God is God

Leviticus 10:1–2 (ESV) Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.

The Bible has these moments we recoil at. This is one of them. I can think of the Acts 5 moment with Ananias and Saphira and the Uzzah moment in 2 Samuel 6. God strikes down dead someone because of actions that we would normally not consider worthy of instant death. All three of these incidents happen when God has shown up powerfully among His people.

The important word in this chapter is the first one: "Now." The connection from what comes in Leviticus 10 to what came before in Leviticus 9 illuminates the event. God's glory has come down. Fire from heaven consumes the burnt offering. It's a glorious sight and the people respond in worship. AT THAT TIME these two boys come with ulterior motives concerning their position. They were completely out of bounds in everything they did. Only the high priest was to touch the incense. The censures were theirs and not that of the High Priest which had been set apart for this holy service. And they offered "strange" (unauthorized) fire AS the true fire of God is falling down. 

Some commentators say that these boys were prone to drinking. That hint comes from verses 8-10:
Leviticus 10:8–10 (ESV) And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 “Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean,

It is one of life's certainties with drinking - it makes you do stupid things to draw attention to yourself. Some believe it's a cup of courage. The Bible calls it a "mocker"... it makes you loud, brazen and full of your own stupidity. These boys were perhaps prone to the drink, did so at this holy moment, saw God's glory impress people, and thought they could replicate the act for their own self-adulation!

It's the original temptation that is rooted in all sin - that we can be like God. 

But nothing is clearer from moments like this: God is God and we are not. To be near God should make us MORE aware of this fact, not LESS aware. Nadab and Abihu didn't realize that the presence of God was not to be taken lightly. God is showing himself for us to understand His greatness and our smallness. To know HIS greatness is what empowers us for HIS service. If we see Him as He is, we will never be intimidated by whatever problems or challenges we face in the future. 

The presence and glory of God is a gift not to be taken lightly and never to be upstaged. Yet how many preachers and church leaders are often guilty of using the glory of God's Word or presence for their own adulation. The purpose of bringing people to God is for them to know God as God and allow all other things to pale in comparison. 

God is God. We are not. 

That is a good thing.