Leviticus

Leviticus 10: Strange fire before the LORD

Begin in prayer

Before we read Leviticus 10, where Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire which the LORD had not commanded and die before Him, let us bow in reverent prayer. Ask God to give us humble hearts that tremble at His Word and trust in Jesus.

but this thing I commanded them, saying, ‘Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’

Jeremiah 7:23

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You are holy to all who come near You, and keep us from coming to You in our own way instead of through Jesus. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Right after God's glory appeared, Aaron's two oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu, offer strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. Fire comes out from before the LORD and devours them, and they die. Moses tells Aaron that the LORD said He will show Himself holy to those who come near Him, and Aaron holds his peace. Aaron's cousins carry their bodies outside the camp, and Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar are forbidden to tear their clothes or leave the Tent. Next, the LORD forbids the priests to drink wine when entering the Tent, so they can distinguish the holy and teach Israel. Finally, Moses asks why the sin offering goat was burned, and hears Aaron's grief-stricken answer.

As you read Leviticus 10, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God is holy to all who draw near Him, and He rejects every way He has not commanded.

On the day God's fire consumed the sacrifice, Nadab and Abihu “offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them” (verse 1). In chapters 8 and 9 everything was done as the LORD commanded, yet here these two priests invented their own way to approach God. At once fire came out from before the LORD and devoured them (verse 2). Moses reminded Aaron of God's word, “I will show myself holy to those who come near me,” and “Aaron held his peace” (verse 3). Next the LORD forbade the priests to drink wine or strong drink when entering the Tent (verse 9). They had to distinguish the holy and common, and the unclean and clean, and teach Israel God's statutes (verses 10 and 11). Moses explained that the sin offering was given “to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh” (verse 17). God is a consuming fire, and sinners can draw near to Him only through Jesus, who bore His people's sins.

How does Leviticus 10 show us that God is holy to all who draw near Him, and rejects every way He has not commanded?

Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire not commanded by God, and die before Him.

Though newly consecrated as priests, Nadab and Abihu “offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them” (verse 1). Fire came out from before the LORD and devoured them (verse 2). Moses reminded Aaron that God shows Himself holy to those who come near Him, and “Aaron held his peace” (verse 3). Sincerity or family privilege can never excuse coming to God in our own way.

Priests must keep a sober mind to distinguish the holy and teach God's statutes.

The LORD forbade the priests to drink wine or strong drink when entering the Tent, lest they die (verse 9). Verse 10 says they must “make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.” They also had to teach Israel all the statutes the LORD had spoken (verse 11). God's servants must never handle His Word or His worship with a dull or careless heart.

The sin offering was given to bear the iniquity of the congregation.

Moses told Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar to eat the meal and peace offering portions in their appointed places (verses 12 to 15). Finding the sin offering goat burned, Moses asked why they had not eaten it in the holy place (verse 17). God gave it “to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh” (verse 17). Aaron explained his heavy grief that day, and Moses was satisfied (verses 19 and 20).

Memorise

I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.

Leviticus 10:3

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, am I coming to God through Jesus alone, or inventing my own way?

In Leviticus 10, Nadab and Abihu came near the sanctuary with “strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them.” Immediately fire came out from before the LORD and devoured them. Moses spoke God's word, “I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.”

The God of Leviticus 10 has never changed, for Hebrews 12 verse 29 says that our God is a consuming fire. When we trust our own ideas, prayers, or good works, we bring strange fire that He has not commanded, and our sins deserve death. That is why God appointed His own Son to be our Mediator and our Sacrifice. On the cross, the consuming fire of God's holy wrath fell on Jesus as He carried His people's sin and died in their place. He rose victorious from the grave, and His one offering is enough forever.

Throw away every self-made way of trying to please God. Come to Him today in the one way He has commanded. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. All who draw near to the Father through Christ are forgiven and made clean.

Parent's note

Tell your children that Nadab and Abihu died for coming in their own way, and Jesus is the only way to God. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for opening the one true way into His holy presence through the blood of Jesus, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

Hebrews 12:28

Holy Father, we tremble at Your holiness and confess that we have often followed our own ways instead of Your Word. Thank You for sending Jesus to bear Your wrath on the cross so that sinners may come near to You and live. Please forgive our sins, give us faith in Jesus alone, and help us worship You with reverence and awe. Amen.