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By the end of Leviticus 9, everything seems to be going great… until we turn the page to Leviticus 10.
Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan, put live coals in it, added incense, and presented it to the LORD. But this fire was not holy, because the LORD had not commanded them to present it. [2] Suddenly the LORD sent fire, and it burned them to death there in the presence of the LORD. [3] Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD was speaking about when he said, ‘All who serve me must respect my holiness; I will reveal my glory to my people.’ ” But Aaron remained silent.
Leviticus 10:1-3 GNB
It’s a strange and mysterious story. Why did Aaron’s sons enter the presence of the Lord? Why didn’t they follow His commands? And what is this strange or unholy fire they brought? Let’s consider the facts.
There are a lot of speculative theories in Jewish literature as to the motive of these two brothers. Maybe they were drunk? Maybe they thought they were above the law? Maybe they so desperately wanted to experience the presence of God that they decided to ignore His commands? I have studied and studied and studied this passage and chapter and I don’t know if we will ever understand conclusively what their motive was.
But… I also don’t think it matters.
The primary issue was disobedience. God gave specific commands on how to offer incense, what to wear, the order of the process, but most importantly, God made it crystal clear that the source of the fire came from Him and Him alone. He was the one who would examine the altar. He was the one to burn up the sacrifice. He was the one to provide the covering for sin. In the end, this is what cost Nadab and Abihu their lives. Sadly, their lives were wasted because they came with their own agenda, on their own terms, and with their own materials.
Is it harsh? Maybe… but maybe not. If I tell you how to do something and then give you the consequences should you choose a different way, what should happen? Passages like this should draw us to understand the grace we’ve received at such a deep level. Let’s apply the error of this story to our lives as Christians.
We need God in our lives, but there is only one way to feel the heat of His fiery presence. Jesus said, no one comes to the Father except through me. In Acts, Peter confidently proclaimed, there is salvation in no one else. Just like God provided the foundation for the Israelites to experience the heat of His presence, He has provided Jesus, the foundation of our Salvation. He has asked us to build upon that foundation by the way we live our lives after we are saved! And he has told us what will happen if we do not.
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 NASB
This isn’t speaking about Salvation which only comes through faith. The “work” here is drawing our focus toward obedience flowing from our love of Christ. Jesus said if you love Him, you will obey Him. We can’t work for Salvation, that’s a done deal. But we can and should work for the reward that Jesus has promised His children.