Friday, February 13, 2009

Strange Fire

Leviticus 10:1-2 KJV
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.

These verses need to be taken together with and in consideration of
Leviticus 9:24 KJV
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 their faces.

The picture is this:
Moses is in the middle of the process of initiating worship according to the law handed down to him by God on the mount. There has been the anointing of Aaron and his sons as the priests. The furniture for worship has been consecrated and now God sends fire from heaven which, according Leviticus 6:12, they are to continually feed so that it does not go out. Some believe this fire was kept alive until God once again sent fire from heaven at the dedication of Solomon's Temple.

As God strikes the fire, the people shout and fall on their faces before the Lord. There is both awe and terror in their hearts. While they are still prostrate before the Lord, and before God commanded them to do so, Nadab and Abihu rise to their feet, grab their censers and put fire therein.

God had not yet given them instructions on the use of their censers or in offering incense.

Scofield's notes says of this text,
Fire "from before the Lord" had kindled upon the altar of burnt-offering the fire which the care of the priests was to keep burning (Lev_6:12). No commandment had yet been given (Lev_16:12) how the incense should be kindled. The sin of Nadab and Abihu was in acting in the things of God without seeking the mind of God. It was "will worship" (Col_2:23) which often has a "show of wisdom and humility." It typifies any use of carnal means to kindle the fire of devotion and praise.

The phrase I want to consider is that one, "It typifies any use of carnal means to kindle the fire of devotion and praise." There is too much of this sort of strange fire in our worship today.
Too much man made devotion.
Too much man made and worked up - even rehearsed, praise.
Too much "science and psychology" used to bring people to the state of worship we desire them to be in.

And not nearly enough simple, fearful wonderful waiting upon the Lord.

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