<\/p>\n
\u201cNow Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them\u201d (Leviticus 10:1).<\/p>\n
BEGINNING WITH ADAM AND EVE\u2019S BOLD EXPERIMENT WITH INDEPENDENCE FROM GOD, EVERY MEMBER OF THE HUMAN RACE HAS STRUGGLED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. Somehow, we just can\u2019t believe that God really means business when He reveals His will for the way things are to be done. We can\u2019t resist the thought that His requirements are arbitrary, unreasonable, and legalistic \u2014 and that no harm will come if we choose to do things differently.<\/p>\n
The story of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 is one of the most striking examples of how displeased God is with the human desire to do as we please, regardless of His instructions. Sons of Aaron, the high priest, Nadab and Abihu put fire in their incense burners that was \u201cunauthorized.\u201d The text does not say specifically in what way their fire was in violation of the Lord\u2019s command, but they surely would have known. They deliberately did that \u201cwhich he had not commanded them.\u201d And because the Lord could not allow such disrespect to stand on such a great occasion, \u201cfire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord\u201d (v.2). In a manner that was no doubt shocking to everyone, especially Aaron, their father, God demonstrated to His people that His instructions are to be taken utterly seriously.<\/p>\n
Like it or not, there is a link between the character of God<\/em> and the commands of God.<\/em> When God has given any instruction to regulate our behavior, we cannot disrespect His word<\/em> without disrespecting Him.<\/em> There is no such thing as \u201creverent disobedience.\u201d<\/p>\n In our thoughts on obeying the gospel, we\u2019ve pointed to the importance of the question, \u201cWhat must I do to be saved?\u201d (Acts 16:30). That is the one question we must be the most willing to let God answer.<\/em> Whatever our preferences may be as to what God should<\/em> require, the only thing that matters is what He does<\/em> require \u2014 and the only way we can know this is by the Scriptures. We may not understand God\u2019s rationale for setting things up as He has, but we must respect His right to do so. It is to be hoped that we\u2019ll honor Him more reverently than Nadab and Abihu did.<\/p>\n \u201cUnderstanding can wait, but obedience cannot\u201d (Geoffrey Grogan).<\/p>\n Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n