“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’ ” So Aaron held his peace.”
Leviticus 10:1-3 NKJV
“Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying: “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.””
Leviticus 10:8-11 NKJV
Reckless worship
Growing up in the sixties, there was a slogan that was common that went something like this: “Do your own thing.” The generation of that era was one driven by individualism, as people were more prone to make their own choices, and walk their own paths. We were very distinct from the generations that are dominating today, for we were more self defined and not held by allegiances to the group.
It can be of great value to think outside the box, to do things that go against the norm. Sometimes the less trod path is the best one. This is not so in the worship of the Lord.
Reading Leviticus chapter ten, I encountered the tragic story of Nadab and Abihu, who having been painstakingly trained to perform all the functions of the priesthood, failed the first chance they got. The offered profane fire before the Lord as they had lit the censor in a manner outside of what was prescribed. They offered reckless worship, and were consumed by fire.
There is some indication that the two drunk, having drank wine or intoxicating drink. Regardless of the cause of their demise, they did not obey God, and did not show Him His due respect.
We who are the president day followers of Jesus, have been commissioned as priests according to the order of Melchizedek, having been given access to the Holy of Holies by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 6:19-20 NKJV
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
I Peter 2:9-10 NKJV
In light of such a great position the Lord has provided for us, let us be mindful to present the Lord Jesus as He is, as Lord, as Savior of souls, as the epitome of love, yet also as the One who will bring justice. In these days of hyper self awareness, there are many who have sought to render Jesus in their own image.
Some of have sought to twist the Scriptures to match what they believe, other than establishing their beliefs on the Scriptures. Some even go so far as to chose bible versions that serve to soften the blow of conviction, easing the conscience over besetting sin, thus deceiving themselves.
These are those who bring strange fire before the Lord. The danger is not in the immediate consuming by fire, as in the case of a Adan and Abihu, but by the potential to be eventually consumed by the fires of hell. They are a danger to themselves and to all who will follow.
Some of these are big name preachers, drawing a huge following, who may or may not be born again. They prey on the undiscerning, serving sweet tasting poison designed to make one feel good about the dismal state not their soul.
There are many who flock to such preachers, wanting that calming message.
Paul cautioned young Timothy about such people, as they, even then, were invading the church. That message to Timothy is even more relevant now, as we nearing the end of the age.
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
II Timothy 4:1-5 NKJV
PREACH THE WORD!
Brothers and sisters, the only foundation for the follower of Jesus is the word of God, rightly taught, rightly discerned, and rightly applied. If Nadab and Abihu had followed the Lord’s commands, they would have been an example of faithfulness, rather than an example of reckless worship.
Let us approach the word of God with great caution, as if the mere opening of the word with the wrong heart motive could result in our being consumed as fire erupts from its very pages. Though this is not likely, we still must seek the Lord with fear and trembling, for every deed that we have done for the Lord will itself go through fire and testing.
“Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
I Corinthians 3:12-15 NKJV
Let us approach the Lord as He desires, and let us go forth to serve the Lord as He is. We have been commissioned as His ambassadors, ones going out to tell the world of Jesus, who died to save sinners. We bring the Gospel of the Bible to a sick and dying world.
Least we forget:
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.”
I Corinthians 15:1-7 NKJV
HAVE A BLESSED LORD’S DAY!
#prayfortheharvest
#prayforthepersecuted
#prayforthepeaceofIsrael
#prayforthegospeltospreadeverywhere
Musings from an idle mind 