Privileges and Positions Are No Protection

Holiness is arguably the most neglected attribute of God in the contemporary church. If asked to describe God, many Christians would mention his power, love, wisdom, or a list of other attributes, before they mention holiness. Yet in scripture, holiness is God’s central, defining, and foundational attribute. In fact, the word the Bible uses to describe God more than any other word is “Holy.” And God is so holy that everything associated with God becomes holy.

The text I have been capture by is Leviticus 10:1-3

1 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. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace.

The central theme of the book is Holiness. The book intends to show how
Israel was to fulfill its covenant responsibility to be 'a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation' (Ex 19:6; Lev 26:5).
How to maintain the vital covenantal relationship between the Israelites
and their God is the concern of the book of Leviticus.

New Testament theology makes full use of the idea of holiness. All
Christians are holy, "saints" in most English translations. That is, they have
been called by God to be his people just as ancient Israel had been
(Col.1:2; 1 Pet. 1:2; 2:9-10; Exod. 19:5-6). But this state of holiness must
find expression in holy living (Col. 1:22; 1 Pet. 1:15).

Sanctification is expressed through obedience to the standard of teaching (Rom. 6:17-19), just as in Leviticus through obedience to the law. Peter urges his readers to
make the motto of Leviticus their own: "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Pet.
1:16). The imitation of God is a theme that unites the ethics of Old and
New Testaments (Matt. 5:48; 1 Cor. 11:1).

Now in the text we find that the sons of Aaron offered Unauthorized Fire unto the LORD and were killed. So we see that God takes worship very serious. It is to be done His way and not ours. All worship must be consistent with te Word of God. Unauthorized Fire can be understood as that which the LORD had not commanded.

It is interesting to me these were Aaron's sons. Aaron was the brother of Moses. Aaron was the High-priest. He was the only one permitted into the Holy Holies, the place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. And yet they were killed in an act of worship for doing what God had not commanded. I am trying to emphasize that they were not some heathen or pagan young men. They were consecrated to the priestly office, coming to attend their office the very first day after their consecration to offer incense to God, they ventured to offer incense with strange fire, with other fire than God had appointed (Unauthorized Fire). Upon that, the fire of God's wrath broke out upon them and killed them both presently in that very sanctuary before all the people.

They were two men very renown in the country and before all the people of Israel, two men that God had greatly honored as you shall find in the beginning of the 24th chapter of Exodus. I am wanting you to see that these were men of Privilege and Position and yet they are consumed. What a warning this is for the people of God on how serious God is about worship and His holiness. Privileges and Positions are no Protection when it comes to approaching a Holy God.

This story troubled me much at first glance. I said to myself how could God bring such judgement on men of such privilege and position? As a preacher of the Gospel it just seemed to me to be a bit harsh. Then as I reflected and contemplated more on who God is I got it.

We are amazed at the judgement of God because of our lack of understanding and reverence of His Holiness that we miss the amazement of His Grace. The question is not why God killed them. But why has he not killed me and others of us who have also been guilty of offering Unauthorized Fire. Halleluah for the Lamb!

Privileges and Positions are not Protection. To whom much is given much is required. Privileges and Positions should serve as motivations for love and appreciation for God and His grace toward us. Love and appreciation should manifest itself in obedience to God's Holy Word.

In Isaiah 6 there is the mentioning of the Seraphim these angelic beings who hovered over the throne of God as guardians. They are God’s supernatural secret service team. They are Privileged to have such honored Positions. They are Holy Angels the bible says they have six wings. The wings are used to guard others from the throne of God and to guard themselves from God's throne. Two of the wings are said to cover their face. Get this they are Holy Angels Privileged and Positioned yet they cover their face from God.

They are holy angels who guard the throne of God. Yet they are still creatures. And even with their Privileged and lofty Positons it is still necessary for them to shield their eyes from a direct gaze at the face of God. That’s how Holy God is. He is not just set apart from sin. He is set apart from all creation. So even the Holy Angels that guard his throne had better beware, lest they become objects of his Holy Wrath.

Privilege and Position Are No Protection

The Danger of Unauthorzed Fire

One of the best books I ever read is by the Old Puritan Pastor Jeremiah Burroughs called GOSPEL WORSHIP. I would encourage every Christian to read it. There seems to be a loss of reverence in our comtemporary worship services. Much of what is done focuses more on us than on God. The bible is clear God must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth. God tells us how to worship Him. We are not permitted to offer worship to God however and whatever we desire and think it is acceptable. Many say as long as you are sincere it doesn't matter. This poses a problem because there is the danger of being sincerely wrong. Worship is for God, not for us. Sadly, that simple statement is foreign to our day. This is not to say we or not benefited in worship. God is to be glorified and we are edified in doing so.i believe we are enriched greatly by worshipping God, but it must be on His Terms.

Leviticus 10:1–3 (ESV)

1 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. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace.
This passage gives evidence and validity to the fact that God is serious about how He is worshipped. People of God don't take worshipping God as some casual thing. He is Holy and He must be reverenced.

Puritan pastor Jeremiah Burroughs masterfully gives guidelines to facilitate the reader to move closer to God in worship. Through 14 sermons, Burroughs carefully explains the right manner of worshipping God in the three great ordinances of hearing the Word, receiving the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. Burroughs shows that true worship is reverent, focused upon our Holy God.

In a sermon Burroughs wrote on this passage three things he highlighted that I think we should take heed to. He says;

1. That in worshipping God, there is a drawing nigh unto Him.

2. That when we do draw nigh to God, we should take heed to ourselves that we sanctify God's name. (Treat His Name as HOLY)

3. If we do not sanctify God's name in our drawing nigh to Him, then certainly God will sanctify His own name upon us.

On the first point Burrough says, "That in God's worship, there must be nothing tendered up to God but what He has commanded. I call this, "No Use of Unauthorized Fire".
All that we do in worship must be consistent with the Word of God which is the Will of God. I must ask myself am I acting upon what God has prescribed or am I acting upon what I desire?

Aaron's sons offered fire that God had not commanded. This means we must have a warrant for the worship of God. If I do not have Scripture to warrant me, I am acting insubordinate. We must all be willing worshippers, not will-worshippers.

If you would worship God, you must have a commandment of God for the worship. If there is no command from God then you worship in vain (Matthew 15:39). We can't use Unauthorized Fire!

I will pick up more tomorrow with Privilege and Positions Are No Protection.

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24