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Nothing to be added or subtracted from God’s Word? (Deut. 4:1-8)
“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it.”

“There are many circumstances of life about which the Scriptures are silent and God has allowed for man's creative faculties to flourish. But in areas where God has clearly stated His will for men in the form of law, nothing is to be added or subtracted. These areas of law are, to be sure, broader than the activities of worship, and yet worship is certainly included within the scope of the command. Where God has clearly spoken, as He has regarding worship, man is not free to add or subtract from his Word…

The distinction between life as a whole and worship lies behind the distinction between the six days of Labor and the Sabbath day. Hence anti -Sabbatarians use the same superficial argument-‘we are to live every day to the glory of God’ Now, of course we are to live every day to the glory of God, but six days out of seven we are to live to the glory of God in the home, in the kitchen, at the office, and at the factory, but on the Sabbath day we are to live to the glory of God by engaging in the specific ordinances of His worship. There is a distinction between glorifying God in our daily living and glorifying God in our conscious approach to Him in worship. The denial of that distinction is destructive of the Sabbath and it is destructive of any biblical attempt to know how to worship God.” (Comin 48, 49).

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No man has the right to grant exceptions to God’s commands (Num. 9:1-14)
“The sovereign God prescribes ordinances for His people and will not tolerate any corruption of His commands through human addition. Because God's appointed ordinances are typical of Christ, any deviation from them is an implicit denial of His Person, authority, and redemptive work.

In the first five verses of Numbers 9, Moses is instructed to relay to Israel God’s command regarding the particular day in which the Passover was to be kept. Immediately following this is the account of ‘certain men’ who became ceremonially impure by contact with a human corpse and were therefore disqualified from participation in the Passover at its appointed time. Desiring to keep the feast, but recognizing that it would have been a direct transgression of God's command to observe the Passover on a different date, they appealed to Moses.

Once more, the principle is illustrated that God’s commands are not to be set aside or altered, even for what seem to our eyes to be good and justifiable reasons. Remarking on this passage Malcolm Watts observes, ‘even though Moses was Israel’s leader, he did not feel at liberty to authorize any change in the observance of ordinances... [H]e refused to give them permission to participate in the celebration until he had received from God an express statement to that effect.’

Moses, as an instrument of divine revelation, received additional statutes to cover such circumstances. God was progressively revealing His will for worship in the context of real life situations so that His people might learn to implement nothing without a positive warrant from His word.” (Comin 37-38)

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“In Numbers we meet Balaam, a false prophet, hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel. Three times God filled his mouth with blessings instead of a curse. Yet Balaam found another way to provoke God's wrath against Israel. Revelation 2: 14 tells us that he ‘taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.’ It is this stumbling block that we read about in Numbers 25: 1-3: ‘Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel.’

Satan's best weapon against the Church is not a frontal assault, but a subtle infiltration. His desire to lure the people of God into compromising the purity of worship is clearly seen in the mixing of Israel with Moab.

The fact that the spirit of Balaam was present in the Church when John wrote Revelation shows us that this was not merely an Old Testament problem. The corruption of worship that results from the mixing of human invention with God's appointed means is ever the cunning strategy of the deceiver. (Comin, 46)

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“These verses record the specific instructions given to Aaron as High Priest concerning his entrance into the most holy place. The introduction in verse 1 is clearly intended to tie this command to the holiness of God, which has been profaned by Nadab and Abihu’s ‘creative’ worship. The emphasis here is once again upon the fact that God may be approached only on His terms. Aaron is therefore told in no uncertain terms, ‘not to come at just anytime into the holy place inside the veil.’ He must come only at the time of God's appointment.

Aaron had been entrusted with a special office. As High Priest he represented God to the people, and the people before God. But even this position of privilege and responsibility did not give him license to come and go into the presence of God as he pleased. The fact that God had favored him with a special honor was not to be seen as an excuse for familiarity with God.” (Comin, 33)

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“Number 20:1-13 records the sad event which resulted in Moses being forbidden entrance into the land of promise. The people demanded water. Moses appealed to God. God instructed Moses to speak to the rock. Moses, instead of speaking to the rock, rebuked the people and struck the rock twice with his rod. Water gushed forth for the people, but Moses was sternly rebuked by God and banned from entrance into Canaan. Much ado about a rock?

Once again, the point to be emphasized here is that God designs His ordinances to purposefully and poignantly convey spiritual truths to His people. Any tampering with His appointed ordinances, then, distorts their application and therefore distorts the truth that they are purposefully designed to communicate. From 1 Corinthians 10:4 we know that the rock in the wilderness that provided refreshment to Israel was a type of Christ…

In Horeb, Moses was commanded to strike the rock. Here in Kadesh, he is only commanded to ‘speak to the rock.’ By striking it, not only once but twice, Moses added to God’s command and distorted this beautiful picture of Christ’s sufficient work. It may have seemed a slight deviation to Moses, but it was a great transgression in the eyes of God, and the cost to Moses was also great…

It is often argued that the closeness of the relationship to God which we now have in Christ gives us the right to take liberties with God’s worship in a way that could not be done before. But closeness of relationship to God is no license to add to or subtract from His Law. None was closer to God but Moses. ‘Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD , make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face. Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the LORD.’ (Num. 12:6-8). Even this man, who heard God’s voice and saw His form, could not presume to improvise in the worship of God.” (Comin, 44-45)

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Hits: 1956

“Immediately after the judgment of Nadab and Abihu, we read that God gave instructions to Aaron concerning the service of the house in the tabernacle. It is noteworthy that here God speaks directly to Aaron, where in most every other case He speaks to Aaron through Moses. The commandment given, therefore, especially concerned Aaron’s administration in worship and was to be heard by him directly from the mouth of God.

The thrust of the statute was that Aaron and his sons were forbidden from drinking wine and strong drink while they were active in the functions of their office…Further, the larger context shows that what was of the greatest concern here was that the judgment of the priests was not to be clouded in any way while they were carrying out the prescribed worship of the Lord. The reason given is two-fold.

First, they must be sober minded so that they can rightly ‘distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.’ The word translated ‘distinguish’ is the Hebrew word for ‘divide.’ It is the same word used throughout the creation account of Genesis 1, when God ‘divided’ light from darkness (vs.4), the waters from the waters (vss. 6-7), and day from night (vs.14). The same word is used of the veil of the tabernacle, which formed a ‘divider’ between the holy place and the most holy place. It is a word that has to do with separation. The task of Aaron and his sons was to carefully separate, divide, and distinguish between what was holy and what was profane.

We have already seen throughout our study on worship up to this point that God defines what is ‘holy’ as that which He has commanded and
what is ‘profane’ as that which is introduced by the caprice of men apart from divine warrant. Distinguishing between the holy and the profane is precisely what Nadab and Abihu had failed to do, and thus the necessity for this command.

It is not necessary to conclude, as some have done, that Nadab and Abihu committed their particular sin under the influence of wine or strong drink. This may or may not have been the case. What is clear is that this raised an issue of sound judgment, and God immediately introduced this law as a safeguard.

Second, the priests must be sober minded so that they ‘may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses’ with clarity. Strong drink would dull the senses, and put them in jeopardy of misrepresenting God's commands to His people.

From this command and its immediate context we learn that God charges His appointed ministers with the awesome task of instructing His people in the requirements of His law regarding worship, and exercising careful judgment over what they present to Him in their assemblies. This is the principle of accountability: God holds most accountable those whom He has appointed as stewards of His truth. When worship is corrupted, through a failure to distinguish between the holy and the profane, God lays it to the charge of the ministers of His house. Likewise, if the people are ignorant of His commands, and are thus permitted, or even encouraged to offer profane worship, it is the minister who is culpable. ‘My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.’ (James,3:1)

When God announced His impending judgment upon Israel through the prophet Ezekiel, it was precisely on these grounds that He testified against them: ‘ Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths so, that I am profaned among them. (Ezekiel 22:26)” (Comin, 30-32)

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“Numbers 16;1-40 records the account of the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram and adds yet another dimension to the Bible's teaching regarding worship. Here the focus is upon God's appointed offices and functions within the Church- which were also given to reflect His provision of salvation and His people's dependence upon Him.

Korah and his co- complainers were not content with the roles that God had assigned to them, and coveted the office and function of Moses and Aaron. They resented the fact that Moses and Aaron had been entrusted with special authority and an exclusive function among God's people. The basis of the plea was an appeal to equality- they were the forerunners of modern egalitarians, who would erase every distinction in role and function on the basis of an assumed and promiscuous equality. They gathered together against Moses and Aaron and said to them, ‘you take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD? (verse 3)

Moses responded with God-given wisdom. First, he reminded them of their divinely appointed place and station: ‘ Hear now, you sons of Levi’ (verse 8). Second, he confronted their spirit of discontent: ‘Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself to do the work of the Tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to serve them? (verse 9). Third, he uncovered their true motivation: ‘ are you seeking the priesthood also’ (verse 10.). Fourth, he exposed the true object of their attack: ‘ Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?’ (verse 11.)

God’s response of fearful judgment leaves no question as to His displeasure at their discontent with His assigned roles within the Church…
A similar contention is often made today. 1 Peter 2:5,9 refers to the New Testament church as a ‘spiritual house’ and a ‘holy priesthood.’ This passage, along with others, is the basis for the doctrine of the ‘priesthood of all believers.’ The idea of this important doctrine is that Christ has fulfilled what the Old Testament priesthood was designed to foreshadow. Through Him, every believer has access to God and their offerings of praise and service are accepted.

It is an error, however, to conclude from this doctrine that because all are now ‘priests’ in the New Testament Church and have equal access to God through Christ, all may rightly exercise any role involved in the life and worship of the Church. To plead the ‘priesthood of all believers’ in this way is little different from Korah's contention that ‘all the congregation is holy’ and should therefore have an equal right to the functions of Moses and Aaron.

The truth of the matter is that God continues to make distinctions in office and function, even in the New Testament Church, and with His commanded distinctions we ought to be content. ‘Now you are the body of Christ and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles. then gifts of healings. Helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 1 Corinthians 12:27-30

The order of office and function that God has established within His Church is designed to reflect His provision in Christ and His people's dependence upon His word through Christ for salvation. To deny God’s appointed offices or the distinction of function that He has prescribed, is to exalt man's judgment over God’s, and put individuals- apart from His calling, gifting and appointing them as his representatives- in the place of God.

It is also an error to conclude from the priesthood of all believers that every Christian has the right to ‘add something’ to the service of worship through the exercise of his/her particular gifts. Even the priests of the Old Covenant did not have the prerogative to invent rites and ordinances to be added to God's commands for worship. Why then would it be assumed that Christ’s fulfillment of the symbolism of the priesthood opens the way for individuals to set aside His commanded ordinances and determine for themselves how God is to be worshipped? (Comin, 41-43)

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“ Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s sons, presumed to worship God with ‘strange fire which He commanded them not.’ This act of presumption was met by an immediate judgment as the fire of God’s wrath consumed the two brothers. The interpretation of this historical event is not difficult: God abhors carelessness in worship which presumes to offer what He has not commanded…Some readers react to this account with startled amazement, as if the punishment inflicted was far more severe than offense deserved. Such a response, however, not only calls God’s perfect justice into question, but also fails to appreciate the seriousness of worship…God’s worship must be governed by two chief considerations. First, God’s holiness must be duly regarded by those who come near to Him. Second, the exclusivity of God’s glory is given as a reason for His jealousy about worship.” (Comin, 28,29)

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“This is the reason that no man or group of men may set aside or presume to add to or detract from God's commands for worship.

In the 15th chapter of Numbers we find an account of the punishment of a man who boldly broke the fourth commandment. The fact that most modern readers tend to view the penalty, which was death by stoning, as too harsh for the crime indicates how backward our thinking has become.

The Sabbath was given to Israel as a continual reminder that the Lord God dwelt in the midst of His people. To ignore the Sabbath is to deny God as Creator, Governor, Judge and Redeemer.

As Creator, He sanctified the seventh day and declared it holy, as an example for His creatures in all their generations. To break the Sabbath is a practical denial of God as Creator.

As Governor, He instituted a command, based upon the pattern of creation, incorporated in the Moral Law which contains a summary of man’s whole duty toward God and toward his neighbor. To break the Sabbath is a rebellious denial of God as Governor or Law Giver.

As Judge, He holds men accountable for disobedience to His commands and punishes those who disobey. To break the Sabbath is a high- handed denial of God as Judge, as though He had no power and no intention of enforcing His own word.

As Redeemer, God has provided an eternal rest from the ravages of sin- and the Sabbath rest is typical of this eternal rest which remains for the people of God. To break the Sabbath, therefore, is a denial of God's gracious provision of salvation itself-and the transgression of the Sabbath deprives us of the very means by which God has ordained that this salvation be communicated and applied to His people.” (Comin, 38-39)