20131101 Friday, November 1 2013
Leviticus 10: Strange Fire

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"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"

The LORD God (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) gave very specific and detailed commands for the establishment of His Tabernacle (see Exodus 26: The First Christian Tabernacle, Exodus 27: The Altar of Burnt Offering In The Courtyard, Exodus 30: Frankincense, Incense and The Anointing Oil, Exodus 36: The Building Of The Tabernacle, Exodus 37: The Tabernacle Furnishings and Exodus 38: The Courtyard Of The Tabernacle) and of His Priesthood (see Exodus 29: The Hallowing Of The Priests, Exodus 39: The Needlework of Blue, Purple and Scarlet Linen, Leviticus 8: The Prophecy Of The Blood Upon The Anointed One and Leviticus 9: The Beginning Of The Levite Ministry).

Included with the commands were warnings of what would happen to those who arrogantly chose to defy the Word of God.

"28:43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him." (Exodus 28:43 KJV)

"30:20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: 30:21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations." (Exodus 30:20-21 KJV)

"8:35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded." (Leviticus 8:35 KJV)

The priests were given their commands and warnings about what to do, and what not to do. Nevertheless, almost immediately, two of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, "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." The prescribed result came instantly: "And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD."

"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. 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. 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." (Leviticus 10:1-3 KJV)

The bodies of Nadab and Abihu were removed from the camp - which in effect exiled them from the borders of the nation.

"10:4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

10:5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said." (Leviticus 10:4-5 KJV)

Moses then reiterated the Word of the LORD to Aaron and his next two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar (Eleazar later succeeded his father as High Priest after Aaron died; see From Moses And Aaron To Joshua and Eleazar).

"10:6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled. 10:7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses." (Leviticus 10:6-7 KJV)

There was also a reiterated warning about not serving at the Tabernacle when intoxicated by wine (or any other seed-bearing plant; see Seed-Bearing Plants: For Food Or For Folly?).

"10:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 10:9 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: 10:10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; 10:11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses." (Leviticus 10:8-11 KJV)

The priesthood then continued as designed. The removal of the two eldest sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu ("3:2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar" Numbers 3:2 KJV) was recovered by the promotion of the two youngest sons of Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar.

"10:12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy: 10:13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded. 10:14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons' due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel. 10:15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded." (Leviticus 10:12-15 KJV)

It was a hard lesson, but one that was never forgotten or repeated by Aaron, Eleazar or Ithamar.

"10:16 And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying, 10:17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? 10:18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

10:19 And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD? 10:20 And when Moses heard that, he was content." (Leviticus 10:16-20 KJV)

Fact Finder: What is the timeless lesson and warning of Nadab and Abihu that applies even more to Christianity today?
See Why Call Me, Lord, Lord, and Do Not The Things Which I Say?