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I Will Be Sanctified – Lev. 10:3
I Will Be Sanctified – Lev. 10:3
Aaron and his sons were given the privilege and duty of priesthood. They were chosen and appointed by God to do service on behalf of men (cp. Heb. ). On behalf of the people they would 'draw near' unto God and offer up sacrifice and offering. When Nadab and Abihu offered "strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them," they were consumed by fire from heaven.
God's short statement concerning this: "By those who come near Me, I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored." There has been continued discussion by commentators and religious people about the exact identity of this 'strange fire', but what IS agreed upon is that 'it was not commanded'. If they had added, on their own authority, something new, it was dishonoring God. If they CHANGED what God had said, it was dishonoring God. If they refused to do what God had said, it was dishonoring unto God. The problem is their attitude toward God, and attitudes end up being displayed in actions. God is to be treated as holy!
To consider God's laws as common is failure to treat God as holy. Trying to do what God said the way that God instructed is not legalism. Thinking that one can ignore or change what God has instructed is arrogant. Are we His counselor? Are we to tell Him what is acceptable?
While we are under the New Covenant and not the Old given by Moses, Peter instructs us: "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;" (1 Peter 3:15). As Nadab and Abihu should have held God to be holy, even so must we hold Jesus to be holy, sanctified, set apart. We are His disciples and are taught to observe all that He commanded the apostles (Matthew 28:20).
This is foundational to understanding the difference between the holy and the profane. He IS Holy. We must hold Him to be holy in our thinking.
Hugh DeLong
