Again in today’s Text, what God has called “good,” man has soiled with his disobedience or presumption or some other form of sin! This also happened at Eden, if you remember. And the ante-diluvian civilization acted no better! And so forth … throughout world history.

I am speaking of the momentous event that occurred the beginning of Leviticus chapter 10…

“And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.” Leviticus 10:1-2, just the first two verses.

Aaron just lost two of his four sons!

It is not as if they had not been warned, either. Exodus 19:22 … “And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.”

Wow!

Oh, again we see the seriousness of not reverencing God’s “Call” to His Holy Service/Ministry!

“Nadab, ” the name means “generous.” And “Abihu” translates “He is my Father.” Both were born into positions of great honor, being sons of Israel’s first High Priest. Both had seen the Glory of God on the Mountain, Exodus 24:1 seems to indicate.

Yet … somehow … they sinned against the Lord, egregiously.

Perhaps they took “their own” censers (pans that can hold fire, hot coals) and approached the Lord … instead of the properly anointed censers God has recently ordained.

Perhaps they took their “fire” from the wrong source, not from the “Holy Fire” God had just miraculously sent to the brazen altar! (Leviticus 9:24 … “And there came a fire out from BEFORE THE LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat.”)

Perhaps they went too far into the Holy Place, maybe even into the very Holy of Holies! “Before the Lord,” Moses recorded. Crass presumption at least!

Perhaps they just got “ahead” of God, rushing the Day of Atonement Rituals, stepping into their Father’s (the High Priest’s) shoes. Even after all God’s prior Warnings/Instructions!

Then again, based on a line or two from verse 9 of Leviticus 10, maybe these two men were intoxicated! Read this: “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die:.” God commanding Aaron!

Or maybe their transgression included some of each of the foregoing mistakes!

Anyway … “There went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.” Verse 2, FIRE to kill disobedient priests, emanating from the MERCY SEAT Itself!

Wow!

A whole Batch/Series of Sermons could be preached from this singular (astounding) Event!

God killed Achan as a warning against theft!

God killed Uzzah as a warning against irreverence!

God killed Ananias and Sapphira as a warning against lying to the Holy Spirit!

And clearly, God killed Nadab and Abihu for their intrusion (when unqualified) into the August Presence of the Almighty!

God’s Holiness … a Serious Matter!

More tomorrow, the Lord willing.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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