Articles
Treated as Holy I
One account in scripture that has been used to talk about the importance of having scriptural authority in worship for my whole life is the account of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu. Every time a discussion of instrumental worship, basketball gyms, or eating food in the building came up, invariably someone would reference (or read aloud) the account of Aaron’s two sons who offered “strange fire” and paid the ultimate price.
As an adult, I assumed that reading this account with fresh eyes would give me a new perspective that was somehow different that what I had heard my whole life and perhaps people were being overly pedantic about worship regulations. I was wrong. As an adult, I found myself being called to be even more careful about my worship to God, because He expects me to treat Him as holy. That might not sound like it goes together, but we can read that it does.
The context of the account is Aaron and his sons are being consecrated (made holy) by God according to His regulations so that they might serve in His presence. There are two chapters of all the regulations and actions being followed “...just as YHWH had commanded Moses.” (Leviticus 8:4-5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 29, 31-36; 9:5-7, 10, 21) By following God’s communicated regulations, Aaron was able to take his place as high priest to serve a holy God on behalf of an imperfect and often sinful people. God endorsed all of their care and obedience with an amazing spectacle of His power and might. “Then fire came out from before YHWH and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw [it], they shouted and fell on their faces.” (Leviticus 9:24)
The events that occurred were intentionally presented to be a contrast, because in the midst of God’s glory being shown, Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu “took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before YHWH, which He had not commanded them.” (Leviticus 10:1) It is impossible for us to know what was “strange” about the fire that the sons offered, other than it was not within the communicated regulations. Whether it was the fire’s source, the kind of incense, or the order in which they offered it, the obvious point was that God had not commanded it, and the result was that “fire came out from the presence of YHWH and consumed them, and they died before YHWH.” (Leviticus 10:2) These men knew the regulations God had communicated concerning appropriate worship, and they violated them.
The aftermath of the tragedy helps us to understand what happened, because Moses immediately reminds Aaron that God had warned them, “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy / And before all the people I will be honored.” (Leviticus 10:3) We might be shocked by Moses’ cold assessment, but it is a gauge of how much we respect God’s holiness. Rather, we should be shocked at the frightening gall on display in the actions of Nadab and Abihu. Understanding holiness is necessary for anyone who would dare to approach God in worship. (Leviticus 10:8-11)
