been taken care of through these 2 commandments.  So take the time to really think this through - ask questions as you think.

There is where I have come out - still love to chew on all these things. God is not afraid of our doubt or questions or confusion at times. But He does NOT want us to stop there - He wants us to ask - that is how we get to His Heart. We do NOT have to fear Him or His Presence. He loves to reveal Himself to us. His glory, His holiness, His presence, His love, His encompassing "Allness".  (that is another one of my words).