" Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:25-29). Now, don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying that the Tsunami was God‘s handiwork, absolutely NOT! This disaster happened because of a fault in the tectonic plates in the earth. However, I believe all truths are parallel. As with the natural earthquake causing Tsunami or shaking, which pounds away at the buildings of men, exploiting every weakness in their structure, the divine shaking, is for the express purpose of judging and revealing the "things that are made," that only the eternal things, which cannot be shaken, will remain. This on going judgment of Christ begins first in the house of God and speak of us (See1 Peter 4:17). It was Paul who said, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16).”

Leviticus 10:1-3 tells us, “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 (unholy) fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD“. There are three places in Scripture where God is likened to a particular kind of fire. This is not your ordinary, contained, fire of romance in the wood burning stove or fireplace. The Bible proclaims God as a "Consuming Fire". Nadab and Abihu Aaron's sons, were set apart for the priesthood. According to God's purpose under the old covenant, only Aaron and his descendants could serve as priests. Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar (Ex. 6:22). Leviticus centers upon what it means to be a priest and a member of the royal priesthood {1 Pet 2:9} with which God has called us to be and by which he intends to reach creation. What exactly was this "strange fire" of which the text speaks? The answer is: it was fire (or more precisely burning coals) not taken from the brazen altar, but rather taken from some other source. Fires which has not been kindled by a coal from off His altar and is therefore “strange fire.” We can only take coal from of the altar specified for the worship of the father in spirit and truth. There are many fires burning today which has not been kindled by God. Hebrews 12:28-29 "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." (NAS) We are called to be partakers of the heavenly fire by offering our censers in his service.

When ceremonial worship was first instituted among the children of Israel, sacrifices on the brazen altar were consumed by fire sent directly from heaven. This was holy fire; fire which came from the very presence of God. The people were commanded to keep this fire burning at all times. The daily incense was to be burned in censers using only this particular fire. No other fire was to be used. Leviticus 16:12-13 says that Aaron (the High Priest) "shall take a fire pan full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of finely ground sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil. And he shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony."

The key to understanding the story lies in the fact that they offered "strange fire" that God "had not commanded." We can understand this point better by looking at other passages in the Old Testament that discuss worship of God. An example is found in Exodus 30:9 where God gave the Israelites specific instructions regarding the altar of incense. He warned them: "You shall not offer strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it." God told Israel exactly what kind of incense they were to burn during their worship of Him (Exodus 30:7-8). Anything else was "strange" incense that God had not authorized, and therefore violated God’s law. In Leviticus 16:12, we learn where Nadab and Abihu should have gotten the fire they used in their worship. "Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord." We can only worship the father with that which is of him. Aaron’s two sons ignored the sanctity of worship and obtained the fire they used from somewhere else. This was a terrible error that ultimately cost them their lives!

Here we see Aaron' s two sons, were judged, not because they were unqualified to minister at the altar of God, or because they wore the wrong garments but because they "offered strange fire before the Lord which He commanded them not." What was the error of Nadab and Abihu? Did they do something immoral? Absolutely not. They were appointed priests. They used censers that were acceptable in the rightful worship to God. They offered incense that was also used in worship. Yet, what they did was profane. What they did was unholy. Why? Because it was something God had not commanded them to do! When the father speaks we must hear and obey. They obtained the fire for their censers from a source other than that which God had authorized. He had commanded the fire for censers to be taken from the altar of incense which stood before the veil in the tabernacle. They evidently reasoned that fire was fire and its source was not important. When we worship as God commanded in spirit and truth, our worship is honored by God, it is holy, and acceptable to Him. When worship to God is done using means other than HE intended, something that He had not commanded, every actions is profane, the sacrifice becomes unholy, it is strange fire to God. Strange fire is simply fire not kindled or of His Spirit and nature.

Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. What was Aaron’s response? Aaron was silent. The verse says, “So Aaron held his peace.” The idea here is “to be silent, to die or to be struck dumb.” (The Hebrew is daw-man').) Aaron, after receiving this from the Lord, was silent; he was dumbstruck. Aaron no longer in confusion, now understood that worship is a state of being and not an act of outward service. Who is to regard God as holy? In this verse it is specifically “those who draw near.” The word is kaw-robe') which means “kinship, or lovers.” Those who claim to draw near to God are the lovers or kin of God and thusly, are those who know Him. It is those in union life with the father.

Nadab and Abihu died without having children (Num. 3:4). Under the laws of the Old Testament, to be a priest requires that you must be a descendant of Levi. The priest of the old order were all sons of the high priest. Their priesthood came out of their relation to their father, the high priest. They became priest because of their birth. They were born into it, when their father the priest dies, his sons took over. In the Melchisedec order there is no death, only the power of an endless life. These 2 sons died leaving no heir to replace them. You cannot produce life if you are living under the law of Moses (sin and death). Their death signified the passing of the old order of the priesthood. In Exodus 24:1 God asks for them by name to come and commune with Him on Mt. Sinai. These two men were allowed to worship in the very presence of God Almighty! They were blessed with being able to eat and drink before God, and they "saw the beauty of God" (Exodus 24:10). They beheld His beauty, and yet were allowed to live! There is a shifting from earthly sanctuaries, earthly sites and sacrifices, with a temporal paid priesthood, ceremonies and services, to the heavenly sanctuary made without hands. ( Hebrews 9:23) Hallelujah! Absolutely nothing in this heavenly realm has been made or defiled by the hands of man. Seen in the tabernacle of Moses, which was built after "the pattern of things in the heavens," was a type of good things to come. Pointing inward and leading to the reality of the heavenly sanctuary. In which we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God…(See Hebrews 4:14) Has he pass through your heavens?

We often look at the account of Nadab and Abihu with a sense of shock and disbelief. How could they have been so careless? How could they have done such a thing, especially considering the privileges which had been bestowed upon them! And, indeed, we should be shocked over their presumptuousness, and actions. But, before we rush to judgment, and before we become self-righteous in our condemnation, we should carefully examine ourselves! We, like they, are priests of the Lord (Revelation 1:6), and as such have certain God-given responsibilities to the Father and the Body of Christ. Have in times pass presented strange fire to father? We see God has a twofold purpose in “shaking and consuming” and that is, taking away and establishing. God's purpose in this matter has not changed. Once the fire has come and done its work ashes remain. It is ongoing. He is still removing the earthly manmade scaffolding that the heavenly reality can be established and fully manifested. It is in this area that man has the greatest difficulty submitting to the will and purpose of father. He is hesitant to wholly abandon the earthly and embrace his divine reality.

How are we presenting ourselves before our God and humanity? Are we overstepping our boundaries? Are we presuming to know better than him what is or is not acceptable to Him? Are our spiritual senses dulled with the wine of hypocrisy and self righteousness to the point where we too are unable to discern between that which is holy and that which profanes? Jesus Christ is the standard by which we judge all things. The author of Hebrews quoted Jesus as saying, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." We came to do the will of God, but what was it that God desired that we should do? We find the answer in the very same verse. "He takes away the first that He may establish the second." (See Hebrews 10:8-9) We are the true fire of God that he has accepted in the beloved to shew forth his praise and glory in the face of Christ. We must make sure that we are not walking about in a spiritual stupor, unable to determine God's true will for our lives. The purpose of the fire of God in our lives (censers) is that Christ be sanctified in and among them that come near us, and before all the people HE will be glorified in us. Salvation is for ALL even as many as the Lord our God calls in our path of service.

Namaste

Winston & Sarah