Treat God as Holy [Leviticus 10]
1Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 2And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the LORD spoke, saying,
'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy,
And before all the people I will be honored.'"
So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.
This is a very sobering passage. My heart goes out to Aaron as a father who had to stand by and watch God deal with his sons. Later in the chapter Moses told him "You shall not even go out from the doorway of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for the LORD'S anointing oil is upon you." So they did according to the word of Moses." He had to let the people be the ones to publicly mourn his own sons.
The holy God had given very specific commands. They weren't hard to follow - He had made it clear what was holy and what was not. Aaron's sons chose not follow God's commands and they died because of their own choices. Aaron on the other hand, chose to keep God's commands and to keep performing his priestly duties rather than to tear his clothes and wail. It certainly was not an easy choice but He chose to submit to God.
We praise You God that You are a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). You are holy and You must be honored as holy. "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." (Heb. 12:28-29) Cause us to serve You with reverence and awe today.
Verna McCrillis, 6/15/2010