Leviticus 10:1-10 ESV Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace. 4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and out of the camp.” 5 So they came near and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said. 6 And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, “Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the LORD has kindled. 7 And do not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses. 8 And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 “Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean,
Nadab and Abihu were the first two sons of Aaron, the Levite, by his marriage to Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab from the tribe of Judah. Abihu and Nadab accompanied Moses, Aaron, and 70 elders up Mount Sinai. There they saw God with great clarity, walking on a pavement of sapphire stone, and shared a meal in God’s presence, without being harmed as a result. After the death of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar took their places as priests, because neither Nadab nor Abihu had any sons.
Evidently, on the 8th day, following the consecration of Aaron and his sons, his two eldest sons presumptuously, and without any command of God, rushed into the Holy Place with their censers.
What did they do wrong?
Aaron, the High Priest, was the only one designated by God to offer incense in the Holy Place and the only one to go behind the veil into the Holy of Holies and that but once a year on the Day of Atonement. His sons were not the High Priest.
Nadab and Abihu “took their own vessels”. The incense burner that was carried by the High Priest had been consecrated and anointed by oil. They used un-consecrated censers.
They were not wearing the High Priest robes and “uniform” that had been consecrated and made holy. Aaron was wearing them. Only Aaron was to minister as the High Priest. And even he had to follow God’s prescription by donning the apparel and following the prescribed sacrifices and he could only go behind the veil once a year on the Day of Atonement.
They acted on their own. They did not receive a commandment from God either directly, or through Moses and their father, Aaron. They came up with their own idea and did not check with God, Moses or Aaron. They acted on impulse with no regard for the chain of command.
They may have acted under the influence of alcohol.
Leviticus 10:8-10 MKJV And Jehovah spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die, a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 Even for a distinction between the holy and unholy, and between the unclean and clean
And their motives were wrong. Why did they do it? Maybe they were jealous of Moses and Aaron and figured they could push their way forward? By being zealous and offering more than God had ordered would this promote them in God’s eyes? Naked ambition? Or maybe they thought to look good in front of the people and garner honor and respect from the people?
How many workers for God do their own thing from the platform but it’s self motivated rather than God motivated? Out of ambition or to look good in front of the congregation or to garner selfish honor and respect, self aggrandizement? They no longer care about God but about their image. They are really looking for the world’s approval. They like to be all whipped cream and they think God sits like a cherry on top to make them look good. It is fire that you try to produce yourself rather than taking fire off the alter. It is carnal, fleshly, worldly motivated and the result is just hype.
If a man acts spiritual but it really comes from selfish pride, then it matters not what he does, it is “strange fire”. If it’s done out of any other motivation rather than worship of God, it is “strange fire”. If we sing on the church platform, a worship song, but we do it in pride, to gain attention and adoration for ourselves, then we’ve offered “strange fire”. If we preach, or teach, about God but from a heart of pride, ego and ambition, we are offering “strange fire”. If we are busy in ministry and working in one program after another, but we do it to be accepted, honored, respected, loved and/or enriched, we are offering “strange fire”. We may pontificate all day, and throw in God as an aside, but it’s “strange fire” if we are doing it to be “right”, to be respected, to be a mover and shaker, out of ambition, pride, etc.
Aaron’s sons neglected the Divine ordinances and were clearly out of order and possibly pushed their way into the Holy of Holies where the Shekinah glory of God was present. Why were they so over-eager? Why would they do this?
“The fire in the altar of burnt offering was sacred because it was kindled by God Himself. Nadab and Abihu offered a fire of their own making… The same fire that showed forth God’s glory in Leviticus 9:24 now showed His judgment at these unfaithful priests.” – David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary
They misused the holy incense (Exodus 30:35-37) and the fire was not kindled from the altar of burnt offering therefore it was a profane fire. There is a big difference between fire kindled by man and fire sent from Heaven and kindled by God. They came in an unauthorized way. I.e. they made the mistake of going “before the Lord” in their own way and not God’s way. It’s possible they had the temerity to try to go behind the Veil into the Holy of Holies “before the Lord”. God had given them careful instruction and they had been all this time with Moses and their father, Aaron. Why did they think they could go before God according to their own preferences?
“Make no mistake: We can come to God just as we are, but we may not come to Him our own way. We must come the way He has provided, the way made in Jesus Christ. And before all the people I must be glorified: This reminds us that God must be glorified in the meetings of His people. The focus must not be on man, on his cleverness, on his insight, or on his ingenuity. Those who fail to glorify God will not be rewarded.” – David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary
“It is perfectly possible, and even likely, that all these elements were combined in their offence. In any case, the gravamen of their sin is expressed in these words; they offered ‘fire which the Lord had not commanded them’: offered it, either in a way not commanded, or at a time not commanded, or in a place not commanded; or, perhaps, in each and all of these ways, offered ‘fire which the Lord had not commanded.’ This was their sin, and one which brought instant and terrible judgment.” – Expositor’s Bible Commentary
Remember Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. They lied to the Holy Spirit and dropped dead when they were found out.
1 Corinthians 10:11-12 ESV Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
Romans 15:4 ESV For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Isaiah 64:5-7 MKJV You meet him who rejoices and works righteousness, those who remember You in Your ways. Behold, You were angry, for we sinned. In them is eternity, and we will be saved. 6 But we are all as the unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as a menstruation cloth. And we all fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 7 And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs up himself to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us, and have melted us away because of our iniquities.
Romans 3:10-20 MKJV as it is written: “There is none righteous, no not one; 11 there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God.” 12 “They are all gone out of the way, they have together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips; 14 whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness;” 15 “their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 destruction and misery are in their way, 17 and the way of peace they did not know.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 But we know that whatever things the Law says, it says to those who are under the Law; so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be under judgment before God, 20 because by the works of the Law none of all flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now a righteousness of God has been revealed apart from Law, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; 22 even the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ, toward all and upon all those who believe. For there is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness through the passing by of the sins that had taken place before, in the forbearance of God; 26 for the display of His righteousness at this time, for Him to be just and, forgiving the one being of the faith of Jesus.
Romans 10:2-4 ERV I can say this about them: They really try hard to follow God, but they don’t know the right way. 3 They did not know the way that God makes people right with him. And they tried to make themselves right in their own way. So they did not accept God’s way of making people right. 4 Christ ended the law so that everyone who believes in him is made right with God.
“For the essence of their sin was this, that it was will worship; worship in which they consulted not the revealed will of God regarding the way in which He would be served, but their own fancies and inclinations. The directions for worship had been, as we have seen, exceedingly full and explicit; but they apparently imagined that the fragrance of their incense, and its intrinsic suitableness as a symbol of adoration and prayer, was sufficient to excuse neglect of strict obedience to the revealed will of God touching His own worship.” – Expositor’s Bible Commentary
They were disobedient, careless or negligent, irreverent and disregarded God’s holiness and the sanctity of His Presence. God was making a point to all the other priests who would serve afterwards in His tabernacle. God was not going to allow the disobedience of Aaron’s sons to set a precedent.
“This was very awful, like the case of Ananias and Sapphira, and may seem severe: it was for the terror of others in the priesthood, or who should come after, to take care that they performed their office according to the divine precepts, and brought in no innovation into their service. And when it is considered that these were the sons of the high priest, newly invested with an high and honourable office, and just had the laws of the priesthood delivered unto them, and yet deviated from them as soon as in their office, and very probably, from what follows, went drunk into their service, their sin will appear aggravated, and the punishment less severe. This shows there is nothing in carnal descent, these were the sons of Aaron the high priest, that acted this part, and came to this end; the proneness of men to transgress the laws of God as soon as given them; thus the people of Israel fell into idolatry as soon as the moral law was given; and here the priests, as soon as the ceremonial laws, relating to the priesthood, were delivered to them; and also that the law made sinful men priests, and that the Levitical priesthood was imperfect; and that no order of men are free from sin, or exempt from punishment: and the whole of the divine conduct in this affair may lead us to observe how jealous God is in matters of worship; how much he dislikes hypocrites, and formal professors; how severe he will be against such who bring in strange doctrines; what will be the fate of the contemners of Gospel doctrines and ordinances; and how much he resents those who trust in themselves, and their works, and bring in anything of their own in the business of salvation, which is strange fire, sparks of their own kindling, a burning incense to their own drag, and sacrificing to their own net.” – John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible
“How much so-called Christian worship glows with self-will or with partisan zeal! When we seek to worship God for what we can get, when we rush into His presence with hot, eager desires which we have not subordinated to His will, we are burning ‘strange fire which He has not commanded.’ The only fire which should kindle the incense in our censers, and send it up to heaven in fragrant wreaths, is fire caught from the altar of sacrifice. God must kindle the flame in our hearts if we are to render these else cold hearts to Him.” – Adam McLaren’s Expositions of Holy Scripture
Colossians 2:20-23 KJV Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Colossians 2:20-23 ESV If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
The word for “will worship” is ethelothreskeia and its Greek definition is: “worship which one prescribes and devises for himself, contrary to the contents and nature of faith which ought to be directed to Christ.”
This is a sobering thought and reminds us that, but for the grace of Jesus Christ, we would be consumed with cleansing fire from Heaven and our judgment would send us to Hell for eternity and rightly so. When we find ourselves falling into sin, we can go to Him and ask forgiveness and have our sin cleansed from us. Oh the mercy and grace, love and righteousness, of our perfect Savior, Jesus Christ, towards us.
Fire is a figure of judgment and purification. Jesus is described in Revelation 1:14 as having eyes like a flame of fire – He searches our hearts, discerns and judges rightly. Our works will be judged by fire:
1 Corinthians 3:11-17 MKJV For any other foundation can no one lay than the one being laid, who is Jesus Christ. 12 And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, 13 each one’s work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one’s work as to what kind it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he built remains, he shall receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire. 16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God shall destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which you are.
2 Peter 3:10-13 ESV But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Psalm 18:8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him.
Psalms 89:46 ESV How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?
Matthew 25:41 ESV (Jesus speaking) “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
“We also should not forget that Satan himself can deceive with fire. In the great tribulation the Antichrist and his lieutenant will be able to make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men (Revelation 13:13). They will use this fire to deceive the undiscerning.” – David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary
Revelation 13:11-15 ESV Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
With the same fire that lit the Altar and showed God’s glory to the people, is the same fire that broke out judgment on Nadab and Abihu. But notice their clothes (priestly garments) were not burned up. In verse 2 it says, “And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” and in verse 5 it says, “so (Mishael and Elzaphan) came near and carried them IN THEIR COATS out of the camp”. The Targum of Jonathan says, they carried the bodies on iron hooks in their coats, and buried them without the camp. They died from “fire” that “consumed them” but it didn’t consume their clothing. I don’t know how they died but that was interesting to me.
Moses directed the two cousins of Aaron to go in and carryout the bodies of the men. The bodies were lifted up “by their tunics” to avoid direct physical contact. This did not prevent the carriers from becoming ritually unclean, but lessened the time and procedures needed to restore them to ritual purity.
It had to be traumatic for them but also a good lesson for them. God definitely used this as a lesson to Aaron, his remaining sons and the priests from there on out! It wasn’t about Aaron, his family, his sons… it was about God. Too often we think everything rotates around US! It’s so hard for us to understand that everything revolves around GOD and not us. God knows, and loves, each individual human being and He always does what is best for those who have a heart for Him. He works all things to our good. But, there is a bigger picture that we know very little about and God is working out His plans, purposes and Will. There are always two things going on… His care of me as an individual and His overall perfect Will and plan. He creates each of us with a purpose and when we fulfill that purpose, it’s like a puzzle piece that falls into place and locks in. That puzzle piece, once it’s in the bigger picture, finds it’s satisfaction, fulfillment and blessing because it’s right where it’s supposed to be, doing what it was made to do! So we get the blessing, but we are also part of His bigger Work! It’s so complex that it’s a God Work and will be perfect and complete in His time.
God certainly knew Nadab and Abihu. He knew them from the moment He planned and conceived them. He knew whether or not they had a heart for Him or whether they never would have a heart for Him. It may be that they had no heart for God and never would, therefore God removed them in judgment and they are awaiting the Lake of Fire. All we have is God’s Word. But their deaths were used as an example (Leviticus 10:3). They knew better. God had revealed His instructions thoroughly and they had witnessed tremendous God acts like the plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, going on Mt Sinai with Moses and the elders. With their disobedience, they showed contempt of God’s majesty and justice. Knowing better, then their punishment for flouting God’s commands was the more severe. If it had been done out of ignorance, God would have dealt with them differently. But they reaped the consequences of making an informed decision to disobey. Moses told Aaron that he and his remaining sons were NOT to mourn the deaths because it would indicate their dissatisfaction with God’s judgment. God’s judgment is righteous and they were to submit to it. It was tragic but deserved. They were not even allowed to go out to where the sons were buried.
“Though Aaron’s heart must have been filled with anguish and dismay, yet with silent submission he revered the justice of the stroke. When God corrects us, or ours, for sin, it is our duty to accept the punishment, and say, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.” – Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
While priests could mourn, they could not have contact with the dead – even a dead spouse, parent or child – and they could not participate in public mourning rituals. (Leviticus 21:1–6; Leviticus 21:10–12). The priests were to remain ready and able to act in God’s service whenever the community needed them because they were representatives of the people to God and from God to the people. Therefore priests were to avoid anything that might disqualify them for God’s service. See it like a doctor on call. A doctor may be called on to minister to someone at any time and therefore, while he is on call, he must be ready to go at a moment’s notice.
The people were allowed to grieve (Leviticus 10:6, “but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the Lord has kindled”). This was to cement the lesson in the minds of the people. God is holy and obedience is imperative.
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