Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:
“‘Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.’” Aaron remained silent. Leviticus 10:3 NIV
Nadab and Abihu died by offering unauthorized fire before the Lord. Then Moses said among those who approach me i will be proved holy. Nadab and Abihu could have lived had they just continued on with their lives. Nobody instructed them to do this, whether out of curiosity or arrogance or ignorance, their motives for doing this was no longer in question. They did not honor God as holy in front of the people and because of it they died.
Thank God we are now in the new covenant where grace triumphs over judgment, but it does not give us a license not to treat God or the things of God as holy. Ananias and Sapphira experienced this even in the New Testament in Acts 5. They lied to the Holy Spirit while trying to appear to be honoring God in front of everybody. God would not have any of it and through Peter declared judgment upon the couple and they died on the spot. Let me get some things straight, God did not call people to kill them. It was never His intention to call people for His task and service to kill them nor punish them. But when people defiantly dishonor God in front of everybody, judgment comes. He still and will always be a God of mercy, but holiness never departed from the character of God even when His mercy endures forever. 3 February
Comments