INTERESTING FACTS : The Bible can be read aloud in 70 hours.[1]

Daily Reading : [LEVITICUS 8 - 10]

TEXT : Lev 10:1 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. Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Lev 10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

THEME : INSPIRATION

Unlike our Great High Priest - Jesus Christ, Aaron and his sons had to have blood applied to their office of ministry. Even the Tabernacle itself had to be consecrated with blood. As the life of all flesh is in the blood, so God gave blood to make atonement for sin. Blood represents death in exchange for life. In other words, the sacrifices of animals in the Old Testament were substitutes for the guilty [Man]. Even though God gave the commands how to build the Tabernacle it had to be cleansed with a sacrifice. Likewise, even the priesthood had to be forgiven and cleansed of all sin before there could be ministry in the Tabernacle. Jesus who is holy, harmless, and undefiled - God come in the flesh - was the only person who needed no cleansing. As you know, all the Old Testament sacrifices - including the Tabernacle itself and its furnishings, were types of Christ until He came and fulfilled the Law and took on its curse - death. On cleansing Aaron and his sons for divine service to God in the Tabernacle, we read -

"To the law of sacrifice there is appended first of all an account of the fulfilment of the divine command to sanctify Aaron and his sons as priests, which Moses had received upon the mount along with the laws concerning the erection of the sanctuary of the tabernacle (Ex 28 and 29). This command could not properly be carried out till after the appointment and regulation of the institution of sacrifice, because most of the laws of sacrifice had some bearing upon this act. The sanctification of the persons, whom God had called to be His priests, consisted in a solemn consecration of these persons to their office by investiture, anointing, and sacrifice (ch. 8), - their solemn entrance upon their office by sacrifices for themselves and the people (ch. 9), - the sanctification of their priesthood by the judgment of God upon the eldest sons of Aaron, when about to offer strange, fire-and certain instructions, occasioned by this occurrence, concerning the conduct of the priests in the performance of their service (ch. 10).[2]"

Therefore, we come to understand that nothing under the Old Covenant - including the priests themselves, could minister before God without the forgiveness of sin. God's nature is Holy, and no flesh can come before Him without being made clean. This is done through shedding blood or death.

TRUTH FOR TODAY : WHEN WE FOLLOW GOD'S WORD WE RECEIVE GOD'S PROMISES!

In chapter ten, we read of a tragic event as two of Aaron's sons go into the Tabernacle against God's prescribed law. The Bible describes the offered "Strange Fire" and both were immediately struck down by God in a burst of searing flames. There is evidence from the text itself that they may have been intoxicated. "And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 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: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations." [Lev 10:8 - 9] It seems obvious based on the command Moses gives Aaron this was the case. Yet, even if it was not, the offense was coming to God in a manner not prescribed but forbidden. Further, some commentators believe the death of Aaron's sons took place the same day all of them were consecrated. Commenting on these observations Albert Barnes wrote -

"The point of their offence is evidently expressed in this term. This may very probably mean that the incense was lighted at an unauthorized time. And we may reasonably unite with this the supposition that they were intoxicated (compare Lev_10:9), as well as another conjecture, that they made their offering of incense an accompaniment to the exultation of the people on the manifestation of the glory of the Lord Lev_9:24. As they perished not within the tabernacle, but in front of it, it seems likely that they may have been making an ostentatious and irreverent display of their ministration to accompany the shouts of the people on their way toward the tabernacle. The offence for which they were immediately visited with outward punishment was thus a flagrant outrage on the solemn order of the divine service, while the cause of their offence may have been their guilty excess."[3]

We learn from this that God's commands and instructions must be taken seriously. There is nothing in the Bible that is arbitrary. All is in there for a reason and we must reverence and respect it deeply. For instance, on the inspiration of Scripture we read -

"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. [Deu 4:2]

"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." [ Prov 30:5 - 5]

"And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. [Rev 22:19]

Notice the solemn warnings given not to change God's Word found in the Bible. It is also interesting to observe that adding to them is put first. Of course, many feel compelled to take away from God's Word. Still, adding to them is in the first position.

When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire they went against God Himself. Like Cain, he was angered that God accepted his brothers offering and not his. This is because there is a way to come to God told to us by God Himself. No other method or approach will do. For us, we must come to God through Christ as the Scriptures says -

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." [1 Tim 2:3 - 6] Then again -

"Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. [Acts 4:10 - 12]

Therefore, let us not offer the strange fire of our own good works, self-righteousness, denominational loyalty that exalts itself against the Body of Christ worldwide, ceremonies and rituals not prescribed by God, willfully sinning against God, etc. All of these acts - and many more, are strange fire to the Lord. Above all, let us love God through obedience, and each other as He commanded us. If we do, we will have the promises of God as our own and will find that He will never fail us or forsake us!