A devotional thought presented originally to Swift Current Men’s Prayer
Breakfast, Thursday 27 November 2014 and River Street Cafe, Tuesday 27 June 2017
Read Numbers 3:2-4
Two of Aaron’s children have died: his
oldest two sons “fell dead before the LORD when they made an offering with
unauthorized fire before Him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons; so only
Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron”
(Num 3:3,4; cf. Lev.10:1).
Just as the whole generation who left
Egypt will die in their sins before they enter the Promised Land (except Joshua
and Caleb), two of Aaron’s children including his first-born son die here
before the LORD.
Scholar
Ronald B. Allen (The Expositors Bible Commentary, Version 4.0.2)
comments on this passage: “‘Unauthorized fire’ translates a Hebrew expression
that is seemingly deliberately obscure, as though the narrator finds the very
concept to be distasteful... The essential issue here is that Nadab and Abihu
were using fire that the Lord had not commanded (Lev 10:1). The pain of the
account is strengthened by its brevity and mystery. We are left at a loss to
explain their motivation, just as we do not know the precise form of their
error. Were they rebellious or presumptuous? Were they careless or ignorant? Or
was their sin some combination of these and other things? Because of the
prohibition of wine and beer among the priests in their priestly service in
Leviticus 10:8-11, it may be inferred that these sons of Aaron had committed
their offence against God while in a drunken state.” But we do not know.
Whatever
their sin – and we can only guess the specifics of it – the Lord chose him for
a special task: Aaron’s oldest son, Nadab, was assumed heir to the High
Priesthood. He was supposed to lead the Israelites in worship and service to
the LORD. He was a significant man in a significant position to lead others in
serving God. He was potentially even more in power, authority, responsibility,
than many famous church leaders in our world today. He however fell short and
he fell dead. And it may not have been an act of outward rebellion as much as
careless neglect of the LORD.
This
should be a warning to us. He fell short and he fell dead while coming before
the LORD for worship. How do we come before the LORD? Are we ever rebellious or
presumptuous, careless or ignorant or do we ever possess a combination of these
in our worship? Are we actually worshiping as we sing in church? Are we
worshiping as we listen to the Scriptures and the sermon on Sunday morning? Are
we worshiping as we pray together at prayer meetings or in church? Do we love
the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, and strength (Deut 6:5) or are we
sometimes careless or half-hearted in our worship? How can we prepare ourselves
so that we fully worship the Lord together?
[1] Based on the sermon by Captain Michael Ramsay, Numbers 3:4: This
is a test…. Presented to The Salvation Army Nipawin, March 01, 2009.
On-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2009/02/numbers-34-this-is-test.html
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