Gary W. Summers
Those not very familiar with the Scriptures may not recognize these names. The event associated with them has never been made into a movie (so far as the author knows). But the significance of what they did and God’s response to it has made quite an impact on students of the Word. For a few, it has become a matter of controversy.
Nadab and Abihu were two of Aaron’s four sons, the other two being Eleazar and Ithamar. Since God chose Aaron to be the high priest, and his sons would follow in his footsteps, they were being prepared for the task even as their father was. In Exodus 28:1, God tells Moses: “Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.” The apparel for the high priest is described in Exodus 28, along with the ephod, the breastplate that fit over it, the Urim and Thummim that were placed in it, and the turban with the plate on it that said: “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” The sons are mentioned again in Exodus 28:40-41, as God tells Moses:
For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics, and you shall make sashes for them. And you shall make hats for them, for glory and beauty. So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him. You shall anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests.
This brief history is provided to make it clear that God had ordained these four sons to be priests and to minister to Him, which is what two of them were doing in Leviticus 10:1a: “Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it.” Before finishing the sentence, notice the important facts leading up to this point again.
First, Nadab and Abihu were authorized to minister to God as priests. They were not without qualifications (since they were the sons of Aaron) nor without preparation (proper instruction). As far as is known, they were wearing the proper garments while engaged in their priestly duties. None of these things is called into question.
Second, there is no hint that they were the least bit rebellious or unhappy with the work they had been given to perform. They seem to be the oldest or most prominent of the four brothers since their names always come first. In Exodus 24:1, God issued a special invitation to Moses: “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.” Why Eleazar and Ithamar were not included in this gathering would be a guess.
God’s Judgment
The second part of Leviticus 10:1, along with verse 2, proves to be quite unexpected (the first time the reader sees it)—and astonishing; Nadab and Abihu “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.”
From a man’s perspective, it does not look like they did anything worthy of death. The reader must ask the questions. “What was the reason for the outpouring of the wrath of God? Why was the fire profane?” We know that God had given particular and detailed instructions about everything related to the worship He had instituted.
The altars and the furniture for the tabernacle of meeting were to meet precise, Divine specifications. The correct garments were to be worn. What had Nadab and Abihu done wrong?
God had given the Israelites instructions about building the altar of incense—one of the items of furniture kept inside the holy place. It was to be a square table—one cubit by one cubit; it stood two cubits high (about three feet) (Exo. 30:2). Aaron was to put incense on it each morning and evening (30:7-8). It was only to be used for incense. No grain offering, drink offering, or burnt offering was to be made upon it. Furthermore, no strange incense was to be used upon it (30:9). The incense was to be made of certain ingredients, which are listed in Exodus 30:34-38.
However, the incense does not appear to have been the problem for the sons of Aaron. Their error was in the fire that they used. Later, in Leviticus 16:12, the fire to be used on the Day of Atonement was to come from the altar of burnt offering. A previous record of that fact is not to be found, but if God found fault with what Nadab and Abihu did, He must have specified which fire was to be used in connection with the incense.
However, Nadab and Abihu used a different fire. Why? One commentary suggests that perhaps they were overawed by what had just occurred, which is described in Leviticus 9:23-24. Moses and Aaron came out of the tent of meeting “blessed the people.… And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”
Were Nadab and Abihu shy about getting fire from an altar that had just blazed so hotly? The theory makes sense when looking at the reaction of the rest of the congregation. But then where else would they have obtained fire to put in their censers? The Pulpit Commentary suggests that there were various fires near that altar “for boiling the sacrificial flesh” (2:1:149). Speculation aside, what are the facts we know?
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The priests, up to this point, were compliant. “So Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses” (Lev. 8:36).
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They used the correct incense since nothing indicates otherwise (it would surely have been mentioned, under the circumstances, if they had done two wrong things).
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They obtained the fire they intended to use from some other source than the one God had designated.
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In so doing, they did not regard God as holy (10:3).
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They did not glorify God (10:3).
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Thus, “fire went out from the Lord and devoured them” (10:2), which means God regarded their actions as extremely serious. Whether or not they intended to dishonor Him, the fact is they did, and it cost them their lives.
Can This Passage Be Used?
Preachers have often used this occurrence as a warning that we do not participate in false worship. Some have objected to that practice. However, it was obviously a sin, and it did involve worship. So, hmm! Below are a few pertinent translations of the sin from various versions. These two men offered strange fire:
KJV: “which he commanded them not.”
NKJ and NAS: “which He had not commanded them.”
ASV and ESV: “which he had not commanded them.”
RSV: “such as he had not commanded them.”
NIV: “contrary to his command.”
Interestingly, the NIV and the ESV call it “unauthorized” fire instead of “strange” fire. Unauthorized may not be an accurate translation in place of strange, but it is the idea being presented in the text. Nadab and Abihu used fire which God had not specified. They did not take the fire from the altar of burnt offering: they obtained it from another source. Can this principle, however, be used against the use of adding instruments of music to our worship?
All right, let us see. First, for the priests, God specified the fire from the altar of burnt offering be used. God specified that the Christian is to sing. Second, God did not forbid the priests to use any other fire for the burning of incense (any other incense was forbidden). God did not forbid instruments of music, vocal sounds, yodeling, or whistling to be used in worship. Third, when Nadab and Abihu used an unauthorized source of fire, God consumed them with fire. Is it a stretch to say God would be equally displeased if Christs used unauthorized music in worship today? If so, what would the reason be? We are doing what God commanded when we sing.
It is reported that, after the Joplin Unity Summit in 1984 (over 40 years ago), some members of the church said, “I will never again use Nadab and Abihu against the Christian Church,” the rest of us said, “Why not?” Nothing happened there that changed either the Scriptures or our interpretation of them. Recently, someone wrote (in connection with his podcast) the following opinion:
Comparing the sin of Nada and Abihu with the use of instrumental music is a false equivalency Nadab and Abihu disobeyed the explicit instructions of God by offering something other than what was explicitly commanded. However, those who sing with instruments are still singing and presumably doing so with and from their heart.
Wait a minute! Why is the comparison a false equivalency? What is not parallel? What the author of the statement says is true about Nadab and Abihu. They disobeyed God by not using the fire He told them to use. However, He did not forbid the use of any other fire. Similarly, People who sing with the use of instruments have added what God did not authorize. The Lord did not forbid instruments any more than He forbade other sources of fire. The two situations are precisely comparable.
Those who use instruments are still singing. No, they are singing with accompaniment. Is it not still the case that adding to the Word of God and taking away from it is still wrong (Deu. 4:2). Yes, we live under a different covenant than the Law of Moses, but altering the Word of God is still wrong. Paul told the Galatians they had turned to another gospel (Gal. 1:6). What? Hadn’t they repented of their sins? Weren’t they still baptized for the forgiveness of their sins? Oh, then, it is all right. No, it is not. The Gospel is no longer the gospel. It had been mixed with the doctrines of the Judaizing teachers.
Well, they “are still singing.” No, they are singing, and they have added instruments. Just as the Gospel is no more the gospel when Judaizing teachings are added, singing is no more singing when instruments of music are added. If not, why not? No one gets to add to God’s Word with impunity.
What Does the Text Say?
Suppose some refuse to be impressed with the argument presented above. It might help to return to the text of Leviticus 10:1-3 once more. The important piece of information about this event is: “How does the passage define what the sin is?” They do not appear to have transgressed in ten different ways in what they did wrong. Only one thing is named. They used the wrong fire; God had specified using the fire from the altar of burnt offering, but they used something else. It does not matter where they found it; it was not the right fire. They used what God had not authorized. God does not authorize instruments of music for New Testament worship. Add them at your own risk.
