9:1 The 'eighth day' - so Aaron and his sons have been consecrated now. We are just over a week after the erection of the tabernacle and the sons of Aaron are ready to begin the great work. The detail of the chapter marks that the work was done exactly according to the commandment given in Exodus 29

10:1 'strange fire' shows the first violation of the details of Exodus. For in Exodus 30:9 Israel were commanded not to offer 'strange incense' consequently Nadab and Abihu died 'before the Lord'. 50% of the priest who were the sons of Aaron died in one moment. Consider how this would affect the operation of the Law of Moses.
10:3 So Israel learnt that Yahweh would 'be sanctified in those that come nigh me'. Our prayers are incense Psalm 141:2 Revelation 8:3 - 4. The lesson is clear with respect to our worship of the Father.
10:9 - 10 The prohibitions laid upon Aaron are represented to the priests who will officiate in the temple that Ezekiel describes - Ezekiel 44:21 - 23.
10:12 - 19 The fact that Eleazar and Ithamar had not eaten the offering because of the distress at the death of their brothers shows that even the observance of the Law of Moses was not just a mechanical observance of ritual. The feelings of the offerer affected the appropriateness of the offering.

9:23-24 The appearance of the glory cloud and the fire to consume the sacrifices demonstrated that Yahweh had accepted the offering of the people in making the tabernacle and it's furniture. The tabernacle has now been erected and accepted by God - but it is about to be spoilt by Nadab and Abihu.

10:19,20 The word 'accepted' is translated 'content' in :20. So we see that there is a relationship between God accepting the offering and the way a person thinks about what he is doing. It is not good enough simply to go through the motions. We have to have a heart prepared for the service we are doing as well. Israel had learnt this [Exodus 35:5,21,29] when they were instructed as to how they were to give to the building of the tabernacle. The lesson is so obvious for us today.

9:1 Having finished their consecration Aaron and his sons can now start the work. Whilst, after the tabernacle had been reared up, they would have wanted to get on with the work immediately they had to wait according to the provision of God that they might be fitted for the work. Likewise our life now is our preparation time - when Christ returns we will, through God's grace, be able to be 'kings and priest' (Revelation 5:10) so we should take care that this time of preparation is sued properly.

ch 10 - We should not assume that Nadab and Abihu were being openly rebellious against God. That they were drunk is beyond doubt. However we shod enquire why it was. The tabernacle had been made over a period of about 9 months. All that they had been looking forward to had come. They, and the rest of the people for that matter, would have been in a state of great joy. There was a feeling of great excitement and expectation - wine was drunk and the distinction between what was right and what they wanted to do out of a feeling of joy was blurred.

We must take care that our worship is according to God's instruction and not simply a reflection of our emotions.

9:22 It says that Aaron ‘came down’ where did he come down from? There is no indication of any structure that he went up to offer from.  Maybe we are to learn that offering sacrifice was an exalted thing and that having ‘gone up to offer’ Aaron ‘came down to the people’ marking that the offering takes the offerer nearer to God and the cessation of offering causes the offerer to be more distant from Him.

10:9-10 The putting a difference between holy and unholy is not something just for the priest. It is something that must be at the centre of our lives at all times. We must appreciate what is appropriate and what is not.  Minds that are intoxicated with the things of the world will not be able to make the distinction.

9:22      That Aaron ‘blessed’ the people marks the beginning of his work. He pronounces a blessing from God., Maybe the words of Num 6:24-26

10:4-7   This must have been a very sombre time in the camp. The joy associated with the beginning of tabernacle worship is turned into mourning.

10:6   God does not expect those who remained after the death of Nadab and Abihu not to have any feelings. However they were to be an example to the nation of Israel. Therefore they were not to show emotion as such emotion could be taken as a slight upon God’s judgement of Nadab and Abihu,

9:15 The offering (Heb. korban) for the people was given.  Korban means a pious donation, or a sacrificial present. The misuse of this consecrated gift was called into question by Jesus (Mark 7:10-13).

9:22 Truly it was a wonderful time. The people now had a priesthood to officiate on their behalf, so Moses blessed the people. What a wonderful blessing we have in that we have a priest who ‘ever liveth’ – Heb 7:25

9:24 The fact that the fire came from God and consumed the sacrifice, marking His acceptance of it, confirms the consecration of the priest. So the law of Moses can now be observed in its fullness.

If ever you are in any doubt as to whether the law has been replaced by Jesus Christ, consider this:

The priests (Aaron and his sons) were consecrated for 7 days with sacrifices and seperation. They wore holy clothes, headgear and annointing oil. Then when it came to finally enter in to the tabernacle it says "Moses and Aaron went in...". Hang on. Moses? How is that possible? He hadn't been consecrated! He hadn't been chosen as priest! He wasn't wearing the priestly robes, and hadn't been seperated seven days!

So we see that Moses, who spoke to God face to face, was greater than the whole system of sacrifices, priesthood, ritual and symbolic garments and implements. We should ponder why that is. And how is it that Moses went into the presence of God long before Aaron did, wearing just his ordinary clothes?

Psalm 108 We might think that David won his battles by his own strength, or that his victories were a foregone conclusion because he was the Lord's anointed. However David viewed things differently. He, when coming against his enemies, realised that the victory was the Lord's. vs10,11

Psalm 109 This Psalm is prayer for the overthrow of the counsel of Ahithophel who, along with Absalom, sought to overthrow the throne of David toward the end of his life. As such Ahithophel stands as a patter of Judas, who betrayed Jesus. So we have the betrayal of two of the Lord's anointed ones. This is why the psalm is quoted in the New testament and applied to Judas [:8 Acts 1:20] So as we read the Psalm we learn of David's feelings at this time and can gain an insight into how Jesus felt at the betrayal of his 'familiar friend' Judas.

109:16 the needy man with the broken heart is David. We gain something of an insight into the depths of David's depression over Ahithophel's treachery in the words of Psalm 55:12-14 which is another Psalm about the Absalom uprising. Consider how David was devastated because it was his 'friend' who had done this. Now reflect on the damage we cause when we let our brethren and sisters down.

108 - In this Psalm we have a salutary lesson for all nations that think that they control their own destinies. They all belong to Him (:8-9) He will eventually subdue these nations through the work of Jesus when he returns.

109 - Judas Iscariot followed the pattern of Ahithophel so Peter (Acts 1:20) quotes Psalm 109:8. So if we appreciate the feelings that David had when Ahithophel betrayed him we can imagine the way that Jesus felt about Judas.

108 - This Psalm is made up of parts from two Psalms: :1-5 is found in Psa 57:7-11. :6-13 is found in Psa 60:5-12. Both of these Psalms speak of deliverance. 57 speaks of deliverance from Saul. 60 speaks of deliverance from Edom. So this Psalm memorialises periods of deliverance and recounts them together to encourage others.

109 - As indicated last year this Psalm was written upon the treachery of Ahithophel. So it may well be part of David’s prayer when he learnt that Ahithophel was amongst the conspirators (2Sam 15:31)

Both our Psalms to-day were written by David. The first, Psa 108 is a song describing the supremacy of the God of Israel, while the second, Psa 109 is a prayer for the subjection of David's (and God's) enemies. "Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, let them be cover themselves with their own confusion." V.29

108:7    When God speaks ‘in His holiness’ He is speaking as separate from the world and all things in it. He stands, therefore, as the judge who is not prejudiced by human emotions.

109:26-27Whilst this Psalm clearly speaks of David’s feelings towards Ahithophel we must not see this as simply David seeking revenge. His concern is that people realise that all the things that happen to Ahithophel will be God’s judgment.

108:12-13 Israel would have done well to remember these words of David when they were assailed by their enemies rather than seeking to other nations around them to help them to defeat other enemies.

The repeated use of the word demonstrates that the Apostle had a great concern that the brethren and sisters in Corinth appreciated the way in which they should respond because of the love that they had experienced through the sacrifice of Jesus.

2:7 comfort
So we see that the brethren in Corinth are encouraged to draw on their understanding of the comfort that they have received in Christ to help them to understand how they should respond correctly to the repentant sinner in their midst.

1:11 We should remember that our prayers for others are actually valuable - but we should tell those for whom we pray that we are praying for them.

2:1 Some of us cause consternation just by our presence. Paul had already caused heaviness to the Corinthians and did not want to do so again - even though he had things about which he had cause to reprove them. Do we think about the impact our words will have on others before we say them?

Paul's rebuke of the Corinthian ecclesia concerning the errant brother (1 Cor. 5) is, perhaps, being addressed here in 2Cor 2:1-11.  Maybe the brother who had transgressed had now repented of his misdeed.  If that were the case, Paul was urging the ecclesia to show mercy and compassion and to forgive.  This is a powerful lesson for us to always seek reconciliation with our brethren by, on one hand, confessing our faults, and on the other, forgiving those faults.

1:1 We should realise that whilst the letter is from Paul it is also from 'all the saints that are in all Achaia'

2:1 There were problems at Corinth - and Paul knew exactly what had to be done to resolve the problems - but he did not come with a ;heavy hand' to implement change. Rather he was 'heavy'. Where do we fit in here? When we see a problem and know the solution do we wish to assert our understanding or are we happy to lay out the principles and allow others to work out the solution for themselves?

Paul shows us the compassionate approach towards one who has been disfellowshipped.  The brother who had been set aside for his misdeeds (1Cor 5:1,5) should be revisited (2:7,10).  If the brother were truly repentant, he would be received back into the fold.  Notice that the onus was on the ecclesia to check on the welfare of the brother.  Ecclesias should not disfellowship as a means of excommunication.  Too many leave it up to the brother or sister to petition to come back, and many do not.  Ecclesias should take a more pro-active approach in the recovery of the outcast and not do a Pilate - pass the bowl of water please!

1:17 ‘lightness – RV ‘fickleness’. Paul is saying that he did not use fleshly reasoning or a fleshly approach when dealing with the brethren and sisters in Corinth – this contrasts with those who sought a following as spoken about in 1 Corinthians.

2:9 Paul could have written to the ecclesia in Corinth and told them exactly what to do. However that would not be as helpful as laying out the principles and leaving it for the ecclesia to decide how to respond. We should learn the lesson. It is best to work things out for ourselves that be told what we should do.

In 2Cor 2:14-17 Paul talks about smells, both good and bad. The word “savour” is “smell” in the Greek, and we would normally expect the idea of a nice smell to refer back to burnt sacrifices, which sent their smell up to God in Heaven. But in New Testament times, Christ is the sacrifice. The NIV translates this as “the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” Then in 2Cor 2:15,16 we, the saints, are described as “a sweet savour of Christ” unto God. To the perishing, we represent death, but to the believers we smell of life.

2:6  ‘inflicted of many’ indicates that the decision to withhold fellowship from the brother who ‘had his father’s wife’ – 1Cor 5:1 – was made by the ecclesia, not by a select number of the ecclesia.

1:8     Paul was not concerned that the Corinthians simply knew what he was willing to suffer for Christ. Rather, as we saw in the first letter, there was great antipathy towards Paul from those who were self seeking. Paul is highlighting how he differed form those false brethren.

1:4 If we feel that the knowledge of salvation in Christ comforts us then we should be willing to comfort our brethren and sisters also. Putting it another way our realisation of the love of God should motivate us to love others. Do we ever feel motivated to do things simply because we think about what God has done for us?

In 1:5 Paul says "the bigger my trial, the more Christ helps" (my paraphrase). In v8-10 he describes a trial he had gone through that was so great, he wished he was dead, yet Jesus delivered him. So Paul wants us to gain confidence from his own experience (v6) knowing that no matter how great we perceive our trouble to be, Jesus will match the comfort to the situation.

Psalm 107 seems relevant here, and in particular vs 23-32 which describe one of the great trials Paul went through.

1:24 In saying that he did not have ‘dominion’ but wanted to be a ‘helper’ of the Corinthians he was making the point that he differed from some in the church who sought for pre-eminence over them.