Holy Retribution

09-21-09
J.A. Matteson

"And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD." Leviticus 10:1-2

The same divine fire which earlier sanctified Nadab and Abihu to the priesthood now lethally consumes them. The office to which they were divinely elected represented a sacred trust, they were to intercede before the Lord on behalf of the sins of the people, and to the people they were to make known the oracles of the Lord. The brevity of their service is underscored and so is their glaring sin.

After leaving Egypt the Lord revealed to Moses and Aaron that Israel was to perpetually offer to Him a morning and evening (twilight) sacrifice, “The one lamb you shall offer in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight...The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it the same grain offering and the same drink offering as in the morning, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD” (Ex. 29:39, 41). The blood of the sacrifice was placed on the horns of the altar and poured out at its base to symbolically illustrate that life belongs to the Lord, hence the prohibition to eat meat with blood, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement” (Lev. 17:11).

It would appear that Nadab and Abihu, the Lord’s representatives before Israel, were guilty of self-willed worship that trifled with the clear commands previously stated. The morning sacrifice had already been offered and it may have been mid-day when the offense took place (Lev. 9:17). It is also plausible that the brothers were intoxicated which would account for the subsequent stern warning from the Lord to Aaron (Lev. 10:9). It is likely that the men were guilty of not sanctifying the Lord in their hearts to obey His commands, thus profaning His name before the people, a grievous sin, one that was met with swift and holy retribution before the people.

The quintessential attribute of the Lord is His holiness, or transcendent otherness, and He typically does not excuse anyone who willfully diminishes it. Perhaps Nadab and Abihu in their intoxicated state were goaded by the people to offer them a dazzling show of fire from heaven as before. The scene may be reminiscent of Aaron being goaded by the people to fashion the golden calf (Ex. 32:4). Seeking the glory of men they acquiesced and presented an offering at mid-day not authorized by the Lord, and He quickly brought down the dazzling fire the people had hoped for, but ironically the brothers ended up being the sacrifice, receiving justice instead of mercy, “…for the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).

The application of this historical event remains; viz., those who draw near to the Lord in worship must come on His terms and not their own, especially those sanctified to service in ministerial positions within the Church, for they are to be examples of holiness before the flock. The Lord does not suffer fools who seek the vain glory of men and will hold them accountable for their sin, what they sew they will reap for the Lord of Glory will not be mocked. After the death of Nadab and Abihu a healthy fear of the Lord came upon Aarron, his remaining sons, and the people, a reverence which brought spiritual cleansing to the camp.

The same type of spiritual cleansing is seen again in the early church after the death of Ananias and Sapphira, “So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things…yet none of the rest dared to join them, but the people esteemed them highly” (Acts 5:5, 13). The insincere and superficial “professors” stayed away from the pious followers of Christ in fear of their lives.

Beloved, as a holy priesthood in Christ, we may draw near to the Lord with confidence, so long as we do so with a heart circumcised through obedience and reverence to His holy name (Heb. 4:16), but woe to the man or woman who tramples upon the holiness of God in worship in exchange for the fleeting glory sought from sinners. Let not that person expect to receive anything from the Lord but holy retribution.

Copyright (c) 2009 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).