“‘But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out'” (Numbers 32:23). “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. Moses then said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke of when he said: “Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.”‘ Aaron remained silent” (Leviticus 10:1-3).
By John David Hicks
People today would say that Aaron had a lot going for him. A gifted orator, he was spokesman and chief counsel for one of history’s greatest leaders, his brother Moses. He witnessed God’s mighty acts of delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt. He walked across the sea on dry land. He ate the manna that God provided in the wilderness
After the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, Aaron was called by God to be the anointed high priest of the people of God. What an awesome honor! He was clothed in garments “for glory and beauty,” foreshadowing and typifying the perfections of our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. This honor would also be bestowed on his sons and their sons and their sons after them.
Aaron could preach and move the people. People liked him and he liked people and wanted to be liked by them. This strength, however, became the source of some of his biggest problems–he wanted to please people more than he wanted to please God. His gifts became an obstacle in his life. The fear of rejection and the desire for the praise of men will always hinder faith.
In addition, Aaron had another weakness–his association with God was secondhand. God would speak to Moses. Moses would speak to Aaron. Aaron would speak to the people as the orator. The people said to Moses, “You tell us what God says, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us. If he does, we will die!” (Exodus 20:19).
God wants a close, personal relationship with each one of us. Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Aaron may have thought he was too busy serving God to fellowship with God.
Aaron’s one courageous moment as God’s high priest was after Korah’s judgment. God would have consumed the still-rebellious people, but Moses told Aaron to run into the midst of the congregation with a censer to make an atonement for the people, and the plague was stayed (Numbers 16).
Aaron was to be respected for his office as high priest, but nowhere in Scripture is he commended for his faith.
Scripture names three major sins in Aaron’s life that show his character weaknesses. First, he gave in to the people’s demands for an idol, the golden calf. Second, he joined his sister Miriam in complaining and grumbling about Moses and his wife. Finally, he joined Moses in disobeying God’s orders about the water-giving rock.
Nowhere in Scripture, however, does Aaron own up to his sins publicly. He may have asked God to forgive him privately in the holy place while praying for the sins of others. That is acceptable for “private” sin, but not for public sin. When a leader sins publicly, his confession must be public. Paul gives explicit instructions in 1 Timothy 5:20: “Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.” God has a greater purpose in confronting a leader in ministry publicly. It should be a time of self-examination and prayer for all. Others may be struggling with the same sin.
In one of his sermons, Soren Kierkegaard complains that many Christians have a superficial quality of repentance. They mistake moral annoyance for repentance. They get angry with themselves, because they had better expectations. Kierkegaard says we mistake disappointment or anger with ourselves for true repentance. Then he goes on to say that a true Christian will be known by the depth and sincerity of his repentance.
Repentance is the foundation of God’s salvation, and repentance is based on a relationship to God. Repentance lets you see your need for a Savior and is the means by which God justifies and forgives you. Repentance acknowledges that you are a sinner under God’s judgment. Sin never bothered Jesus; whitewash is what bothered Jesus. As long as a person acknowledged his sin, Jesus was always willing to forgive. It is the covering up, the blaming others, the excuses that prevent God from working in a person’s life. Jesus could help a sinner, but not a hypocrite.
Aaron’s halfway repentance of never owning up to his sin influenced Nadab and Abihu and led them astray. They picked up their father’s attitude, which caused God’s judgment to fall. Satan’s lie is that you can sin and get away with it, that it’s not that serious. Oswald Chambers says, “The penalty of sin is that gradually you get used to it and do not know that it is sin.”
No Excuse for Sin
Let’s take a closer look at what happened in Aaron’s life that led up to this tragedy. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the tablets of the Law, he said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?” (Exodus 32:21). “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil.”
Aaron tried to make excuses for what he had done. Most people look at sin as breaking a few rules and making a few mistakes–just say you’re sorry and move on. But sin affects you, others, and God. Sin brings death and separates us from God and others.
Aaron refused to face the truth of his sin. In fact, he justified his actions. “Don’t make a big deal about this,” he said in effect. “You’re getting all upset about nothing.” He had no strength of character to accept the responsibility for his actions. This is the language of a person who is not willing to see sin as God sees it. He chose to shut out the light of God and walk in darkness.
Jesus said, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light” (John 3:19-21). Repentance is a godly response to the conviction of sin. Repentance means to change one’s mind and one’s ways. It affects your behavior.
But Aaron blamed the people. “They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him'” (v. 23). Dependent on people’s approval, Aaron was willing to aid their idolatry. After all, that’s what they wanted. He followed the political polls to determine his convictions and ministry.
Furthermore, when Aaron refused to repent, the lies and excuses got bigger and bigger. “So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” (v. 24). What a lie!
Aaron felt shame, but nowhere in Scripture does he acknowledge his sin. He thought he got away with it. God in mercy was giving him time to repent and did not remove him from his office as priest, but from this point on, the results of his sin will affect his personal life. He thought that God had winked at his sin. Aaron wanted to serve the Lord, but he liked the benefits and the praises of men.
The core of true repentance destroys the desire for self-justification. For wherever self-justification exists, true repentance does not survive. True repentance affects the mind, emotions, and will. Intellectually, you acknowledge your sin as rebellion against God. Emotionally, you have a godly sorrow for sin that comes from seeing its filth as God sees it. There is remorse and outrage for dishonoring God. Finally, you choose to turn from sin and renounce it. Guilt shows you your need of a savior. The cry for God’s mercy, pardon, and cleansing is heard. Repentance moves you to surrender as grace softens your heart. In confession and in obedience you desire to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8), which is restitution.
God blessed the office of priest, but Aaron settled for the form of religion. Paul warns us of those who have a form of godliness but deny by their life God’s holiness. Aaron had an outward appearance, but no personal intimacy in his relationship with God.
Has that happened to you? More importantly, has it affected your children? Do your children think that God winks at sin?
Aaron had four sons; Nadab and Abihu were the oldest. Little is known about them except for this episode recorded in Leviticus 10. Because the priesthood was hereditary, they were the primary candidates to become high priest after their father. Once they were ordained priests, they were involved with the consecration of the tabernacle in the wilderness. Like their father, they saw God’s great deeds of deliverance. What a heritage! Yet, in judgment God blotted out their inheritance in the priesthood and they died childless.
The priesthood was a high office with great responsibility before God and men. Priests were God’s representatives to the people and were to do what God commanded. “So Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord commanded through Moses” (Leviticus 8:36).
Leviticus 9 tells of a time of prayer and seeking God as the incense goes up to heaven. When the priests sacrificed according to God’s plan, fire fell with purity and holiness on the sacrifice. The glory of God’s presence was shown to all. God’s glory filled the place with splendor and majesty, and the people of God shouted for joy. Everyone was excited, including Nadab and Abihu.
But in the next chapter, these same young men disobeyed the clear command of the Lord in trying to do something for Him. They failed to use the fire from the altar as they were commanded. As a result, God did not accept their offering, and Nadab and Abihu fell dead at the feet of Moses and Aaron. Their sin was coming to God on their own terms, rather than the way God provided. Their worship was unacceptable, and judgment fell on them.
Judgment as Warning
The same fire that earlier had fallen in glory and blessing now falls in judgment on Nadab and Abihu. Something happened that changed their hearts, and at a crucial time in their ministry they chose to treat with indifference the clear commands of God. This was not a sin of ignorance. Nadab and Abihu knew what God required of His priests. The consequence of their sin was instantaneous and shocked everyone.
God used this judgment as a warning to His people. You will find similar judgments at other points in history when God was entering a new period with His people. It happened when Israel entered the promised land and Achan took the spoils that belonged to God. Another episode occurred when David sought to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem and one of his men, Uzzah, touched the ark. Even during the first days of the church, Ananias and Sapphira were stricken after committing the sins of pretense and hypocrisy.
What did Nadab and Abihu do that was so wrong? “They offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command” (Leviticus 10:1). They offered to God “unholy fire” from some other source. This unauthorized fire and “other incense” comes from the flesh, and tries to look like God’s holy fire and presence. They were supposed to use the holy fire, the fire from the altar of sacrifice. This fire was a symbol of purity and holiness.
Nadab and Abihu wanted to do God’s will their way. They were into appearances. This was unacceptable to God. The call of priesthood was to “distinguish between the holy and the profane” and to teach from Scripture “all the decrees” which the Lord had spoken. God gave instructions on how the feasts and sacrifices should be run. They knew the word of the Lord, but ignored it.
Nadab and Abihu abused their office as priests in an open act of disrespect and disobedience to God. Accountability to God always goes with leadership, because a leader’s life and actions influence people and events. In a leadership position, you can easily lead many astray. All leadership is responsible to God. What you do does affect others. From the pastor to the church board, from Sunday school teachers to parents, we are accountable to God.
You cannot glorify God with the incense and smoke of a life that arises from the false fire lit with disobedience. No worship or service that departs from the divine method is acceptable. The altar of sacrifice is where the surrender must take place. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).
The work of the priesthood is the work of mediating between God and His people and reconciling the people to God. The New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers. We need no mediator other than Jesus Christ to approach God directly. Our priestly service requires consecration and obedience. Glorifying and praising God and doing good to others are spiritual sacrifices that please Him.
Isaiah 6 offers an example of the authorized holy fire of God. Isaiah was in the temple praying when he found himself in the presence of God and saw the Lord exalted. He offered God a holy sacrifice of himself. Seeing God’s holiness and his own sinfulness, he thought he was a dead man. He cried out, “Woe is me! Have mercy on me, for I am an unclean, an unholy man.” God heard Isaiah’s cry, accepted him, and cleansed and purified his mouth with a coal from the “holy fire” of the altar. The Lord said, “Your guilt and sin are taken away.” He was refined by “holy fire,” the righteousness of God. Then Isaiah heard the call of God afresh asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?” And Isaiah said, “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.” He is now given power and authority to accomplish God’s will. His life was now a witness to the glory, splendor, and majesty of God.
Stay on the Altar
Think for a moment about your life before God found you, hopeless and helpless. But in His grace He had mercy on you, forgave you, and made you His child. Because of all He has done for you, it makes sense to set yourself apart and give Him your all as a living sacrifice. This means you are willing to lay down your life for Him. All of our energy and resources are at His service. This is acceptable, “holy and pleasing to God.” Without a “living sacrifice” your service is of no use to God.
However, as one saint has said, “The problem with a living sacrifice is that it wants to crawl off the altar.” Some of you need to come back to the altar again and recommit your total self to God. God will accept you and the fire will fall on the living sacrifice. The glory of His presence will appear again.
If you have ever known the fullness of God’s presence, you know that it started with the sacrifice on the altar. The place of power and purpose does not come from sacrifice or the fire, but from God’s presence and blessing.
Another issue to think about is what kind of consequences did Aaron’s attitude of halfway repentance have on the nation? Like him, Israel rebelled and refused to follow God with wholehearted obedience and faith. As a result, only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter Canaan.
Aaron is a weak willed, poor example of a leader, and yet God used him as high priest to minister to the nation. God confirmed His call when Korah, one of the Levite leaders, rebelled against the leadership of Aaron, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed Korah and his household (Numbers 16). Doubts about whether Aaron should continue to be the high priest were answered by the miracle of Aaron’s rod budding (Numbers 17). It doesn’t seem that Aaron deserved to be high priest, but who of us have deserved the goodness of God?
Grace is God’s love for people who don’t deserve His love, but merit the opposite. Grace stops at nothing to save sinners who could in no way save themselves. God’s grace sent Jesus to the cross to take your punishment. He descended into hell so that you could be reconciled to God and have eternal life. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Grace re-establishes our relationship with God so that we may live in fellowship with Him.
In his book Taking Our Cities for God, John Dawson tells how he came to experience the life that is hid with Christ in God. He had been hurt and disappointed by a friend, and could not forgive–the hurt went too deep. With no power or victory, and many sleepless nights, Dawson had to admit the bitter truth: in spite of all his knowledge of biblical principles, he was failing at the simplest level of his Christian walk–fellowship with God.
Suddenly he saw the awesome truth that he could not live the Christian life. He had not become any better after all the years he had been a Christian. He had learned a new vocabulary and behavior. He had tried to perform good deeds and be righteous. This selfish nature should have died. But staring from the grave was the same vain, selfish person who had come to the cross so many years before. You do not know how wicked you really are until you truly have tried to be righteous and good and have failed.
Dawson prayed: O God, please rescue me from myself. Let my selfish self die on the cross of Jesus. I would take His life for mine, the indwelling Christ.
“That night at the cross I experienced again His cleansing and forgiveness,” Dawson said. “Instead of perfecting my righteousness in me, God who is righteous was standing up within me and beginning to live His life. Jesus is the only person who can live the Christian life and He wants to live it in me. I acknowledged again my total dependence on Him. Forgiveness, power and victory came. We are by nature incomplete. By definition human beings are vessels for the indwelling of God. We are not fully human apart from God. His life unleashed in us is the source of all victory and blessing. ‘Jesus, live your life through me’ is to be your daily prayer.”
A few years ago, I spent a night with my friend Jack Eyestone praying and talking about ministry together. That night, Jack spoke with concern. “Where has the passion and the glory gone?” Then he said, “I believe we are teaching people today to reform themselves, rather than to be transformed by the supernatural power of Almighty God. When there is no sacrifice on the altar, there is no fire. When there is no fire, there is no glory. Without the glory, there is no power and no purpose. If the kingdom of God is going to move ahead, it needs to start with the sacrifice on the altar.”
My passion for the church is the same as Jack’s. To a large extent, the church has lost its glory because the church today has missed its purpose. The glory of His presence in your life is determined by your level of passion for Jesus Christ. Out of the relationship of His presence will come the power and purpose to do God’s will. You will become the temple of the Holy Spirit, God’s dwelling place here on earth.