INQUIRE INQUIRE

If you were to get 2 people to count, one from the beginning of Genesis, each word going forward; and the other from the end of Deuteronomy, each word going backwards, they would finally meet in Leviticus 10:16:

Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned: and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying,
(Lev 10:16 WEB (R))

The first person would end at the word here translated 'diligently', while the second person would end at the word translated 'inquired.' What is not generally understood here is that in actuality, these 2 words in Hebrew are the same.

Here is the verse in Hebrew:

(Lev 10:16 HOT) ואת שׂעיר החטאת דרשׁ דרשׁ משׁה והנה שׂרף ויקצף על־אלעזר ועל־איתמר בני אהרן הנותרם לאמר׃

Literally, Moses inquired inquired. When they wanted to intensify a concept, one way they would do it was to double up the verb, as is the case here. So Moses did not simply inquire, but he really, really, really inquired. This is why the English translates it as DILIGENTLY inquired, to indicate that intensity.

Lest we think to ourselves, 'Who cares?', I would submit to you that every single letter in scripture is important, and placed where it is for a purpose, to teach us important truths. The fact that here we have this word at the centerpiece of Torah, is our Father's way of telling us, 'There is something extremely important here that we need to know, and live out.' It is that lesson I wish to share now.

This centerpiece is found between two very similar events, each with different results. They both involve 2 of Aaron's sons, all 4 of whom disobeyed direct instructions given from God through Moses. The first concerns what the sons did, while the 2nd concerns what the sons did not do. Here is the first event, with Nadab and Abihu:

Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them. And fire came forth from before Yahweh, and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh. Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying, 'I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.' " Aaron held his peace.
(Lev 10:1-3 WEB (R))

Nadab and Abihu offered fire to God that he had not commanded them to do. This cost them their lives.

Now compare this with the second event, with Eleazar and Ithamar:

The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons' portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel. The heaved thigh and the waved breast they shall bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh: and it shall be yours, and your sons' with you, as a portion forever; as Yahweh has commanded." Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned: and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, "Why haven't you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, seeing it is most holy, and he has given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh? Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary: you certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded." Aaron spoke to Moses, "Behold, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh; and such things as these have happened to me: and if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in the sight of Yahweh?" When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.
(Lev 10:14-20 WEB (R))

This time, we see his remaining two sons NOT doing something commanded by God through Moses-eating the portion given for them so as to bear the iniquity of the congregation. However, in this case, we do not see Yahweh stepping in. Instead, we see Moses questioning their (in his eyes) disregard for what he had commanded them.

However, unlike most leaders, he does not simply demand an answer from them, but there was something else in his character that showed itself here, and it is those 2 important words right in the middle of Torah; inquire, inquire. In his anger, and inquiry, he was open to seeing beyond what appeared to be obvious, which was their apparent disobedience of God's instruction to them through him.

Yes, on the surface it appears as though you have all 4 of Aarons sons doing the same thing, in not following Yahweh's directions. Perhaps the fact that Moses did not see Yahweh kill the other 2 sons gave him reason to be open to seeking a deeper understanding of the situation, if their was one, but whatever the case, the fact is that, in doing so, he was able to hear Aaron's response, not simply with his physical ears, but with his understanding, and thus, in similar form to Aaron's holding his peace, Moses did as well, for, having heard what Aaron had to say, he was pleased and realized his judgment was hasty.

The practical outworking of that in our lives can be seen as we never get to the place where we think we are beyond having a change in viewpoint. Even in plain and simple things which appear to be black and white to us, we must never assume that because of how much we have already come to know, or what position humanly we are in, that there can be no other possible way of thinking of a matter.

And also we learn to never be satisfied with the depths at which we have sought to know our Father and his ways. The ancient teachers have said that this teaches us to continue seeking and inquiring a deeper and broader understanding of his Word.

Ron