Strange Fire

It is a fearful thing to represent the Lord. In a very exacting environment, where God was setting the course of the Jewish religion, Nadab and Abihu decided to ad lib. They offered their own concoction of incense before the Lord. God had made it abundantly clear that He required exact attention to detail when it came to the tabernacle and its ceremonies. Nadab and Abihu’s carelessness cost them their lives (Lev 10:1-2). They experienced the fearful side of God’s holiness and glory (Lev 1:3). I’m convinced that the moment after their fateful mistake, they were in heaven sheepishly apologizing for their error. God was making a point with their physical lives, but their souls were intact because they relied on God’s provision of blood (representing the blood of Jesus) to cover their sin. Let not many of you become teachers because as such you incur a stricter judgment (Jam 3:1).