Some lessons are painful. For Aaron and his family, a priestly transgression - following hard upon the heels of their ordination - cost the lives of his two oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu. What happened?
After going to great lengths to explain in explicit detail every aspect of the priests' duties, the Lord is sinned against when "strange fire" was offered by Nadab and Abihu upon their censers (vs. 1). Their sin was a combination of three factors:
1. They presumed on their own initiative to offer an incense fire that had not been commanded.
2. They acted together in an act that was supposed to be done by a single priest.
3. They rashly lit the fire themselves rather than waiting for the Lord to send the fire.
When God did send the fire (vs. 2), it consumed them and they died. Moses explains what has happened by saying, "This is what the Lord meant when He said, 'Through those who are near me I will show myself holy, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" Apparently, God means business! That is the lesson that the people learned.
The rest of this chapter describes the fall-out from this event. Aaron and his two remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, are not allowed to mourn the loss of Nadab and Abihu (vs. 6) though the rest of the congregation of Israel is. Moses explains how important the distinction between clean and unclean (holy and common) is, and the necessity of following God in every detail (vs. 10-11).
The chapter ends with a "near miss" as the protocol for the eating of the sin offering of the goat was not followed (vs. 16). Fortunately, God spared Aaron and his remaining sons the trauma of any additional punishment. One thing about it - the quick death of the priests Nadab and Abihu demonstrated how difficult it is to live completely righteously under the law in every respect.
Aren't you glad that the atoning death of Christ upon the cross frees us from the sacrificial system of the Old Testament? I sure am!
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