Ever meet that person who’s just a little bit too casual in someone else’s space?
This is actually something we see in scripture as well, but with much greater consequences. Disclaimer – I’m not drawing an exact parallel with the above description and what you’re about to read. One is definitely more serious than the other. But it’s still food for thought.
Let’s take a look at this passage from Leviticus:
1 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:
“‘Among those who approach me
I will be proved holy;
in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.’”
Aaron remained silent.
Leviticus 10:1-3
We don’t have to wait until we’ve arrived to meet with our Father. He has made Himself available in the space between our bondage and our promised land.
Before we start digging in, let’s set the stage with some biblical backstory. The Israelites are free from slavery, but not yet settled in the promised land. Moses is still the guy, and his brother Aaron is the priest. But priests were similar to how we think of royals in that their sons were often their successors.
At this point in the Old Testament, there’s no temple – the ceremony described in Leviticus 10 is taking place in the tabernacle. In fact, in many commentaries on this book, the Israelite home is referred to as “camps,” implying that it is mobile. They are still packing up and following God when and where He says.
So even though they are not yet settled in a place of permanence – nobody has built a house or gotten their affairs in order – God has still provided a means in the in-between to meet with His people. We don’t have to wait until we’ve arrived to meet with our Father. He has made Himself available in the space between our bondage and our promised land.
There are holy desires and there are unholy desires. Just because you feel it doesn’t mean that God sent it or that He cosigns it.
Back to Leviticus 10… Priests had special access to God. Entering the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle was not fit for just anyone. But here we have two priestly sons who died when they approached the Lord. Why? Isn’t that their job? I have questions…
“…they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. (Lev. 10:1b)”
Some translations will say they offered “strange fire” to the Lord.
So Aaron’s sons were performing their priestly duties… mostly. There was just this one little thing that tripped them up. It was all a matter of specificity. See, there was supposed to be fire. But it was a particular kind of fire from a particular place as instructed by the Lord. What they brought was unauthorized.
So it’s not like they weren’t following God. It’s that they were half following God.
In fact, these boys grew up in this environment so they would have been very familiar with the ceremonial moments. They’re like the Old Testament version of having “grown up under a pew.” But in this case, I think the familiarity worked against them.
When we become too casual with the forgiveness of God, we can find ourselves detached from the presence of God. And that is the scariest place to be.
The Bible has no problem calling people wicked when their intentions and actions were in fact wicked. That’s not what we see with Aaron’s sons. I don’t think their actions are taken out of any kind of malice. I think they had just become too familiar – too casual with the presence of God.
And I just wonder if there’s ever been a moment in your life when maybe you were mostly going the right way, but there was just this one little unauthorized thing. One moment of being casual with the things of God – maybe too casual with the grace of God?
“It’s ok – God will forgive me. He knows I’m weak, but I mean well.”
“God made me this way, so it’s fine. I’m allowed to have desires.”
Better check that – there are holy desires and there are unholy desires. Just because you feel it doesn’t mean that God sent it or that He cosigns it.
When we become too casual with the forgiveness of God, we can find ourselves detached from the presence of God. And that is the scariest place to be.
Good intentions are not
good enough to approach
a holy God.
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