Although the laws are different, the principles of the Old Testament still apply in a New Testament world
This chapter deals with priests, setting them apart, making them different. Not more important, just different. The same applies today with preachers, elders and deacons. There is responsibility!
Remember, there's the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, outside is the courtyard.
An ordinary Israelite could get no closer to God than the courtyard
Priest could enter the Holy Place
High Priest could enter the Most Holy, but only once a year (Day of Atonement)
Nadab & Abihu: In the Holy Place which included the altar of incense, in front of the veil separating the Holy and the Most Holy
We should picture the tremendous opportunity
We should think of us today, what we have when we assemble...the opportunity to come close to God in collective worship, thinking, "I'm in the presence of the best people there are, as we come to God."
That's what the priesthood needed to say to Israel
There's a lesson and reminder here of the greatness of Jehovah and the greatness of being His people
Verse 1 - Rashness of Nadab & Abihu. Notice the word "each."
Offered, karob: "to approach"
Strange fire: Root word pronounced zeuar. Means to turn aside from a lodging place. It came to mean, "to be a foreigner, to be strange, to be profane." NKJV: profane fire. KJV, ASV: strange fire. ESV: unauthorized fire
They offered it before God. They didn't just offer it. They're not just doing something, they're doing something they think is for Jehovah. Notice though it's not something he authorized or commanded!
Zeuar: is used 4 times
Exodus 30:9 it refers to incense. "You shall not offer strange incense"
Here and in Numbers 3:4 it refers to fire
Deuteronomy 32:16 "They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods"
Proverbs 2:16 "To deliver you from the immoral (NKJV) woman"
This is a great place to go back to when discussing the need for authority
Colossians 3:17 "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord." Can't do it (anything!) in His name if He's not authorized it!
Back to the text, "unauthorized fire WHICH HE HAD NOT COMMANDED"
KJ, ASV: which He commanded them not
Remember when we stressed the verses in chapter 8, commanded, commanded, commanded?
There are four in chapter 9: verses 6, 7, 10 and 23
You read commanded, commanded, commanded. Get to 10:1, "which He had not commanded." Tremendous contrast!
This is the first sin committed in tabernacle worship. First recorded sin in every dispensation had to do with worship
Genesis 4: Cain and Abel. Cain violates faith. Hebrews 11, "Abel offered by faith" which implies revelation
Mosaic Age: Right here, first sin has to do with worship
Acts 5: First sin recorded after church was established, Ananias & Sapphire had to do with giving, which is incorporated in worship
Sadly, the mindset never changed through the Bible or even today: I can do what I want to do
That's why we have congregations with problems. "I like it, we like it." Sadly it's no longer a problem with just denominations
What about the fire? Maybe they got it from the wrong place but that's not what the Bible says. Perhaps they offered it at the wrong time
They're at the right place, at the right time, in the right clothes, with the right qualifications and did one thing wrong. All that right didn't make it right to do wrong
It's how many view false teachers today: Well, they're doing a lot of good.
The silence of Jehovah is compelling. "God didn't tell them NOT to do it!" How big would the Bible be if God listed everything we couldn't do?!
God gave the principle and said, "I gave you sense enough to apply the principle."
Good intentions don't take the place of obedience
Verse 2 - God reacts. A reminder that He reacts to everything we do
Do not do less than God authorizes
Do not go beyond what God authorizes
Do not substitute anything for God's way
Notice Aaron's other two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar. How come they're not as well known as the two who did wrong? Why do we emphasize the sinners so much without giving credit to those who get it right?
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