Shortly after Aaron and his sons offer their first sacrifices as newly ordained priests, we read about a strange and unsettling incident. Aaron’s eldest sons burn “unauthorized fire” in the tabernacle, and as punishment, they are destroyed with fire from God.
How did reading this difficult story today hit you? If you found it strange and disturbing, you aren’t alone. A quick search of commentaries from Jewish and Christian writers reveals that readers are still wrestling with this passage. You can find plenty of theories about why their actions were so offensive—that they were disrespectful, they didn’t follow God’s directions, or that their actions had occultic influences. All we have in the text is a statement that they did what God had not commanded them to do.
In the middle of all these questions, I am most struck that Aaron’s response is silence. What can you say in response to these words from God? “I will demonstrate my holiness to those who are near me, and I will reveal my glory before all the people” (Leviticus 10:3). Later, when Moses confronts him about how he handled the sin offering, Aaron speaks with honesty. “Since these things have happened to me, if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been acceptable in the LORD’s sight?” (v.19).
Whatever we make of Nadab and Abihu’s fate, we know Aaron and his sons are not perfect priests. Scripture resounds with the echoes of Aaron’s question, whether it’s David lamenting the depths of his sin in a psalm or Isaiah trembling under the full weight of the King’s glory. These men—the king and the prophet—both find their healing amid their brokenness. I imagine David writing through his tears, “You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God” (Psalm 51:17) Or Isaiah lifting his gaze in awe as he hears a holy voice kindly say, “your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for” (Isaiah 6:6).
It’s not about the fire or the blood or where the priests ate their ceremonial meals. Over and over, we’re shown that God desires living sacrifices, not dead ones. God wants humbled hearts and lives of service, a whole family of holy priests who offer their hearts and bodies to serving the King. And all along the way, these stories point to Jesus, the One who perfectly fulfills every possible role—the Priest and Lamb, the Prophet and King.
Great questions Alayna P.!
Passages like Leviticus 10 are always unsettling to me. I wrestle w/ them because I’m quick to believe that God is compassionate, gracious, kind, loving, & merciful (which He is). Passages like today soberly remind me that God is also holy, jealous, & just (attributes of God that I’m slower to understand, believe, proclaim, and/or cling to). His wrath will be poured out because of unrepentant sin. When you Google ‘God’ or ‘Jesus,’ images portraying the former are much more likely to appear. I find it a ‘tough pill to swallow’ because I want ‘Holy Ghost goosebumps.’ I want a little conviction here & there, little to no discomfort. I want it to be ‘butterflies, rainbows, & sunshine’ when it comes to God because it’s far too difficult to not only accept these attributes of God in my own life, in my own relationship w/ Him, let alone to share w/ these hard truths w/ other people. Help me Holy Spirit to be careful not to over-romanticize God & my relationship w/ Him. To understand, believe, proclaim, AND cling to the fact that God is holy, jealous, & just.
This was really great. I was having trouble wrapping my head around this lesson, but you unpacked it so perfectly. Thank you!!
Thank You Jesus
Mercy! Thank you for mercy! Amen
Mercy you always share such insight. Thank you!
Alana-
I’m not a theologian by any stretch but I wondered if Aaron didn’t eat it bc his sons took fire that wasn’t authorized so he wasn’t sure if it would be acceptable since the fire wasn’t. I am probably totally off base.
I know we will never know but I can’t help but wonder what Nadab and Abihu’s motive was in coming to the Lord the way they did? Were they drunk and not thinking clearly? Impatient after the 7 day consecration? Also, I didn’t quite understand why Aaron didn’t eat the sin offering. Why wouldn’t it have been acceptable to the Lord?
Can do