THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #48 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #30
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3730
THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #48
THE LIFE OF MOSES #30
3 REVELATIONS OF YHVH'S NAME GIVEN TO MOSES #18
YHVH M'KADDESH ( PART 9 )
THE 3 LESSONS FROM THE DEATHS OF NADAB AND ABIHU
What should we learn from their fiery death?
Here are three lessons:
1. There Are No Small Sins
The Bible’s pages are marked by small sins that cost people greatly:
Eating a forbidden fruit like Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:6).
Looking back at a city like Lot's wife (Gen. 19:26)
Hitting a rock-like Moses (Num. 20:11).
Touching the ark of the covenant like Uzzah (2 Sam. 6:7).
Lying about real-estate withholdings like Annas and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11).
Scenes like these teach an important lesson: there are no small sins against a Holy God.
Sin only seems trivial to us when God’s holiness seems trite.
God is an all-consuming fire who dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim. 6:16; Heb. 12:29). There is no impurity in him whose eyes are too pure to look on evil (Ps. 92:15; Hab. 1:13).
Sinless angels who unceasingly cry “Holy! Holy! Holy!”—while covering their eyes and feet—do so because God’s unfiltered holiness is unbearable to endure (Isa. 6:4; Rev. 4:8).
When righteous Isaiah stood before God, he impulsively exclaimed, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips” (Isa. 6:5).
When we see God as Holy, we see that no sin is small.
To say there are no sins are small doesn’t mean all sins are the same. Some sins are worse than others and carry greater consequences (Matt. 10:15; 2 Pet. 2:21). But this distinction shouldn’t “shrink” any sin. It isn’t our sins that are small, but our estimation of God.
A high view of his Holiness plainly shows that even the seemingly tiniest sin is eternal treason.
Nadab and Abihu’s death is but a foreshadowing of the fierce fire that awaits even the “slightest” sinners.
God is that Holy, and our sin is that serious.
2. How We Worship Matters
The Bible is clear that God cares how we approach him in worship.
In Leviticus 8–9, the priests did everything “as the LORD commanded” (Lev. 8:4, 5, 6, 9, 13, and so on).
But Nadab and Abihu went rogue and did what “he had not commanded them.”
Overlooking God’s commands may have been well-intended like Uzzah (2 Sam. 6:6–7) or devious like Saul (1 Sam. 15:1–23). Either way, God showed everyone it matters how we worship Him.
3. We Need a Better Priest
Nadab and Abihu were everything you don’t want in a priest.
They minimized sin and made up their own rules for worship.
Their fault and frailty are intended to remind us of our countless sins (both small and great) as well as our propensity to reshape God’s requirements to our own liking.
Their judgment shows us our great need for a Priest who perfectly keeps God’s law and always lives to intercede for us (Heb. 7:25).
We need a better priest than Nadab or Abihu. We need Jesus.
What is our take-home lesson today?
Jesus resisted even the smallest sin because He trusted the Father’s Word (Matt. 4:3–4, 10).
He did not alter God’s Word but led people into rightly worshiping God (Matt. 5:1–7:29).
Jesus, the One who knew no sin, went outside the camp to be consumed for others’ sins (Lev. 10:4; Heb. 13:12; 2 Cor. 5:21).
And He was raised to serve as the everlasting priest for all who trust Him (Heb. 4:14–16; 7:25).
In many ways, we, like Nadab and Abihu, have ignored God’s commands.
But Jesus died so we might live. As we consider Nadab and Abihu, let us find comfort in knowing that though we too deserve to be consumed for our sins, Jesus faced the flame of God’s holy wrath so we could be forgiven and rejoice in the hope of one day seeing His face (Rev. 22:4).
The stunning lack of theological discernment and biblical illiteracy in the modern church sets entire congregations up to dishonor God by offering ‘strange fire’ as worship.
We should also notice that Nadab and Abihu were leaders. Being a leader doesn’t exempt one from judgment; it enhances the judgment.
Leaders will be judged more strictly (James 3:1; cf. Luke 12:48), and ministering to God’s people according to worldly wisdom brings fiery discipline (1 Cor. 3:10–15).
This is exceptionally important for leaders to know. And for us to learn what " Holiness Unto The Lord " truly means.
