Tag Archive | Unauthorized fire

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 46

Feb15
Day 46.  Reading Leviticus 8 – 10. 

Read the scripture for today. What do you learn about God? Share what you learn with others.

Leviticus 8.

God told Moses (and us) about the offerings, the glorious garments of the priests, and the ordination ceremony. Now, Moses called the whole congregation to the Tabernacle to witness (or at least be present at) the ordination of Aaron and his four sons.

Moses then did it all, according to what God had said, washing them at the Bronze Basin, dressing them in the garments, anointing each on their right ears, thumbs, and toes, and on Aaron’s head.  Moses brought the prescribed bull for a sin offering, and after all five had laid their hands on its head, he killed it. Moses took the blood and all the parts of the bull and did as the Lord had commanded.

Aaron and his four sons remained inside the court of the Tabernacle for seven days, performing what the LORD charged them as part of the ordination. 

Leviticus 9.

After the seven days, Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of the people. Aaron then performed the sin offering in minute detail for himself and his sons. He then took the offered specific animals and offered them for the people for sin, burnt, and peace offerings. 

After the offerings/sacrifices, Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them.

Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of the Tabernacle, and when they came out, again blessed the people.

“And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.  And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar.

And when the people saw it, they SHOUTED and FELL ON THEIR FACES.”

Leviticus 10.

A hard lesson is learned.

After all the pomp and glory of the ordination ceremony and the majesty of the LORD’s glory appearing, a dark thing happened that (I’m sure) shocked Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation to their very core.

Aaron’s two older sons, Nadab and Abihu (perhaps drunk from celebrating and the fantastic realization of their high position in the community of Israel) took their censers, put incense in them, and offered “unauthorized” fire before the LORD.  (Remembered God had given Moses, Aaron, and sons the EXACT, God-authorized way to perform holy worship towards Him. In pride or drunkenness, these two men sinned grossly.

And God responded.

Holy fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.

“Among those who are near me, I will be sanctified, and before all the people, I will be glorified,” said the LORD God Almighty.  (God had clearly shown them the details of worshiping Him and they had ignored them.)

Moses told Aaron’s uncle Uzziel’s two sons to come in and carry the bodies outside the camp. These Levites obeyed, carrying the bodies in their coats.

Grief and terror must have mingled in Aaron’s heart. His two oldest sons, newly ordained to serve God and the people in the Tabernacle, had been annihilated before their eyes…by the God he served. 

And God told Aaron and his remaining two sons, “Do not grieve for them, lest you die and wrath come on all the congregation.”

Aaron obeyed.  (God did allow the rest of the family and congregation to grieve.)

God then spoke directly to Aaron and his remaining sons. “Drink NO WINE OR STRONG DRINK, you or your sons, when you go into the Tabernacle, lest you die. You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach Israel all the statutes the LORD has spoken to them by Moses.”

Then Moses told Aaron and his sons to get on with the offerings. Eleazar and Ithamar made a mistake in offering the sin offering. They had brought the sacrificial blood to the wrong place and had not eaten what they should have. Moses was angry. 

Aaron confessed his and his son’s faults before Moses and alluded to the stress and conviction of losing the two other sons. When Moses heard that, he realized their grief-prompted mistake and relented. 

 

 

 

 

 

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 46

Feb15

    Day 46 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 46 – Leviticus 8 – 10  (Consecration of Priests, LORD’s acceptance, sin & death)

In chapter 8 God tells Moses to consecrate Aaron and his four sons to serve in the Holy Tabernacle. They are washed and dressed in the specially designed priestly garments with Aaron also receiving the ephod, jeweled breast piece with the Urim and Thummim inside, the hat, and the golden plate or “holy crown” for his head.

The special anointing oil is used, there are sacrifices of a bull and ram with their blood sprinkled on the holy objects as well as the priests. There is fire for sacrifice and for boiling water and cooking meat, and a command to eat. Aaron and his 4 sons are commanded to stay at the entrance of the Tabernacle, day and night for seven days doing everything God told them.

Chapter 9  tells that on the 8th day Aaron was to offer specific burnt offerings, a peace offering, and a grain offering before the LORD with the elders witnessing it all. Aaron performed all the duties completely, including blessing all the people.  And God was pleased. “…and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering. When the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” (9:23b-24)

But after those great and glorious things, there seems to always follow deep sin.  From highs to lows; mountain tops to valleys of shadow. We should be aware of this in our own lives!

Boldly, brazenly, arrogantly, two of Aaron’s four newly consecrated sons took censers, put “fire” on them and laid “incense” on them and offered UNAUTHORIZED fire before the LORD, which He had NOT commanded.

Immediately, fire – HOLY FIRE – came out from the LORD and consumed them. Living to dead in seconds. SHOCK WAVE!

And then the voice of the LORD boomed forth, “AMONG THOSE WHO ARE NEAR ME I WILL BE SANCTIFIED. AND BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE, I WILL BE GLORIFIED.”

Moses called for another Levite to carry out their remains, IN THEIR PRIESTLY COATS (which had just been consecrated) out of the camp. Moses then told Aaron and the two remaining sons NOT TO MOURN the deaths of Nadab and Abihu. They were to continue with their duties, a burnt offering and a grain offering, part of which they were to eat inside the courtyard.

Chapter 10: BUT, Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar could not eat it – disobeying God’s direct LAW (Lev. 6:26).  Moses charged them with this disobedience, but possibly fearing another judgement from God, which would have left no one in succession for the priesthood, he let it go.

What a way to begin their holy service to the LORD. It just proves that they – like we – are sinners, and could easily do far worse than we ever thought possible… given the right nudge.

Praise God for his mercy!