Defiling the Holy

"Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, 'It is what the Lord spoke, saying, "By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored."' So Aaron, therefore, kept silent." -Leviticus 10.1-3

Two men are dead, killed by God, they began to worship God, but in a way that God had not prescribed. They begin to do for God something that God does not desire, something that violates His order, and they are punished. They were held to a higher standard as priests. They were to be representatives of the people before God, and they were to live by His holy standards. But they decided to worship in their own way, trying for one reason or another, apathy, convenience, arrogance, maybe trying to make the unholy holy, but God does not accept any exception to His standards. These two should have known better, and they were killed by God.

There is a lot that can be said here. We see stuff like this happen all the time. Cults start like this. Someone takes a teaching or a practice, and twists it, and makes a holy practice an abomination. We see it with nations, they will try to legalize a sinful practice, making it acceptable, but that does not make it righteous in the eyes of God. All of these will bring about punishment. God will not overlook these actions, these sins. He will hold those who know better, or should know better, accountable for their actions, and those they lead astray.

Men, are you guilty of the same sin as Nadab and Abihu? Are you defiling God's holiness with your actions? Are you leading others astray with your teachings? Or are you striving to share the truth? Are you constantly searching the Word of God to understand it better? Are you being guided by the Holy Spirit, sound teaching, and proper doctrine to guide your understanding? Are you communicating with God to know Him more intimately and become more like Christ?

We have been placed here to point creation back to God. It is our job to stand firm on truth and be a light in the darkness. We cannot afford to compromise for what is convenient or popular. When we do, we defile the holy, and we are guilty of sin, and this will not go unpunished.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor