Thoughts on Discipleship by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

WHAT DID NADAB AND ABIHU DO THAT WAS SO WRONG?

“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. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.” Leviticus 10:1-2.

Certainly, Nadab and Abihu must have done something terribly wrong to fall under the swift and deadly punishment from God. What was it? In simple terms, they offered strange fire before the LORD. What does this mean and why was it so wrong? Moreover, what does it convey to us today?

All aspects of the Old Testament worship including the erection of the tabernacle itself were types of New Testament realities. It was extremely important that commandments be carried out exactly and specifically as given.

Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron the High Priest were priests of God ministering about the things of the tabernacle. As they prepared to offer the Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) annual offering, they were to take fire from the altar and burn incense with it in the Holy Place. It is apparent that they did not take coals of fire from the altar, but from some other source that may have been more convenient for them. In doing so they were breaking the obvious link between the sacrifice of the altar, and the offering of incense, a sweet savor before the LORD. God broke forth upon them in fire that took their lives immediately, but did not destroy their clothing, by which they were carried out.

In like manner today, men think to offer to God various plans of salvation, modes of baptism, and variety in the Lord’s Supper. He does not break forth upon them in fire as of old because the pattern is set, and there will be no deviation from it. Judgment is already declared for all who refuse to hear and abide by the Word of the Lord. Those who do these things follow the erroneous path of Nadab and Abihu. In the end, they will lose the value and reward of life (even if they are saved, spiritually). They will be saved yet so as by fire, and have eternity to realize and regret a wasted life of foolishly substituting the sinful reasoning of man for “thus saith the Lord.”

The apostle Paul told the Corinthians, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” I Cor. 10:11-12.

FOR THOUGHT: If Nadab and Abihu died for disobeying the Lord in details of service, do you suppose people will meet in judgment a lesser degree of loss for perverting God’s Word today? Does I Corinthians 3:9-16 give one a clue about this? Do you think any part of God’s Word is optional enough that one can safely take it or leave it? Why?