Fire

Leviticus 10-12; Acts 16

“Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord…’You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean.’”

Leviticus 10:1, 2, 10

The deaths of Nadab and Abihu before the Lord after they offered unauthorized fire probably affected attendance at worship gatherings. Their deaths remind everyone that we worship God on his terms, not ours. The same holy fire which caused the Israelites to shout for joy now caused them to cry in fear. Perhaps Nadab and Abihu approached worship when they were drunk, unconcerned whom they were approaching.

Do we enter worship with that same casual attitude implying worship is more about us than about our holy God?

In the new covenant, it is Christ’s blood which makes us holy and clean before God. However, we, too, can make light of this sacrifice by not examining ourselves when we remember and worship the Lord through communion. While the Israelites focused on clean and unclean in their worship, we are called to distinguish and discern between good and evil as one of the works of spiritual maturity.

Why? Because without holiness no one will see the Lord.

“Lord Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice on the cross for me. I choose to live a holy life and worship you in reverence and awe, for you are a consuming fire.”