Strange Fire

Strange Fire!

Leviticus 9:22-24, "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 their faces."

Leviticus 10:1-3, "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."

Leviticus 10:7, "And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses."

Aaron and his sons were the chosen priests unto God in the tabernacle

Moses’ brother Aaron was chosen as the chief priests in the early tabernacle.

Aaron’s family would be called and chosen by God to serve in the temple as priests for all of Israel.

Every day, while the tabernacle was set up and the cloud or pillar of fire stood over the Holy of Holies where sat the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat, the Levites would go about their duties of making sacrifices unto the Lord upon the Brazen Altar.

One of Aaron’s jobs as the chief priest was to offer the annual sacrifice for the “sin offering” for all of Israel. This was the day of that offering.

Just as Aaron and the Levites were chosen priests unto God, you and I are chosen as priests to our nation, our world and our own families.

Every time we come together, it is to minister unto the Lord and to each other.

Jesus is here to meet the needs of the people, to hear our heart’s cries and deliver us from the bondage of Sin. He has made the sin offering for us and now we are to offer forgiveness for one another.

When we come together and offer our sacrifice of praise and offer the sacrifice of our living bodies unto His service that’s what we should so.

God is so good. He meets with us here in our services!

Prophecies that include not only promises of future blessings to each of us and to our church as a whole are spoken as the Lord gives us the anointing to do so.

Messages in tongues and interpretations go forth again as the Holy Ghost moves upon us to give them.

The Word of the Lord goes forth and the Spirit of the Lord touches us with His Word to help us to be edified and encouraged for the journey ahead.

ALL OF THESE ARE GREAT AND WONDERFUL!

ALONG WITH THESE BLESSINGS COMES THE WARNING OF DANGER

Nadab and Abihu were also members of the Levitical Priesthood, they were the very sons of Aaron the High Priest of Israel.

These men were authorized and anointed by God to perform duties on behalf of the people of Israel.

Their calling and election was sure, they were among the chosen few, and yet, they would die before the altar of God.

What happened to Nahab and Abihu can happen to any Child of God if we are not careful of our steps in the service to God.

What can we learn from them to avoid spiritual rejection and maybe even spiritual death and missing God’s will?

They PRESUMED UPON GOD:

Nahab and Abihu had been before the altar many times before. They had seen the methods and ceremonies that must accompany the sacrifice upon the altar before God could accept it. They knew the dangers of not following God’s ordained plan and yet, it seemed, that for one brief, terrifying, deadly moment in the course of their service, they forgot how Holy and Righteous God is and how Terrible God’s judgments can become.

When we come together to serve God and to offer sacrifices unto Him, let us never presume upon the holiness and righteousness of Almighty God.

We must enter in through the gate of the Lord Jesus Christ, prepare our heart and mind for his service and be certain of every step we take. God is a holy God and will not tolerate sin or disobedience. Neither will the Holy Spirit tolerate our acts of self gratification in trying to make something happen that isn’t what God wants or instructs us to do.