Strange Fire

May it please Almighty God to bless us together this morning. Let's turn to the Word of God and the Book of Leviticus, chapter 10, and we'll read the first three verses. The Book of Leviticus, chapter 10, and reading the first three verses. 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.

And Moses said unto Aaron, This is it, that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. I think this is one of the very solemn statements that we have in the Word of God. And it's obviously written for a divine purpose to warn us all as we may be overconfident in our situation.

Here we see that the Lord dealt with Nadab and Abihu in a very solemn way and took their life. And yet if you look back as we read part of it this morning in that 9th chapter and previously we'll see how they were involved in being ordered and brought into the priesthood and how wonderful it was, in the same way that Aaron was, they were dealt.

And yet, you see, there wasn't the effect of God's grace in their hearts. And they were left to themselves. They were left to the pride of their heart. quite clearly they thought they could do something which was not for them to do. They didn't obey the word of God, they took it on themselves to do that which was really reserved for Aaron or at least instructed by Aaron and they walked therefore in opposition to God.

And the result was so terrible, their lives were taken. Sometimes it's good just to think, here were two people. Aaron had four sons. These were two of them. And God saw fit that they should be left to themselves. And we have to assume that part of it was because of the pride of their heart. They thought they could take it on themselves to do such things.

And yet they were not ordained to do these things without authority. either from Moses or from Aaron or from God, and they decided to do these things themselves. It wasn't the Lord's will. It wasn't His purpose. And therefore, they were struck down. And for us today, sometimes we are not careful enough in what we think and what we say. and how needful it is for us to be obedient to the will of Almighty God and to do and follow those things which are revealed to us and not make an assumption that other things will fall into place. because of where we are and what we think and what we do.

You see, these two men had been ordained. They obviously thought that they could do these things, and yet God had not instructed them in that way. They'd taken it on themselves to do these solemn things, those things which God had not spoken to them about to do. It's very easy, isn't it, to be carried away with our own pride, with our own ability, and to think that God has ordained us, perhaps, for a position which, in actual fact, he may not have done. And here we have these two men, having been wonderfully blessed.

They'd seen how God had blessed the tabernacle in its building, and how it was complete, and how the Lord came down in all His glories. We read in the ninth chapter that Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation and came out and blessed the people. and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people. It was only Moses and Aaron that went into the tabernacle.

And there came a fire out from the Lord and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat, which when all the people saw, they shouted and fell on their faces. It's a very clear picture that we have of God honouring that which had been done, which he'd instructed, given great detail in the tabernacle, how it was to be built and what was to occur and how they were to offer the various offerings which had been carried out. And God honoured that in this most glorious and wonderful way. and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people. But we see it was just a short time after that that Nadab and Abihu thought that they had the ability and they had the authority to come and take censers and put fire therein and incense thereon. And in so doing, they were offering strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not. That's a very short and relative statement, isn't it? Which He commanded them not.

We may think today, well, of course, we're in a very different scene. Well, we are in one sense. But yet we also need to be very aware that we walk before Almighty God and we should do those things which He commands and not do those things which He does not command us to do. Sometimes it can be a fairly close line and you see the devil knows the weakness of our flesh. He knows the pride of our hearts. He knows how to attack us. He knows how to turn us away from the gracious and glorious commands of God, to do our own will.

That's just what Nadab and Abihu did here. They did their own will. They weren't following the will of God. They weren't following the commands of God. They were following their will. Well, God very sovereignly and very sadly dealt with them for that great breach which they'd made. They assumed, they made an assumption that they could do it. They made an assumption that God would honour it. See how careful you and I need to be today.

To be concerned that we're doing God's will, We're told, aren't we, there is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the ends are off the ways of death. Sometimes things seem to be working together, and we think that this is the way, and therefore we pursue it. But is it God's way? Is it God's way? Again, it seems to be the way. No doubt, Nadab and Abihu thought it was God's way, but it wasn't.

And again, if we look at it carefully and think of the reasons, it was probably the pride of their heart. The pride of their heart. They'd seen how Moses and Aaron had been accepted. They saw what they'd done. They'd been brought into the priesthood. They'd been anointed, the same as Aaron and the other two sons. And therefore, they probably thought, well, we have the authority and we can do this.

But God had not commanded them. And therefore, he dealt with them. in a very solemn and very significant way. There was no warning. They just disobeyed God because God had not commanded them. It's almost a reverse situation, isn't it? God had not commanded them. to do this, and yet they'd seen how it had been operated, they'd been consecrated into the priesthood, and therefore they thought they had a right to do such things. But it was not the will of Almighty God.

See how we have to be very aware, don't we, of what is right and what is wrong. You may remember in David's day when they were bringing the ark out of the house and they put it on a cart, which of course they shouldn't have done because the Word of God said that the ark was to be carried by the priest and not put on an ark. Anyway, they put it on a cart. Anyway, they put it on the cart. And as we're told, the oxen that were putting the ark, which they shouldn't have been, stumbled and Uzzah put his hand forth. to steady the ark.

We might think, well, that was not unreasonable. He was concerned about the ark being carefully transported. What had he done? He'd done that which was not God's will. And he was struck down, and he died. You see, we take things sometimes for granted, and we make assumptions. We draw conclusions. And we think this must be right, this must be the way. It may not be right and it may not be God's purpose and God's way. And so here we have this solemn account and it is I think an exceeding a solemn account.

We do have other examples in the Word of God of similar times. when God dealt very sovereignly with those who walked contrary to his word, to his will. There was no excuse here really. They knew what had been done, but the great issue was God had not commanded them. God had not commanded them. They made an assumption that it was all right to do it. But it wasn't. It was not God's will, and it's not God's purpose.

And so today, as we that live in this world with a great adversary, the devil, and I suppose we need to analyse our actions in detail in many ways, and to think whether what we do and what we say are God-glorifying. Does it bring honour and glory to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ? Does it bring us nearer to Christ? Or do we do such things, thinking they're right, and pat ourselves on the back because we've done them, because things appear initially to perhaps have gone smoothly, My friends, we deal with a sovereign God.

We deal with a holy God. A God who knows the end from the beginning. A God who knows what he will do. And we should not, therefore, make an assumption that this is the way that God's going to work. Come back to that question, don't we? Or that statement, there is a way which seemeth right to a man. And we can justify ourselves because it seems right. The reality, is it right? And the reality, is it? In accordance with God's command. Well, we know here that they offered this strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them and they went out fire immediately.

There was no time for repentance. There was no time for making excuses. They went out far from the Lord and devoured them. And they died before the Lord. And it's very significant to realize that they were devoured, but their coats were not, as we read together. So they went near. This was Michel and Elzaphan who were instructed to take the bodies out of the camp. So they went near and carried them in their coats. The coats were still there. Out of the camp, as Moses had said, their bodies had been burnt by the fire. Their coats were still there.

These things are relevant for us to ponder over. and see how there was nothing that could hinder the work of God, nothing that could stop His judgment coming upon those two men. And so they died. And Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord speak, saying, I will be sanctified, In them that come nigh me, and before all the people, I will be glorified. And you see the result. And Aaron held his peace. It was his sons. He didn't try and justify them. He didn't make any excuses. He held his peace.

Again, it's good to realise God gives us instruction in our life today. Naturally I'm sure Aaron would have liked to have been able to have supported his sons and said well of course they were doing this they had a good motive and therefore I don't understand why the Lord took their lives. It's easy isn't it to bring man's thinking into such equations.

But no, what they'd done was they'd done that which the Lord had not commanded them to do. We might think it's a negative position. They hadn't done those things which the Lord had commanded them. They had done those things which God commanded them not.

And so he tells them, and this of course is the really bottom line, isn't it? He says, I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. Man is not glorified. God is glorified. And if this had been allowed to pursue, Nadab and Abihu would have been glorified. No, God will not allow that. God will take all the honour and all the glory. Man receives no benefit from that situation, but all the honour and all the glory goes to God. And we have here really what we might think is an overall picture, an overall picture which directs us to none other than our great and glorious Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. How different.

He did his Father's will. It wasn't easy, but he willingly did his Father's will. And what did he do? He suffered himself. Nadab and Abihu didn't suffer this, they weren't going to suffer themselves, they were doing, had an action, they were doing things which would have brought glory to themselves. Our blessed Saviour did that upon that cross at Calvary, which was to redeem His people, His church, Oh, what a great and wonderful act it was. How wonderful to think that there was a creator of all things willing to suffer, willing to bleed and die to redeem our souls. Naturally, not taking glory, but of course we know he did. He was glorified. But naturally it was not so. And here we have Nadab and Abai here, doing that which they should not have done.

And obviously looking for honour and glory themselves. What a wonderful difference and signification there is of our Saviour and His wonderful and glorious work. And how good it is that if we read accounts like this which are exceedingly solemn to compare it with the great finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. These two men, what were they doing? Pleasing themselves. They wanted to do this. They had the ability to do it, and they did it.

But the word was that God commanded them not. How different. from the Saviour who did His Father's will that His Father had commanded Him to do, to give His life a ransom for many. It's worth pondering, isn't it, to think of the vast difference, and yet to think today, we as unworthy sinners, Don't have to look at what we can do, but we can look at what the Saviour's done. A completed work, a finished work, and how wonderful it is. Because what did that work do? It glorified His Father. Glorified His Father. And how wonderful that was. If this had been allowed to continue, This would have glorified Nadab and Abihu.

But no, you see, God ordained that fire should come out from the Lord, which would devour them. Fire should come out from the Lord. And just ponder that for a moment because you see in the tabernacle there was the Ark of the Covenant and there was the Mercy Seat and the Lord dwelt over the Mercy Seat and therefore he came through that and caused this fire to come from the Mercy Seat to devour them.

It's a very significant consideration, is it not? This is that. The Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me. That means the Lord will be honoured and glorified by us, not taking glory to ourselves, but doing those things which do bring honour and glory to our God, so that he is lifted up. And we then truly come and praise Him, praise God, God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, for His great and glorious work of salvation.

That wonderful work which has called us out of the darkness of nature into the glorious light of the gospel, and not being left to pursue our own channel, not being left to do that which seems right to us. And if we analyze our heart, which we know, the word tells us, is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. We should not allow ourselves to plan our lives. We should look to the Lord, that he will indeed not only plan our life, but ordain that all things in that should be for the honour and glory of himself, that our lives upon this earth are not to bring honour and glory to ourselves, but to bring honour and glory to our God, because of his wonderful work, that glorious work of salvation.

Oh, my friends, just think of it, compare it, the life of the Saviour and what He did so humbly, so gloriously. And yet here was these two men, priests, Nadab and Abihu, doing that which would further them in the honour and glory of men. My friends, our Saviour did it in honour and glory to His Father and for the salvation of our souls.

How wonderful to realise that we have today such a saviour. And it's good for us to ponder these things and recognise the mercy of God and set before us this account. Yes, everything appeared to be going smoothly, didn't it? Everything appeared to be working out well. Yes, the Lord had graciously allowed Aaron and his sons to partake of that position of significant consecration.

And yet, you see, it wasn't really consecrated to their souls. and they're going to buy you left to themselves. And my friends, we don't want to be left to ourselves, do we? It's very easy to fall under the temptations of Satan, who will always encourage us to do that which is not right, encourage us to do that which appears right, encourage us to do that which we might think will bring honour and glory to ourselves. And as I've said, Our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. And we should not give any credence to what the devil brings before us. We should analyse everything in accordance with the word of God.

Because here we have this great statement. Before the Lord, which he commanded them not, It's good for us to pray for that grace, to be able to discern whether the Lord is commanding such a path or whether we are walking in a path which we want rather than God's will.

And so sadly, we have the death here of Nadab and Abihu. It was something they couldn't forget. They couldn't forget. And of course, we read further on in this chapter, which we didn't read, but just quickly, Moses spake unto Aaron and unto Eliezer and unto Ithima, the sons that were left, take the meat offering that remaineth in the offerings of the Lord, made by fire, and eat it without leaven, beside the altar, for it is most holy. And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of the Lord, made by fire.

For so I am commanded. See how clear that was. And we can often turn away from God's commands, especially if they don't agree with what you and I desire to do. It's good to be submissive, to come and bow down before Almighty God. You know, we have that wonderful occasion, don't we, in the life of the Apostle Paul, when he was on that Damascus road. What a time that was. What an occasion that was. And we see God's amazing mercy, don't we?

There was the Apostle Paul walking contrary to God. Yes, doing those things which were against the purpose of God. And we read in this account in the 9th chapter of Acts of the Apostles, the Apostles said, Who art thou, Lord? The Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou have persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. What was the Apostles' response?

And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? He didn't plan it himself. He didn't do what he thought was right. He bowed down before his God. And he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord answered him and said, Arise. and go into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do. See there was the divine word from almighty God telling him what he must do. How wonderful it is to realise that we have such a saviour still today who does instruct us in that which we must do. not what we want to do, not that we think we should do, but that which God directs us, what we must do.

And so we have the opposite here in this little account. Well, it's not an easy account to preach on, really. It's a very sad situation. But we must recognize that every word of God is there for divine purpose. God doesn't put words or situations just to make an interesting account. They're written for a divine purpose. They're written to instruct you and me today in our little lives so that we may not be left to make mistakes like they did.

A devastating mistake. A mistake which could never be rectified. a mistake that they would pay for throughout eternity. Oh, friends, how solemn it is to think of that situation. And so we have this word here. And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aram, took either of them his censer and put fire therein and put incense thereon. Everything seemed good, no problem.

And offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not. And they went out far from the Lord, his judgment, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. No opportunity to repent. No opportunity to change what they were doing. No, they'd set it in motion, they were pursuing it, and Lord God dealt with them. And then they died before the Lord.

And Moses said to Aaron, this is that. The Lord spake concerning, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people. And Aaron held his peace. Significant, isn't it? The Lord said this, I will be glorified. And he will be glorified. And he will have the honor and glory. And Aaron held his peace. Well, may God graciously instruct us from this account and guide us in our little lives. Amen.

Strange Fire

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