We find ourselves at the beginning of June in the year of our Lord, 2026. The best commendation I can give of summer is that it is very nice to look at. The sun shines bright, illuminating the landscape with a vibrant glow which highlights every possible color there is to reflect. It is always a sight to behold, especially after long stretches of cloud-covered days where all the world is drab and gray.
Yet, the beauty of summer is best enjoyed through the looking-glass of a window, in a well-insulated room. Lest the tyranny of the sun and its summer heat be known to one’s flesh and drive away all thoughts of fondness one may bear. Sometimes, nature’s charm is wise to admire from a distance, in the cool of the shade. Such is the way of things when the summer sun approaches.
And that is where I find myself now, in awe of the beauty of God’s creation as the sun shines and the birds sing. Yet, I know to keep my heart soft by propping myself a ways off from that realm of nature, able to adore it from the tower where I craft these words. There will be time enough to venture out into the heat, to do the hard work of the day. And when that time comes, I know it shall cast off all thoughts of fondness, so passing away the moment for good things to say.
Recently, when writing out the Holy Scriptures, I was moved by the account Moses gives in Leviticus 10 and felt beckoned to comment thereupon. This includes the deaths of Nadab and Abihu after offering “strange fire” before the Lord; Moses’ exhortation to Aaron not to mourn publicly for his sons; and the misunderstanding over Aaron not eating a sacrifice which is abated after Moses hears his reasoning.
Breaking Protocol
This portion of the Scriptures begins with Nadab and Abihu offering foreign fire to the Lord using their own censer, rather than the means they knew to be authorized by God (Leviticus 10:1). We would be remiss if we did not learn from this story to be diligent in how we present ourselves to the Lord. An abundance of knowledge, humility, and wisdom is needed for such an endeavor, bringing us to a state where we know His ways and can follow them well.
A servant does not prescribe how to fulfill a task for his master. Rather, a servant executes the will of his master as it was prescribed to him. And so, it matters how one follows and worships the Lord. He is the arbiter of how this can be done, not His followers.
This tale also reminds us of the time Samuel informs Saul that obedience is preferable to God over any sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). This is precisely what Nadab and Abihu fatally forgot, and what they should have known from the beginning, passed down as knowledge and wisdom from Adam and Eve, generation to generation.
Cain need not have despaired over his unacceptable sacrifice. Rather, he should have learned from the good example of his brother Able, and did likewise (Genesis 4:7). But instead of being accepted, Cain stood firm in his unacceptable ways, leading him to murder his brother and be cursed (Genesis 4:11).
While it may be easy for one to not think of anything he does apart from God as so serious as murdering one’s brother, it would be foolish to fail in noting this tragedy was the end of the story; not the beginning. The principle is the same, no matter the vector. That is, the end of sin so shall be, no matter how is the start.
Let us learn from these stories of the past and be wise for today. For timeless things, it seems, are so easily forgotten.
Breaking Protocol – In Our Hearts
There is more to be said of this first lesson, but in a different way.
The Lord does warn us that worship done in vain – without the right heart or motivation – is repugnant to Him. So much so, that He says insincere worship would be better off to cease altogether (Isaiah 1:13 & Malachi 1:10). This is an even greater warning than the incident with Nadab and Abihu, for their act of worship may have been a sincere attempt, yet it was done out of accordance with proper procedure.
Still, God’s later admonitions through prophets such as Isaiah and Malachi make no indication the worthless offerings in question were done out of accordance with protocol. Yet they were rejected nonetheless in the broader context of disobedience to greater matters (e.g., child sacrifice, temple prostitution, perpetual debt slavery, etc.).
Again, the principle is important to note. Worship done without a sincere heart, even if done correctly according to procedure, may still be rejected. I have seen it easy for many to be distracted by the grandiosity of the examples given in Scripture – people throwing their babies into fires for Molech one day while praying to God the next, or holding slaves in perpetuity while asking for forgiveness of their own debts to Him – and wrongly think their own matters, which they consider trivial by comparison, to be so incomparable.
Let us not delve into such folly, for then we do forget the principle of the matter, waving it away with perverted rationalization. Worship not done in sincerity – that is, by one who does not follow the Way of God – even if done correctly according to procedure, is repugnant. May we keep ourselves from such tragedy, knowing its deadly end, by earnestly following the Way of God in all we do.
Breaking Protocol – A Final Consideration
It is also possible Nadab and Abihu were drunk when they failed so fantastically.
This is evidenced by God prohibiting the consumption of alcohol when approaching the altar immediately after the incident (Leviticus 10:9). Such things remind us of warnings from Peter to be of sober mind, for Satan prowls about, waiting for a chance to destroy us in the midst of any drunkenness (1 Peter 5:8).
Drunkenness, as we of course know, leads to “reckless indiscretion” (Ephesians 5:18). Even should we assume well of Nadab and Abihu – that they knew what was authorized and what was not – history is replete with examples where even the best of men can have their better judgement destroyed by the influence of mind-altering substances. Let their deaths then serve as a cautionary tale to all, so that their example may not be repeated.
Of course, this lesson is not to contradict the Word of the Lord delivered through Solomon that wine was given to us for our enjoyment (Ecclesiastes 9:7). Of course, alcohol taken in moderation – that is, not to the point of drunkenness – does not interfere with one’s sober mind.
Let us not become the fool who would blaspheme the Law of God by adding thereto, claiming it sin in and of itself to drink but one drop of wine when no such prohibition exists. It is merely that excessive drinking, which does lead to drunkenness, is to be avoided. For surely one cannot think or do rightly, conducting himself in a manner worthy of the good news of Christ (Philippians 1:27), in a drunken state. And in some situations, any alcohol whatsoever is too great a risk to bear.
Public Displays of Emotion
Also of note in Leviticus 10 is the importance of Aaron not mourning publicly for Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:6). This reminds us that even if we are sad, we must be careful how we display that emotion in public, lest it influence others negatively. I have seen this is something effeminate and infantilized cultures can greatly struggle with. Nadab and Abihu died for their misdeeds, and the mourning thereof could be construed as discontent with God’s decision, stirring up rebellion against Him.
Such things harken us back to both the grumbling of the Israelites in the Wilderness (Numbers 11:1), as well as the bad report of the spies sent to reconnoiter the Promised Land (Numbers 14). Both times, the people’s relationship with the Lord was damaged by the disobedience that such groaning engendered.
Their grumbling hurt the Lord, making Him feel as though all He had done for them was a meaningless trifle to the people who He cared so much for. And the bad report spread by the spies, however honest it may have been in their sight, only served to damage the morale of the people and sink their hearts.
Sometimes, it is best to keep our feelings to ourselves, and the consequences of failing in this can be dire. I have seen and heard those who forget such lessons and attempt to trivialize their own grumblings in the sight of others, aired out in public for all to hear and be affected by. Perhaps they are trying to convince themselves. Perhaps they are truly trying to convince God against His own declarations.
Even I have done such things as a youth. I remember not thinking much of so doing at that time. So, perhaps people are not thinking when they grumble and groan. For it is written, “the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil” (Proverbs 15:28). Let us take heed and be wise.
This reminds us of how the Lord warns us to send home anyone who tries to come and prepare for battle, but who is afraid (Deuteronomy 20:8). For if we do not send those frightful ones home, they will melt the hearts of those next to them and scatter the ranks.
This is true not just in physical battle, but in principle, and thus, in all of life. For all of life is a battle in a larger war, or a drama if you will. This we see with the life of Job, and how he is affected by the discord between God and Satan (Job 1 & Job 2).
Thus, let us not think it a small matter how we present ourselves in public, but be strong and courageous. Let us not tempt others to despair, but encourage them with a good example. Let us endure suffering with resolve, and so charge others to do likewise.
In the end, may we all be better for it. For there is a time to mourn (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Yet, like all things, that must be done in its time and place, rather than outside those bounds.
Danger of Hasty Conclusions
Finally, we consider that Aaron does not eat a goat because he is still in mourning. He reasons that his grief may corrupt the act of holy service (Leviticus 10:19). Given the lessons just revealed by the Lord, Aaron’s reasoning is sound. He abstained from the sacrificial meal out of an abundance of caution that his grief might taint it. Moses agrees (Leviticus 10:20).
And indeed, Moses may be right to be suspicious of Aaron at first, given the man’s previous failures, immense as they have been. This is the same Aaron who failed to lead the people away from making a golden calf (Exodus 32). And now, this is the same Aaron who failed to lead his sons away from drunkenness and death (Leviticus 10).
Yet, Moses investigates the matter, discovering the truth behind Aaron’s motivations. In so doing, he finds all is well; and his concern was unwarranted, however well-founded it may have been. Let us all leave room to be surprised by those who have disappointed us so greatly before.
Also, we should here take note of Aaron’s wisdom and consider it for ourselves. Let us be sure that our grief, or any other emotion, does not taint our heart for God when we go to approach Him. Certainly not when it comes to public acts of service. The Scriptures are replete with examples of men and women coming to God with their despair privately. But doing so publicly is to fail to learn from the errors of those who came before.
This account also reminds us of Isaac requesting something to eat so that he could bless his son (Genesis 27:4). The words “so that” are important. It indicates he could not bless his son without having eaten something first. What are we to make of this? Of course, any answer on my part is speculation, but I will do my best to bear it out of reason.
Perhaps the state of mind or mood someone is in carries spiritual significance, even if it is not something the Holy Scriptures explicitly explain. Aaron recusing himself from the sacrificial meal in Leviticus 10 hints at this. And were it not so, Isaac should have been able to bless Esau right then in Genesis 27:4.
The only conclusion one can draw is that one’s mood or state of mind – influenced by food, as we all know from our own experience – makes a difference in what can or cannot be done spiritually. As for what that difference is precisely, or why it is, I cannot say. Perhaps there is an answer somewhere, accessible to us. If so, it alludes me at this time, and thus remains a mystery.
However, I can say this much. In an esoteric way, this all makes sense. Our mood affects how we think and do things. If we are in a good mood, we will do good things. If we are in a bad mood, we will do bad things, or at least our performance will be subpar, unless we rectify our mood. And good food can put someone in a good mood. If you also presume that being in a bad mood prevents someone from doing things in a spiritually-correct way, then all this controversy over food makes a certain sort of sense.
The Heart of the Matter
Worship of the Lord of Armies must be both sincere and proper in order to be acceptable. That is, it must done by a person who knows what is righteous, what is wicked, and who earnestly endeavors to do what is right as God has defined such things. Both the man who does things sincerely, but improperly; as well as the man who does things properly, but insincerely, needlessly risk the wrath of God by offering unacceptable worship.
Also, the way we present ourselves publicly, to the Lord and to His people, matters greatly. Emotion can be easily misunderstood. It is good to bring our emotions to God, and even to other people, in private. At times, it may even be good to bring out emotions publicly, yet public displays must be considered carefully. They carry weight which private displays do not.
Lastly, let us not be hasty in our conclusions, even when we have good reason to be. Let us remember that people can learn from past mistakes, as we no doubt have ourselves. Of course, the best indicator of future behavior is past behavior. However, we who have been forgiven must know how to forgive.
Live Well In All Things
In all we do and in all our ways, let us remember the Lord is not to be approached lightly, but in reverence. And let us rejoice in knowing that when we do approach Him reverently, then He, being just, returns to us that good, abundantly beyond anything we could provide to Him or to ourselves. Thus, it is certainly to our benefit to worship the Lord rightly, and it only makes sense to do so.
All Pensive Warrior blog posts are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The Pensive Warrior 