Leviticus 10:1-2 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon… In this passage we have the law of worship announced, not in the measured statements of a statute, but in words of terror spoken with tongues of flame. What answer does the incident give us to the vital question, How can men worship God acceptably? I. THE CHARACTER OF THE WORSHIPPER IS A FACTOR OF IMPORTANCE. Those who, like the apostle, are "in the Spirit on the Lord's day" — and every day may be a "Lord's day" — are caught up into the realm of spiritual vision, and stand face to face with realities that on lower levels are at best the dreams and hopes of faith. Worship as an offering may be formal, though even for that to be acceptable there midst be some preparedness of heart; but worship, in order to prove a revelation, must be spiritual, and in securing that the attitude of soul is everything. II. THE PURPOSE OF THE WORSHIPPER IS AN ELEMENT OF WHICH GOD MAKES ACCOUNT. Whatever other reasons influenced Nadab and Abihu to offer "strange fire," it is evident that they had some selfish end to serve. God looks down into every pulpit, and into every minister's heart, and judges every prayer, and criticises every sermon, and estimates the worth or worthlessness of the service offered, according as He finds or furls to find a singleness of purpose to honour Him the sovereign motive that originates and regulates it all. As God looks down on our Sabbath assemblies, in how many pews He sees men and women offering "strange fire," instead of bringing the appointed sacrifice. The spirit of devotion that animates real service is omitted. III. THE PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP IS A MATTER TO WHICH GOD ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE. The numerous directions in the Jewish ritual looking to personal purity were all symbolic and significant of the value of character in the office of worship (Psalm 24:3, 4; 1 Timothy 2:8; Hebrews 10:22). Both the old covenant and the new are imperative in insisting upon right character as essential to right worship. IV. THE MODE OF WORSHIP HAS ITS LIMITS OF IMPORTANCE. The Jewish ritual was complicated, but it was in all its parts significant. A distinguished writer has said that "whoever would write out the spiritual symbolism of the Book of Leviticus, would give the world a fifth Gospel." Nadab and Abihu were punished for departing from the Divinely established order of service. The folly of men is never so apparent as when it sets itself up as being wiser than God. Under the Christian dispensation larger liberty of choice is allowed. Men are free to adopt such methods of worship as are most affluent in ministries to their spiritual life. But the old underlying principle which was sovereign in the Jewish ritual still remains in force. Any method of worship which is anything more than a means to an end, any ceremony which suffers the thought to go no further than itself, is radically defective. (E. S. Atwood.) Parallel Verses 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. |
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