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The story of the guilt and doom of the sons of Aaron constitutes a sad episode in the recital of the sacred precepts of the Law. We look at -

1. THE CHARACTER OF THE TRANSGRESSION. It appears (from verse 16, compared with Leviticus 9:15) that this forbidden act was done very soon indeed after the solemnities described in the preceding chapter (9). Otherwise we should have inferred that it was familiarity with sacred rites which had bred irreverent unconcern, and issued in disobedience. We seem shut up to the conclusion that these young men, even when the solemn inaugural scenes were fresh in their memories, and. the commandments of the Lord clearly before their minds, deliberately and wantonly took fire from another source than the heaven-kindled flame on the brazen altar (Leviticus 9:24). Their action was, therefore, not only a defiant violation of the Law they had received from Moses, the servant of Jehovah, but it was a perverse disregard of the manifest will of God, made known in special supernatural disclosure.

II. THE EXPLANATION OF THE PUNISHMENT. (Verse 2.) This may seem severe, has seemed so to some. Why not exclusion from office or excommunication from the congregation of the Lord? Why the extreme penalty for one act of error in worship? The answer is manifold.

1. Their deed was (as has been said) an act of willful and wanton disobedience.

2. It was committed by those who were in high position.

3. It was a sin on the part of men in the enjoyment of high privilege, and in the exercise of no slight influence.

4. It was an evil thing done in the holy place and before the very face of God; it was disobedience in connection with the public worship of Jehovah - the supreme sphere of activity, in regard to which it was of vital consequence to the nation that everything should be done aright.

5. One signal mark of high displeasure might be mercy as well as justice - inspiring holy awe and saving many others from similar transgressions.

III. THE LESSONS WHICH THE SIN AND THE PENALTY LEAVE BEHIND THEM. We learn from this solemn and painful scene:

1. That God's will must be sedulously regarded in our approaches to himself: "I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me" (verse 3).

2. That God will vindicate his Law in unmistakable ways: "before all the people I will be glorified" (verse 3).

3. That there is no exemption from exposure to temptation: not

(1) sonship of the holy;

(2) being in a holy place;

(3) engagement in holy things;

(4) recency of special privilege.

4. That the heinousness of sin depends on many things beside the nature of the overt act.

5. That between sin and suffering there will be found a striking correspondence. With fire they sinned, and by fire they were consumed. God makes meet penalty to overtake transgression: whatsoever a man sows, that he reaps (Galatians 6:7). Sins against the soul lead to spiritual injury; against the body, to weakness, disease, and death; against society, to social dishonour and shame, etc. - C.

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KJV: And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

WEB: Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them.