THE DEATH OF NADAB AND ABIHU
"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." Leviticus 10:1-2.
When I read again the account of the death of Nadab and Abihu in today’s One Year Bible reading I thought of two other sudden deaths by the hand of God in the New Testament: Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts (see 5:1-11 for the full account).
What’s going on, we may wonder!? Why did these four people pay so suddenly for their sin?
I also thought of Psalm 103:8, 10: "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love... He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities." Compassionate… abounding in love… not treating us as our sins deserve…
But I also had to bring my thoughts around to Abraham’s question and challenge to God before the destruction and judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" (Genesis 18:25). And of course the answer is “yes.”
I thought of other verses:
Luke 13:1-3, "Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
2 Peter 3:9, 10, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief…"
What to do?
It seems that the accounts of Nadab and Abihu along with Ananias and Sapphira, whose lives ended so abruptly (and of course there are still abrupt life endings today… accidents, etc.), those accounts should encourage us to not presume on God’s mercy and love. He does show us mercy and compassion, of course, and anyone, whatever their circumstances, can receive at any time God’s free gift of eternal salvation, but neither should we presume on His mercy and kindness. Let’s not be presumptuous—let’s do the right thing today.
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”
When I read again the account of the death of Nadab and Abihu in today’s One Year Bible reading I thought of two other sudden deaths by the hand of God in the New Testament: Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts (see 5:1-11 for the full account).
What’s going on, we may wonder!? Why did these four people pay so suddenly for their sin?
I also thought of Psalm 103:8, 10: "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love... He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities." Compassionate… abounding in love… not treating us as our sins deserve…
But I also had to bring my thoughts around to Abraham’s question and challenge to God before the destruction and judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" (Genesis 18:25). And of course the answer is “yes.”
I thought of other verses:
Luke 13:1-3, "Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
2 Peter 3:9, 10, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief…"
What to do?
It seems that the accounts of Nadab and Abihu along with Ananias and Sapphira, whose lives ended so abruptly (and of course there are still abrupt life endings today… accidents, etc.), those accounts should encourage us to not presume on God’s mercy and love. He does show us mercy and compassion, of course, and anyone, whatever their circumstances, can receive at any time God’s free gift of eternal salvation, but neither should we presume on His mercy and kindness. Let’s not be presumptuous—let’s do the right thing today.
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”
by Bob Busenitz
Posted in Read Through the Bible
Related Posts
Recent
Archive
2021
January
THE SIN OF WITHHOLDINGABRAM, THE MAN OF FAITH???HEEDING THE VOICE OF THE LORDA RELATIONSHIP OF FAITHNAMES ON A LISTREMEMBERAND THERE HE BLESSED HIM... Gen. 32:29GOD IS IN CONTROL AND WE CAN TRUST HIMROAD TO RECOVERYACCEPTING GOD'S GIFTSDOES YOUR 'BREATH' STINK?REMEMBER MY SERVANT JOBTHOUGHTS FROM JOBREAL CHRISTIANS NEVER APOLOGIZESECURE IN GOD'S HANDCOUNSELING "DON'T'S" FROM ELIHUTHE UNSEARCHABLE GREATNESS OF GOD
February
WE ARE A NEW CREATIONLORD, BE THE CENTERAS THE LORD HAS SAIDHARDENED HEARTSWHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR USJOY IN THE BELOVEDHAND-IN-HANDGIVE AS THE LORD PROMPTS YOUSACRIFICES AND OFFERINGSTHE DEATH OF NADAB AND ABIHUFLEE AND PURSUEHOLY LAMB OF GODAS A CHRISTIAN, DO THE COMMANDS IN LEVITICUS STILL APPLY TO ME TODAY?THE TITHE, HOLY TO THE LORD
2020
April
WORDS AND DEEDSAM I JUSTIFIED?A STATE OF CONSTANT READINESSPSALM 79 IS ABOUT ME AND YOU TOOFEELINGSTHE SLUGGARD AND THE DILIGENTTHE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR - WHICH ONE AM I?WHAT WEEDS ARE IN YOUR GARDEN?I ACCEPTGET A HEART OF WISDOMPANDEMIC PARALYSISDON'T HAVE TIME TO READ A BOOK? LISTEN TO AN AUDIOBOOK AND MULTI-TASK!GOD, OUR GODA CALL TO HOLINESS
May
LAMENT AND PRAISEINTIMACYREMEMBER THE LORDGOD'S PROVIDENCE IN RUTHHE BROUGHT HIS PEOPLE OUT WITH JOYTELL THE GOOD NEWSTHE TROUBLES OF OUR HEARTSTRUST IN THE FATHER'S GOOD PLANPRAY AND BLESSWHEN TRUSTING GOD IS THE ONLY OPTIONTO THOSE WHO WAIT UPON THE LORD...TO "SHEEP OR NOT TO SHEEP"TRUST IN THE LORDTHE MYSTERY OF THE SEEDA small thing that is a BIG DEAL!A CRAZY STATEMENTHAVE YOU TURNED THE LIGHT ON?
June
CROSSROADS IN MARRIAGETHE PURSUIT OF WISDOM LEADS TO LIFEIN THE NAME OF JESUS "WALK!"It is NOT PersonalARROWSREVEAL GOD TO THE WORLDMERCY AND RENEWED HOPEI DON'T UNDERSTANDHOW TO BE AN EVERYDAY MISSIONARYGIVE THANKS TO THE LORDFOOLS ARE STUPIDI LOVE YOUARISE O LORD!THE MOUNTAINS OF GODWHAT DO YOU WANT MORE?USE YOUR VOICE
July
GOD'S WORD - OUR TREASURECONTEMPTGOD HEARS US EVEN WHEN WE GROAN#23 PERSONAL TESTIMONYO LORD, OUR LORDSUCCESSFUL MARRIAGES ARE VICIOUSLY COMPETITIVETHE UNLIKELY GAME CHANGERCHASING THE WINDLAZY RIVER OR PRODUCTIVE BLVD: IT IS YOUR CHOICEGIVING FROM GOD'S SOURCEPSALM 17: THE ANTIDOTE TO FEARTHERE'S NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SINTHE WONDERFUL LOVE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHERWHOEVER SAYS, 'YOU FOOL'MODEL JESUS LIFE FOR YOUR CHILDRENCHILDREN & STUDENT MINISTRIESLOVE ONE ANOTHER ROMANS 13:8POWER
August
LIGHT IN THE DARKNESSFROM WHERE THEN IS YOUR HOPE?WAIT ON THE LORDMY ROCK AND MY SHEPHERDBETTER THAN I DESERVEWELCOMEDID YOU WAKE UP SAD THIS MORNING?THE LORD'S PLANSMAKING IT CLEARMARRIAGE ISN'T THAT GREATANOTHER TIME AND ANOTHER PLACEEXCEEDING RIGHTEOUSNESSIt's ALL Your Fault!GOD'S DOWN PAYMENTTHE LIFE-GIVING AROMAWHAT HAVE YOU SEEN?
September
October
HE KEEPS US!TELL THEM!HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CONVERSATION?ARE YOU ASLEEP?PRAYING WITH A LASER FOCUS ... I LIKE TO CALL IT "PRAY FIRST"NEEDED: CHURCH DOORKEEPERSGOD'S WARNINGSOPPOSITIONTHE THING ABOUT PROMISESBUILD THE WALL!SPIRITUAL BATTLEGENUINE FAITHCHRIST'S SELF-SACRIFICESAVED BY GRACEJESUS OUR REDEEMER
November
December
OUR MAJESTIC GODLOVE YOUR BROTHERA TREE AND ITS FRUITLORD, THANK YOU FOR CORRECTION!SLOW TO SPEAK AND SLOW TO ANGERTHE CRY FOR MERCY. THE CRY FOR FORGIVENESS.WHEN GOD BEGAN KILLING THEMDON'T WORSHIP DUMB STUFFGOD'S PATIENCE AND OUR HOPETHE DAY OF SALVATIONWHEN WILL THEY LEARN?WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM?THE LOCKED DOOR OF THE VICTIMPRAISE TO THE LORDPRAISE GOD FOR 2020
No Comments