Articles
Nadab and Abihu
Nadab and Abihu were two of Aaron’s four sons (Numbers 3:2). Leviticus 10:1-3 tells of their death. It says, “Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke, saying: “By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.”’ So Aaron held his peace” (NKJV). The record of the death of Nadab and Abihu teaches us some important lessons which we need to remember.
One thing which stands out from the record of the death of Nadab and Abihu is how serious God is about us keeping His commandments. God was willing to have Nadab and Abihu killed for a failure to keep His commandments. Throughout the Bible we see God demonstrating on occasion how seriously He takes disobedience. Think about Uzzah touching the ark and God struck him dead (2 Samuel 6:6-7). Think about Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit and being struck dead (Acts 5:1-11). Some of the things people did which resulted in God striking them dead may seem like “small” things to us but such impresses on our minds how serious God is about us obeying Him even in areas which might seem “small” to some (Matthew 5:19).
Another thing which stands out from the record of the death of Nadab and Abihu is how respect for God is shown by doing things the way God has commanded. When Nadab and Abihu were offering God fire which He had not commanded, they were failing to regard Him as holy and glorify Him (Leviticus 10:3). How many people today feel they will honor God by doing whatever they think is going to be pleasing to Him? God expects us to follow His commands instead of doing whatever seems right to us. Proverbs 14:12; 16:25 warns, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (NKJV). We certainly cannot determine what God expects or wants from us unless He reveals it just as we cannot know what another person expects or wants without them revealing it to us (1 Corinthians 2:9-16). Respect and love for God will lead a person to be careful to obey God’s commandments exactly as they are given without deviation. Remember what Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (NKJV).
The record of Nadab and Abihu’s death demonstrates for us the need to respect the silence of God. God may not have specifically prohibited the fire which Nadab and Abihu offered. God instead specified the fire which they were to use. When God specifies what He wants in a particular area, we are not at liberty to do something different. This principle is important to remember when it comes to discussions relating to instrumental music. God specified the type of music He desires in worship under the New Covenant. Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 both specify singing. When we decide to use mechanical instruments of music in worship to God today, we are just like Nadab and Abihu offering to God worship which He has not commanded. God will reject such worship from us today just as He rejected such worship from Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10.
