Drawing Near To God
Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, who were priests before the Lord in the tabernacle, were struck dead by God for offering "profane fire" before the Lord. Fire devoured them. What a shock and a sorrow to Aaron and to the people. Was God cruel? Had He not instructed them and warned them? Yes, He warned them. Exodus 19:22 records the solemn warning that God might "break out" against any priest who was not consecrated. Nadab and Abihu broke that rule. They did things their way, instead of God's way, and they died.
After the death of Aaron's sons, Moses reminded Aaron, "By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people, I must be glorified."(Leviticus 10:3) Aaron realized the truth and did not say anything else. His sons had failed to regard God as holy. They did not glorify Him before the people, because they took their censors and put in the wrong incense, and they did it knowing they were not following what the Holy God had told them to do.
This same truth applies today. God is not pleased with any believer who enters His Presence in an unholy way, or in a way that does not glorify Him, because it is our way, not His. I believe this applies to our daily time with the Lord, to our corporate worship with other believers, or any time we represent Him to other people. We could incur His wrath any time we lead people to ignore His ways or His commands, because He has told us He is holy, and we are to be holy, too.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Leviticus 12-14.
After the death of Aaron's sons, Moses reminded Aaron, "By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people, I must be glorified."(Leviticus 10:3) Aaron realized the truth and did not say anything else. His sons had failed to regard God as holy. They did not glorify Him before the people, because they took their censors and put in the wrong incense, and they did it knowing they were not following what the Holy God had told them to do.
This same truth applies today. God is not pleased with any believer who enters His Presence in an unholy way, or in a way that does not glorify Him, because it is our way, not His. I believe this applies to our daily time with the Lord, to our corporate worship with other believers, or any time we represent Him to other people. We could incur His wrath any time we lead people to ignore His ways or His commands, because He has told us He is holy, and we are to be holy, too.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Leviticus 12-14.