“Fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground.”

Leviticus 9:24 (NLT)

Nothing compares to a great worship service where the LORD is present. Today we see where they brought forth the offerings that God required. These included sin offerings and burnt offerings (for Aaron as well as for the people), peace offerings, and a grain offering. Moses told them that if they would do these things, then the LORD would appear to them. Before Aaron could make atonement for others, he first had to make atonement for himself. There is only One High Priest who is sinless!

When they had done all that the LORD commanded, then Moses and Aaron came out of the tabernacle and blessed the people. Immediately, the glory of the LORD appeared, and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering. When all the people saw this, they shouted and fell on their faces! Now that’s a worship service!

But let’s understand how all this happened. They did what God told them to do. Their sins were atoned for through the sin offerings, and they offered the prescribed burnt, peace and grain offerings. Then the glory and fire of the LORD appeared, and the people responded.

Recently we had a wonderful worship service. We praised the LORD in song, taught His Word, and had a wonderful time of communion, confessing our sins, and thanking God for forgiving us because of Christ’s work on the cross. The glory of God was present–not as visible as what they experienced in the Grand Opening of the tabernacle, but just as real. The fire of the LORD was present to convict of sin. And God blessed us as we confessed our sins and received His total forgiveness. Should we be surprised by this?

When we do what God tells us to do, trusting in the finished work of Christ for our atonement, then we receive His blessing, power and forgiveness. And that makes for an amazing worship service!

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