Leviticus 10:1-2 Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Wow. What a way to end the day! After God’s presence filled the Temple and the people fell on their faces in awe and fear, these two newly appointed priests are killed. What did they do that caused them to be punished so severely? I don’t understand Hebrew culture as well as I’d like, so I went hunting… I found several sources (well, lots really) that shed some light into the matter. The general consensus seems to be that no one really knows exactly what they men did wrong. However, there does seem to be agreement that they offered a sacrifice that God hadn’t asked for or taught them how to do yet, and because they didn’t wait for instructions they used fire that wasn’t consecrated (made holy). Nadab and Abihu put regular fire into their censer. After their deaths, we find out that the fire should have come from the fire of God’s presence on the altar. But they didn’t know that, right? That’s the problem. They rushed ahead of God and did it in the way that seemed right to them, forgetting the extremely holy nature of God. I think that if they had waited for God to tell them what to do they would have lived (now, I could be wrong here. There may have been an issue with their hearts – their motivation, etc.). Why does this matter? Well, it seems to provide a general principle for life: wait for God’s instructions before rushing off and doing it my way. Whether it’s pride or ignorance, or even extreme enthusiasm, doing it my way is never a good idea. For sure, the times I’ve done it my way there have been disastrous consequences. And while our society celebrates our ability to do it our way, God’s way is better, safer, and demonstrates our love for and obedience to Him. So, instead of “I did it my way!” perhaps we should be waiting to get our instructions first. Then we can say, “I did it God’s way!” And that’s a much better way to live. References: Bergman, B., Rabbi. “We’re All Still Learning.” Temple Beth-El, San Antonio, Texas. N.p., 31 Mar. 2000. Web. 8 Apr. 2010. <http://www.beth-elsa.org/be_s0331.htm>. Graham, Ron. “What Did They Do Wrong? — Nadab and Abihu’s Fatal Error in Worship.” Simply Christians, Eftel, Australia. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2010. <http://members.net-tech.com.au/sggram/f077.htm>. Martin, Wiley. “The Consequences of Disobedience.” Olive Tree Messianic Fellowship. N.p., 31 Mar. 2008. Web. 8 Apr. 2010. <www.olivetreemessianicfellowship.com/index.php/Wiley-s-Torah-Study/consequences-of-disobedience.html>.