MEMORY VERSE: “Then 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” (Numbers 10:3).
INTRODUCTION:- Aaron of course, was the older brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel. God has consecrated Aaron and his sons to the holy vocation of the priesthood. It was in the context of their priestly service that two of Aaron’s four sons, Nadab and Abihu, each got a censer – a kind of vessel that was used in antiquity to contain the incense that was burned as an offering before God – put fire in them, put incense on them, and offered what our text today called “strange fire”. And God’s wrath came upon them as fire and slew them.
LESSON OUTLINES
Definition of “Strange Fire”
“Strange fire” or as it is rendered in other translations, “Profane fire” or “unauthorized fire” is that burning of coals from a source that was not permitted or authorized by God (Ex. 30:7-9). We use profane to refer to that which is less than why, but the word profane comes from the Latin profanes, which literally means outside the temple – the holy place of the Most High. So, in a literal sense, Moses was saying that fire Nadab and Abihu introduced to the altar had not been purified or consecrated. For that, God took their lives. His holy fire descended and burned them and their “strange fire”.
Description of “Strange Fire” In Our Days
The punishment meted out to Nadab and Abihu seems cruel and unusual, but a deep look into the passage shows that these young priests clearly violated some prescriptions that God had set forth for the offering of incense in the holy place, but it may have been no more than a prank or a mischievous innovation. Some even believe that Nadab and Abihu might have been under the influence of alcohol (Lev. 10:9-10).
In addition, only the high priest was supposed to offer incense on the altar, but Nadab and Abihu were mere priests (Ex. 30:7-9). In the modern church today, one thing that most saddens and is of great concern is that modern believers are no longer encouraged to have a healthy fear of God. We seem to assume that fear of the LORD is something that belonged to the Old Testament period and is not to be part of the life of today’s Christians. But the fear of God involves not simply a trembling before His wrath, but a sense of reverence and awe because of His glorious holiness.
In many aspects of our worship we see “strange fire” being offered on God’s altar. In dressing (Deut. 22:5;Isa.3:16-26;1 Pet.3:3-4). Comedians in the church, use of G.S.M in the church, Disco hall type of dancing, diabolic or occultic ministration and divination etc. The Lord of the Church is not happy with all these.
Dangers of “Strange Fire” In The Church
Was it really necessary for God to rebuke the action of Nadab and Abihu so decisively and sternly? At the very formation of Israel as a nation, God laid down the fundamental laws of consecration for the priests (Ex.19:9-16, 21-22). He warned them that if they were not consecrated or if they violated their consecration, He would “break out” against them. When Nadab and Abihu did so, God killed them, reminding Israel of the sanctity of His presence.
Because God has not and will never change (Malachi 3:6; Heb. 13:8), we must fear before Him and serve Him in holiness and righteousness every day of our lives (Luke 1:74-75), lest He “break out” against us.
CONCLUSION
Our God is a holy God and no respecter of persons. He will not change His standard for any one (2 Tim. 2:19). Therefore, let us fear and tremble before His presence, not doing anything contrary to His word (Acts 10: ).
Even though we are living on the finished side of the cross, the fear of the LORD is still the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10a). God is still a consuming fire, jealous God (Deut. 4:24). When we come into reconciled, but there is to be a godly fear inspired by respect for the one with whom we are dealing.
QUESTIONS
What is “strange fire”? Mention some manifestations of “strange fire” in modern church.