strange fire

As you may know if you have visited our Sunday morning services on the beach lately, we have started a new study in the book of Hebrews. And I am very excited about the prospect of digging into these Scriptures. Hebrews is basically a commentary on the Old Testament, utilizing a great many quotes and illustrations in order to enable us to see Jesus Christ.

It is important for us to remember that God never changes. His character and holiness are unchangeable. As it says in Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” God’s grace doesn’t nullify God’s holiness or standard of righteousness. It just makes it possible through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

There is a story in Leviticus 10 about two priests, Nadab and Abihu, who were sons of Aaron. And during the consecration of the tabernacle, they participated in the offering and God brought down fire from heaven and burned up the sacrifice. The children of Israel gave a great shout at the sight of fire coming out of heaven and fell on their faces. And the Bible tells us that “Nadab and Abihu 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.”

You see, God is holy, and He says He will not share His glory with man. Aaron’s sons didn’t follow the commandment of God and tried to bring attention to themselves through their worship. Many times today I fear we may think we are offering up service to God, but the truth is that we are offering up strange fire which God is not obligated to honor, and may not be pleasing to God at all.

We all are familiar with the story of Cain and Abel. God was pleased with Abel’s offering, but He did not consider Cain’s offering. Cain’s offering was offered in pride, and perhaps he felt that God should be pleased with the work of his hands. But God did not honor his offering.

Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and those that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” In Spirit simply means not in the flesh. And truth is found only in God’s word. His word is unchanging. It is settled forever in the heavens. It doesn’t change with the culture or the times.