Leviticus
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Leviticus Chapter 10

• Leviticus 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. 
• 2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. 

This sad story has been a topic of many sermons. We do not know exactly what it was that was strange about the fire. Perhaps is represented false worship or a false way to God other than the way in which He commanded. Perhaps the hearts of Nadab and Abihu was such as they thought they were chosen of God and could take liberties and do things other than what was instructed. It could be pride, arrogance or anything that prompted them to do this thing. Most probably it was not done exactly as commanded but done at their own will and their own way. 

Choosing to substitute one's own way of getting God's attention or worshiping God instead of going His way, is dangerous. Today that one way was made simpler through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God but He is the only way to be forgiven of sins and to enter into eternal life. 

We can discern from this incident the fact that those in leadership positions have a responsibility to keep the word of God faithfully because of the influence they have over those they serve. We see also that God does not overlook the sins of the leaders. They are never to lord over the flock but to teach and lead so that others may become leaders and teachers as God calls others into the ministry.

There are three things that are a threat to the church. One is worldliness and sin that Jesus died to save us from, creeping back in the church. The other is false doctrine and idolatry. Another is legalism whereby one adds to the word of God or substitutes commandments of men or tradition in place of the word. Unbelief in the power of God to change lives is the cause of this last example. We think we have to force change by adding to God's commandments. 

Unbelief could also be the cause of allowing worldliness to creep back into our lives when we do not believe God means what He says and says what He means. Remember too that unbelief is what caused the children of Israel to think Moses and God had abandoned them and they in turn made a golden calf to worship. 

Those two sons of Aaron may have thought in themselves. I know a better way to worship God that would attract more followers. Let's do it this way. Then too perhaps they thought they could worship God any old way and take short cuts and skip the direct specific instructions that the Lord gave concerning sacrifices. 

Why would the Lord be so harsh in this case? 

Because all these offerings and sacrifices pointed to the pure, perfect, sinless sacrifice that would be the only way to give any human the means of inheriting eternal life. There was only one way to worship in the Old Testament and that was God's way. There is only one way of salvation and that salvation was paid for by the blood of God's only Son. There is no other name under heaven whereby anyone can be saved and that is by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

• Leviticus 10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spoke, 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. 

We see a clearer picture from this verse as to the sin of those two sons of Aaron. They were not careful to hold the Lord in high honor and esteem. They thought they could do things any old way and take glory and honor to themselves. Salvation comes from God. He does it. We are His vessels only. We are not to take God lightly and lightly esteem His presence. 

We have to be careful today to do all for the glory of God. We have so many building little empires for themselves. "Brother so and so laid hands on me and I was healed," should never be heard among us. I want to see people coming out of church praising God for whatever had taken place in his or her life. "That singing group was so good that I felt like shouting because their music was uplifting." That's a little better but better still is, "That music really glorified God and the words of their songs made me want to praise God as I remembered what Jesus did for me after hearing those words." 

God is the one that saves the soul, God is the one that heals the sick. God is the one that baptizes with the Holy Ghost. Man (woman) is the vessel God can and does use but without God we can do nothing. 

These sons of Aaron must have neglected to show reverence and give glory to God in their strange fire. 

Strange fire could be irreverence, giving glory to men instead of God, false doctrine, false manifestations, signs and wonders that are done to deceive people into following a person or organization instead of Christ. 

While we are to respect and support our pastors and teachers, we are not to have respect of persons and trust in them blindly without checking out what they say with the written word of God. 

If we believe the word of God says something and it is clear, yet someone who we hold in high esteem comes along and gives a different interpretation, we are not to blindly accept that interpretation solely because a highly respected minister says it.

Just because a famous person says something, does not mean that it is gospel truth. Just because it's printed in a news paper as truth does not make it true. I'll even use one of my favorite preachers here. Just because David Wilkerson says something doesn't make it true without question. I believe David would have agreed with that. That goes triple for me. Just because I say something doesn't mean it is perfect and without error. Check all things by the word. Be a good Berean. 

This goes with our lifestyle also. In this we learn obedience. Suppose the Holy Spirit speaks to a  believer and tells her to let her hair grow long, stop wearing shorts and dress modestly. He also tells her to stop watching TV and be careful about the type of  music that she plays that the  neighbors may hear. 

That sounds a little legalistic doesn't it? On the surface it does. If that lady tries to enforce her convictions on all other ladies and even tells them that they have to do as she does to be saved, then that is legalism pure and simple. 

Suppose though that God is going to use this little lady to witness to someone about the salvation that comes through faith in Christ, the baptism of the Holy Spirit that gives power for service, or any other wonderful promises that come to us through our faith in Christ. A year or two later, a Mennonite or old fashioned holiness person moves next door to her that somehow got away from the foundation of their faith, perhaps they were never really what we call born again even if they were raised in a good doctrinily sound church. If the lady who God spoke to previously is running around in short shorts with bobbed off hair and earrings dangling from her ears, and rock music blaring from her speakers, those neighbors are not going to believe in anything she says about Jesus, salvation or the Holy Spirit. They would not accept her witness. She would be a stumbling block. 

So listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit is something we need to learn. If God wants us to remove something from our own lives so that we can be His vessel and we look around us and see the pastor's wife, a well known person's wife, or anyone else doing something the Holy Spirit told us not to do, we have to listen to the Holy Spirit, not follow them. Does this mean we are better than the pastor or the pastor's wife. Absolutely not. They might not have the same calling or the same weakness in the flesh that we have. We follow God though and learn to obey His leading.

Yes, we will make mistakes and get it wrong once in a while but our attitude must be to be willing to follow Him. 

• Leviticus 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. 
• 5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said. 
• 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. 
• 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. 

Those sons of Aaron and Aaron himself still were anointed to do the service of the Lord and they couldn't just stop that service and mourn over those that had died. Instead they were to mourn over the sin that was committed against God. 

Blessed are they than mourn for they shall be comforted. It is the mourning over sin and the mourning over the absence of the presence of God that we are to be blessed for mourning. To them that look for Him shall he a appear the second time. To those that love His appearing will be those that the Lord is coming after. 

• Leviticus 10:8 And the LORD spoke unto Aaron, saying, 
• 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 forever throughout your generations: 

I personally do not believe in partaking of wine and strong drink anytime. I can see why it is forbidden here. If we drink wine and strong drink of that which is fermented, we lose our ability to discern and act in self-control. We are never to get in such as state that we lose our inhibitions especially when it comes to doing service for the Lord. 

• Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 

Be in control or having self control is one of the fruits of the spirit. To not do so is to dishonor the Lord.

• Leviticus 10:10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; 

Strong drink causes us to lack discernment which is needed desperately when we do the Lord's work. We have to be alert physically as well as spiritually. Remember what happened when Noah drank too much or when Lot's daughters got their father drunk. These accounts are written in the book of Genesis.

We must discern between what is holy and what is not. Our worship, our music and all we do especially at our places of worship should glorify God, bring attention to God, His salvation, and His word. They are not glorify a person or special singing group. We have to discern between what is holy and what is fleshy and a hindrance to true worship. In saying all this I too don't want to get legalistic. It is okay to encourage one another and show appreciation in their loyal work and service.

• Leviticus 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. 
• 12 And Moses spoke 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: 
• 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. 
• 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. 

They were to partake of the altar in which they were set apart to serve. This was God's plan for them. They were not to serve the altar and do the service of God without being provided for. They also were not to do the service of God without first partaking of the goodness of God themselves. 

They had to make sacrifices for the whole congregation but first they had to sanctify themselves be cleansed and sacrifice for their own sins and failures in order to be able to serve the Lord on behalf of the rest of the congregation. 

• Leviticus 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 forever; as the LORD hath commanded. 
• 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, 
• 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? 

We see now why they were to partake of the sin offering. It was a type of bearing the iniquity of the congregation similar to what Jesus had to do to bear the iniquity of all by the sacrifice of Himself. In this case they burnt the whole offering and did not eat of it incurring Moses' anger. 

• Leviticus 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. 
• 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 today, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD? 
• 20 And when Moses heard that, he was content. 

It would seem that Aaron knew that he could not eat of this offering with joy and thanksgiving so he did not eat of it. Without eating of the offering with joy and thanksgiving he felt God would not accept his offering. His heart was very sad and sorrowful. This showed respect and discernment on Aaron's part. 

This too shows us that even Moses did not see the heart of Aaron in this matter and assumed that Aaron was being disobedient. We cannot always see the motives of our brethren. This teaches a great lesson here. God does look on the heart. 

This further shows us that the two sons that were killed must have not been offering that strange fire with the right motive. This too might give us a clue to why Cain's sacrifice was rejected. 
Our motive in our service for the Lord is very important. Do we do what we do to be seen of men or because we love the Lord? 

Do we pay tithes and, or offerings to be seen of men, to deduct from our income taxes, or because we love God and want to help support the work of God? Motive counts. DC