Strange Fire Before The Lord

Numbers 3:1-4 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai. 2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office. 4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.

The Bible Is God’s Book, And It Speaks Of Jesus

The Bible is not a man made book filled with human traditions. The Bible is a God made Book. Every part of the Bible is inspired of God. The Apostle tells us:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV All Scripture is GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD {theopneustos}, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Greek theopneustos can mean inspired. But the word literally means “breathed out from God”. When God made Adam in the Garden of Eden, the Bible says that “yᵊhōvâ ĕlōhîm (The Triune God) breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life – and man became a living being”. When God breathed into that which He formed from the ground, His breath made man “in His image, and in his likeness”. We are living creatures because God breathed life into Adam, and gave humanity the power to transfer life through reproduction. The Bible is “God breathed”, just like Adam was God breathed. The Bible is not the product of dead trees and ink wrapped in dead animal skins.

The Bible is the Word of God. It’s 66 Books were written by 40 men who were moved by God the Holy Spirit. The Bible was given by God, preserved by God, and its words “are full of the Holy Spirit and LIFE” (John 6:63). We come together weekly to “unfold” and apply the Word of God, so that we might light and understanding (Psalm 119:130).

Many Christians do not understand the importance of the entire Bible. Many have never read – for instance – Numbers or Nahum or Leviticus or Zechariah. In fact, many Christians have never read any of the Old Testament at all. When Jesus said:

John 5:39-40 LSB – You SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES because you think that in them you have eternal life; IT IS THESE THAT BEAR WITNESS ABOUT ME; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

“THE SCRIPTURES” Jesus was referring to was the Old Testament. The only Bible the early Church had was the Old Testament. It was not until God moved the Apostles to write the New Testament that we had a New Testament. And Jesus said, “THE SCRIPTURES … BEAR WITNESS ABOUT ME”. In another place Jesus said:

Luke 24:44-45 LSB – These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN ABOUT ME IN THE LAW OF MOSES AND THE PROPHETS AND THE PSALMS MUST BE FULFILLED. 45 Then He OPENED THEIR MINDS TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES..

Many Christians do not read the Old Testament because they think it is a bunch of superseded laws and gobbledygook that the Cross erased. Beloved, God never erased the Law – the first 5 Books of Scripture. The LAW OF MOSES (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) testifies of Christ. God gave “The Law” or “The Law of Moses” for a specific reason. Again the Apostle tells us:

Galatians 3:24-25 NKJV – Therefore THE LAW WAS OUR TUTOR TO BRING US TO CHRIST, that WE MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH. 25 But after faith has come, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A TUTOR.

God gave the Old Testament to teach us that we need the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God gave us the Law of Moses to teach us that our works cannot save us. Salvation has always been by faith in Jesus Christ. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David … every person mentioned in the Old Testament were saved by faith in the COMING JESUS. As God formed the Old Testament through 40 men, year after year people learned of their need for Jesus. Every sacrifice, every festival, every holy day, every Sabbath spoke of Jesus. The Old Testament is all about Jesus. The Old Testament is all about saving faith.

Let’s Look For Jesus In This Fourth Book
Of The Law Of Moses, Numbers

Numbers 3:1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that THE LORD SPAKE WITH MOSES IN MOUNT SINAI.

Why was Israel at the base of Mount Sinai? When God came to Moses in the Desert of Midian, He called Moses to – by faith – lead Israel out of Egypt. God was going to make a way, but Moses was to follow. Salvation has always been by faith in God. When God saved Abraham the Bible says:

Genesis 15:6 {Abraham} BELIEVED THE LORD, and the Lord COUNTED IT TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS

The same was true of Israel and of Moses. Though Moses was raised in the Pharaoh’s family, the Bible says:

Hebrews 11:24-25 By faith Moses… refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. HE CHOSE TO BE MISTREATED ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD rather than to enjoy the FLEETING PLEASURES OF SIN.

Moses believed in Jesus. Moses believed in God.

Hebrews 11:27-29 BY FAITH {Moses} left Egypt… BY FAITH he KEPT THE PASSOVER and THE APPLICATION OF BLOOD… BY FAITH the people passed through the Red Sea.

Moses didn’t debate God. He just did what God told him to do. Moses sacrificed the Passover Lamb, and put it’s blood on the doorposts of his home. Those of faith, the people of God, sacrificed the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12). This Lamb is an Old Testament picture of Christ.

1 The Passover Lamb had to be without blemish – and Christ was without blemish, without sin. The lamb was to be sacrificed, and the sins of the people were poured out on that lamb by faith. Jesus is without sin.

1 Peter 2:22 {Jesus} COMMITTED NO SIN, neither was deceit found in his mouth

As the sins of the people were laid on the Passover Lamb, the sins of the believer are laid on Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake {God the Father} made {Jesus} TO BE SIN WHO KNEW NO SIN, so that IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.

2 The “day that THE LORD SPAKE WITH MOSES IN MOUNT SINAI” two offerings were made to God, a “BURNT OFFERING” and a “PEACE OFFERING” (Exodus 24:5).

Exodus 24:4-5 NKJV – And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who OFFERED BURNT OFFERINGS and SACRIFICED PEACE OFFERINGS of oxen to the LORD.

In the “BURNT OFFERING” a male animal without blemish (bull, sheep, goat or dove – Leviticus 1:3, 10) would be brought to the altar. The person making the offering would lay their hand on the head of the animal (Leviticus 1:4), symbolically transferring the guilt of sin to the creature. Then the entire animal (minus the hide) was burned completely on the altar. We are told in Leviticus 1:4 that the Burnt Offering was accepted to God “to cover the sins of the people”.

The burning of the animal is representative of the judgment of God being poured out on Christ.

Isaiah 53:6-10 NKJV – All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And THE LORD HAS LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; FOR THE TRANSGRESSIONS OF MY PEOPLE HE WAS STRICKEN. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked–But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM; He has put Him to grief. When YOU MAKE HIS SOUL AN OFFERING FOR SIN, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

That male Lamb without blemish, burned to coal, was symbolic of the punishment Christ took for us. Following the Burnt Offering was the Peace Offering. Once judgment passed, the person has peace with God. Jesus is OUR PEACE (Ephesians 2:14)

After these offerings were made, the Bible tells us that …

Exodus 24:9-11 NKJV – Then MOSES WENT UP, also AARON, NADAB, and ABIHU, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL. And there was UNDER HIS FEET as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. 11 But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So THEY SAW GOD, and THEY ATE AND DRANK.

When the people made the Burnt Offerings and the Peace Offerings, they were allowed into the presence of God. What they saw was a manifestation of God. Jesus said “No man HATH SEEN GOD AT ANY TIME” (John 1:18), and God told Moses

Exodus 33:20 You CANNOT SEE MY FACE; for NO MAN CAN SEE ME, and LIVE …

They saw God in a MANIFESTED form. No one can see the invisible, infinite, unmediated essence of God. They saw “UNDER HIS FEET as it were a paved work of sapphire stone”, which suggests that they could see His feet and legs, but not His face covered with the clouds above. This is called a theophany, a manifestation of God.

How did MOSES, AARON, NADAB, and ABIHU, and seventy of the elders of Israel get into the presence of God? Only through the Burnt Offering. Only because of the Peace Offering. These offerings speak of Christ.

Numbers 3:2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Who was there with Moses on Mount Sinai? Who witnessed the burnt offerings, and the peace offerings? Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. They watched Aaron their father prepare the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. The sons of Aaron saw their father the High Priest take a portion of the smoking offering and put it in the golden censer. The offering was burnt whole, symbolizing the Judgment of God being poured out on the Lamb instead of the people. The coal placed in the censer, as the smoke rose up, symbolized that acceptable offering rising unto God in Heaven. This rich tapestry, a “shadow of good things to come”, illustrated the life, ministry, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Behold, the Lamb of God” (John 1:36) John the Baptist cried out when he saw Jesus. Aaron took a coal from the burnt offering, and put it in the golden censer. As it’s smoke ascended to Heaven, the burnt offering represented the death of Christ.

When Noah first got off the Ark, the Bible says:

Genesis 8:20-21 NKJV – Noah built an altar to the LORD … and OFFERED BURNT OFFERINGS ON THE ALTAR. 21 And the LORD SMELLED A SOOTHING AROMA. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.

The burnt offering brought peace with God. The smoke of that offering ascending to Heaven pleases God, for it covers our sins. The burnt offering “made BY FIRE, of a SWEET SAVOR UNTO THE LORD” (Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17).

Numbers 3:2-3 Aaron; NADAB the firstborn, and ABIHU, ELEAZAR, and ITHAMAR. 3 These are the NAMES OF THE SONS OF AARON, the PRIESTS WHICH WERE ANOINTED, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.

Before Aaron and his sons could be consecrated as Priests before God, God told Moses:

Exodus 29:15, 18 NKJV – You shall also take one ram, and AARON AND HIS SONS SHALL PUT THEIR HANDS ON THE HEAD OF THE RAM; … 18 And you shall burn the whole ram on the altar. IT IS A BURNT OFFERING TO THE LORD; it is A SWEET AROMA, an offering made by fire to the LORD.

The ram was without blemish or spot. The priests, Aaron and his sons, transferred their sins to the head of the offering. Then judgment fell not on them, but on the ram.

Judgment falls on Jesus rather than on us.
He paid the penalty for our sins.
He is our burnt Offering!

Ephesians 5:2 Christ also hath loved us, and HATH GIVEN HIMSELF FOR US AN OFFERING AND A SACRIFICE TO GOD for a sweet smelling savor.

The Old Testament sacrifices – given by the Law – were temporary until Christ came. They were shadows that taught of Christ. They taught us that we cannot save ourselves, that we must rely on Jesus for salvation. The Bible says:

Hebrews 10:11-12 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: {12} But {Jesus}, AFTER HE HAD OFFERED ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOREVER, sat down on the right hand of God;

The animal sacrifices speak of Christ. They lead us to Christ. They teach us we cannot save ourselves. Aaron and his sons knew exactly what God required, for they saw it, and saw God once they did as He said. It was so important that Nadab and Abihu make themselves available to God, serving the Lord in the Way that He required. They were taught. They were equipped. They knew what to do. And knowing the right, knowing the seriousness of their office, they did the wrong thing.

They Offered Strange Fire Before The Lord

Numbers 3:4 And NADAB AND ABIHU DIED BEFORE THE LORD, when THEY OFFERED STRANGE FIRE BEFORE THE LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children …

Nadab and Abihu knew all about burnt offerings and peace offerings. They knew that the only way to come into the presence of God was through the burnt offering. The burnt offering was to be without blemish, without spot. It was to be burnt on the altar (minus the hide), and the coal taken from the altar and placed in the golden censor.

The story is found in Leviticus chapter 10.

Leviticus 10:1-3 KJV 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. 2 And there WENT OUT FIRE FROM THE LORD, and DEVOURED THEM, and THEY DIED BEFORE THE LORD. 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I WILL BE SANCTIFIED IN THEM THAT COME NEAR ME, and BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE I WILL BE GLORIFIED. And Aaron held his peace.

What is “STRANGE FIRE”? This is the Hebrew ʾēsh zārâ, which means “foreign, unauthorized, unapproved or profane”. Nadab and Abihu took incense and placed it in their golden censers just as they were shown. But then – rather than take a coal from the Burnt Offering to light the incense – they took a coal from a regular fire. They tried to do their holy office apart from God’s command. They put a human spin on what God told them to do. They tried to do what the Lord told them apart from the burnt offering, apart from Jesus Christ.

There are many people today trying to get to Heaven in their own power. Like the confused people at the Tower of Babel they are building walls of brick and mortar, of self righteousness and self improvement, hoping that they will get into God’s Heaven. There are preachers across this country who, like Nadab and Abihu, have preached a Gospel where Christ is never mentioned and His power never exalted.

Faith believes God. Faith obeys God. Faith trusts God for salvation. Faith doesn’t modify or twist what God has commanded. Faith takes Israel through the Red Sea, but strange fire keeps them from crossing the Jordan, and sends them on a 40 year trip to nowhere.

When Isaiah was blessed of God to look into Heaven, he said:

Isaiah 6:1-3 KJV – In the year that king Uzziah died I SAW ALSO THE LORD SITTING UPON A THRONE, HIGH AND LIFTED UP, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the SERAPHIMS: each one had six wings; with TWO HE COVERED HIS FACE and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, is the LORD of hosts: THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY.

Isaiah saw a God so holy that even the angels could not look on Him. Seeing this manifestation of God, Isaiah cried out:

Isaiah 6:5 KJV – … Woe is me! for I am undone; because I AM A MAN OF UNCLEAN LIPS, and I DWELL IN THE MIDST OF A PEOPLE WITH UNCLEAN LIPS: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

At that moment when Isaiah in anguish cried out, the Bible says..

Isaiah 6:6-7 KJV – Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having A LIVE COAL IN HIS HAND, which he had taken with the tongs FROM OFF THE ALTAR: 7 And HE LAID IT UPON MY MOUTH, and said, Lo, THIS HATH TOUCHED THY LIPS; and THINE INIQUITY IS TAKEN AWAY, and THY SIN PURGED.

It is a coal from the altar, the burnt offering, that purges sin. It is Jesus Christ Who died for us, once and for all, paying the penalty for our sins. His sacrifice is the coal of the altar.

Take Me Past The Outer Courts
And Through The Holy Place
Past The Brazen Altar
Lord, I Want To See Your Face.
Pass Me By The Crowds Of People
And The Priests Who Sing Your Praise
I Hunger And Thirst For Your Righteousness
It’s Only Found One Place
Take Me In To The Holy Of Holies
Take Me In By The Blood Of The Lamb
Take Me In To The Holy Of Holies
Take a Coal, touch My Lips, Here I Am.

Nadab and Abihu, along with thousands of others, have sought to take fire from the wrong source. They take it from human works, religion, good intentions. And nothing good came from it. You must come surrendered to Christ. He is Lord and Savior. His Word is truth.

“NADAB AND ABIHU DIED BEFORE THE LORD”. These two men – trained in serving the Lord – decided to take Christ out of the center of their worship. Rather than take a live coal from the Burnt Offering (symbolic of Christ on the Cross) they took an unsanctified coal – a coal not centered in Jesus and in the Cross – and tried to pass this off on the Lord. Fire went out from the Lord. Fire literally shot out of the Holy of Holies and destroyed them. They did not become ash – nor, do I believe – were their clothes burned – for Moses said in verse 4:

Leviticus 10:4 … Come near, CARRY YOUR BRETHREN from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

The Holy Fire may have been something like lightening. Regardless as to what it was, their lives were forfeited. Listen Beloved to this Truth: Where the Judgment of God falls depends entirely on your actions. Have you trusted in Christ? Do you approach God through Him? God told Israel:

Leviticus 10:3 … I WILL BE SANCTIFIED in them that come nigh Me, and before all the people I WILL BE GLORIFIED…

We don’t set the rules. God sets the rules. You may have the opinion that your efforts, your own righteousnesses, are good enough to get you into Heaven. Yet Jesus has said:

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

According to Jesus you are in a state of spiritual death without Him. You must be passed from death unto life. You can only do that by hearing Christ’s Word and by believing on Him. Your redemption from death to life must come through faith in Jesus. The Bible says:

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were NOT REDEEMED WITH CORRUPTIBLE THINGS, as silver and gold, from your vain {way of life} received by tradition from your fathers; {19} But WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, AS OF A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT

When Jesus is in the center of your life we are made the righteousness of God in Him. He has …

Revelation 1:5-6 … loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (6) And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

We who are saved are not saved because we are good, but because we simply bent the knee to Christ. We believed on Him. We trusted our souls to His hands. We know that He is able to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by Him, because He continually – as our High Priest – stands between us and the Judgment of God (Hebrews 7:25-26). A little sin, a little self righteousness will destroy a life – but a little faith in Christ will save it.

Numbers 3:4 … Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD … they had no children: and ELEASAR AND ITHAMAR MINISTERED IN THE PRIEST’S OFFICE office in the sight of Aaron their father.

Eleazar and Ithamar went on to minister in their brothers place. They did as God said, and were blessed. There is no blessing outside of the will of God. May God draw you close to Jesus this very day!