Can we go back to Nadab and Abihu for a minute (see previous article)? What is it they did that cost them their life? They offered “unauthorized fire” (Leviticus 10:1). One commentator said he thought that meant they were drunk. Not sure how you arrive at that one, though. What we do know is that when they did, “fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them” (10:2).
These guys weren’t “worship novices”, either. As Aaron’s sons, they had been exposed to all of God’s worship instructions. Their father had been set apart, so had they (Exodus 28:1-2). In fact, in Exodus 24 we read they even got to go up Mt. Sinai with Uncle Moses. There, they “saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself” (24:10). Who gets to see that? So they were exposed to His holiness and His worship instructions.
Why then, did they offer “unauthorized fire”? Only conjecture here, but I offer four possibilities: (1) They thought it no big deal to “change things up a bit”; (2) They were younger and had some “fresh ideas” they wanted to try out; (3) They thought the “old way” a bit stale and was no longer relevant; (4) They knew they were sincere and isn’t that all God wants in our worship, anyway? Again, we don’t know why they did what they did. But they should have known better. At least God thought so; He holds them responsible.
How many times have these four reasons been used in church staff or elder meetings to justify changing Sunday morning worship? Though I admit I haven’t read in Worship Leader Magazine anyone getting consumed by fire recently; at least not yet.
This series of articles is entitled: “Some Choruses, a Pep-talk, and an Offering”. We can do better than that. We haven’t said how. Just establishing first why we must.
Pastor Rich Hamlin October 14, 2010