Timely Insights into God's Word from Khandielese Reyes

“And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.   And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.  And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on the faces.” (Lev 9:22-24) 

“And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which HE COMMANDED THEM NOT.  And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.  Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I WILL BE GLORIFIED.  And Aaron held his peace.  And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.  So they went near, and carried them in their coasts out of the camp; as Moses had said.”  (Lev 10:1-5) 

In the beginning of Chapter 9 here in the book of Leviticus, Moses calls Aaron, Aaron sons, and the elders of Israel and gives to Aaron instructions as commanded by God, to offer a burnt offering to the Lord for his sins, and offerings for the sins of the people.  The commandment of the Lord was to be carried out EXACTLY as spoken, thus Aaron being anointed as “High Priest” heeded to the words spoken by God through Moses, and prepared and offered up the burnt offerings to make atonement for himself first, and then for the sins of the children of Israel.  Aaron then, after offering to the Lord the sin, burnt and peace offerings, lifted up his hands towards the people and blessed them and after coming out from the Tabernacle of Meeting, both Aaron and Moses blessed the people again.  The Lord was pleased with their offering and his Glory then appeared to them all as fire came out from before him and consumed from the altar, the burnt offering.  When the people saw this, they fell on the faces before the Lord in reverence and worship.   

Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s eldest sons who both participated in assisting their father with the sacrifices, and both seeing the Glory of The Lord and being witness to the fire which came forth from the Lord and consumed the offering, decided to utterly violate God’s commandment by offering up what the word of God describes as “profane fire” which literally means “strange”,  in the presence of the Lord.  Rather than receive the “GLORY” of God in response to their actions, as they did when the burnt, sin and peace offerings were offered up, they instead received the “WRATH” of God and the fire that came forth from Him, consumed them both.  What they did was not done in ignorance, as both were fully aware of the Lord’s instructions regarding sacrifices, however they simply CHOSE to defy his commandments and thus received the ultimate penalty for their disobedience.   

The scriptures do not give a clear explanation as to WHY Nadab and Abihu deliberately disobeyed the commandments of God, but judging from the order of which the events took place, it would appear they decided to offer up this offering in an attempt to duplicate the GLORY of which they were privileged to be witness of when the commandments of the Lord had been followed through accurately.   The Lord gave clear instructions in the Book of Exodus, as to the “worship preparations”,   what shall and shall NOT be burned upon the altar, and who shall be the one burning the incense saying: “And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.  And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.  YE SHALL OFFER NO STRANGE INCENSE THEREON, NOR BURNT SACRIFICE, NOR MEAT OFFERING; NEITHER SHALL YE POUR DRINK OFFERINGS THEREON. (Ex 30:9)  Yet they deliberately chose to disobey.  Their actions did NOT bring GLORY to God in the presence of the people as Aaron’s did, and through their disobedience, they disregarded the Lord God’s Holiness.  As ministers (priests) of the Lord, they were to always come before him in reverence, consecrated, acknowledging his Holiness and Glorifying Him before the people of Israel as the word declares: “And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, LEST THE LORD BREAK FORTH UPON THEM. (Ex 19:22)   However, their actions were reckless, thoughtless, and in some ways arrogant, for they were so “caught up” in the moment, they’d apparently forgotten that they were in the presence of the Great I AM!    

There are some holding the office of “Ministers” today within the “Church”, who like Nadab and Abihu, have gotten “caught up” in the moment, neglecting to reverence the HOLINESS of the Lord our God.  Their focus have been on “the peoples” response to their speech, and as many as say “Amen”, they are driven more to “entertain” rather than fulfill the commandments of the Lord.  They speak flattery words to “appease”, rather than the TRUTH that some may be “set free”, and have attempted to usher in the “GLORY” of the God through theatrics as Nadab and Abihu attempted to do so through “profane fire” and have not spoken, nor heeded to “ONLY WHAT GOD COMMANDS”, but have instead given into the commands of their flesh in seeking to be glorified, rather than to GLORIFY GOD!  We must be careful in how we serve the Lord our God.  For anything offered up that is not sought to GLORIFY Him, will not be accepted BY HIM.  When we come before the Lord with our offerings, with sharing the word, we must come with our HEARTS consecrated, stripped clean of all arrogance, all pride, all self-righteousness, all sin, all of SELF, seeking through our offerings, through our speech, to GLORIFY HIM! 

Here were two ministers (priests) of God whom the Lord loved.  They KNEW His Commandments, as priests they KNEW the instructions to follow regarding the sacrifices, and yet they blatantly chose to defile his word and do that which HE did not command.   Noting the price they paid, let us be reminded that a reward does NOT follow disobedience, but punishment DOES.

Saint’s of God, we must always remember to reverence The Lord our God, giving Him the honor and Glory he so deserve in ALL things.  Let us not be disobedient children, but let us seek to do ONLY what God commands that through it ALL, HE will be GLORIFIED.

I love you all so very much. Have a blessed week in the Lord and remember: Whatever we do, do ALL for the GLORY of GOD, who ALONE is worthy of the GLORY and the PRAISE!

May the peace of the Lord be with you today and always…….

Khandielese
Daughter & Servant
   of the Lord God