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Background
The story of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, is one of the most sobering warnings in the Bible. It reminds us that God is not only loving and gracious, but also holy and intentional about how He is approached. Their sudden death after offering a strange offering before the Lord forces us to pause and examine our own approach to God, especially as believers living under the New Testament dispensation.
What makes this account even more striking is what follows immediately after their death. God gave a direct command to Aaron that priests must not drink wine or strong drink when coming into His presence. This sequence of events is not coincidental; it reveals a spiritual principle that applies to both the Old and New Testaments.
The Strange Offering and What It Reveals
Leviticus 10 records that Aaron’s two sons offered “strange fire” before the Lord, which He had not commanded. The issue was not that they refused to worship God, but that they worshipped Him on their own terms.
God is very particular about how He is worshipped. Not every offering is acceptable simply because it looks spiritual. An offering can be sincere yet disobedient, religious yet unacceptable.
Immediately after this incident, God warned priests against drinking wine or strong drink when entering the Tent of Meeting, “lest ye die.” This strongly suggests that intoxication may have impaired the judgement of Aaron’s sons. Alcohol dulls spiritual sensitivity, weakens discernment, and encourages careless behaviour. When a priest stands before God without spiritual alertness, the result can be dangerous.
God desires worship that is intentional, obedient, and reverent, not careless or flesh-driven.
God’s Presence Requires Discernment
One key lesson from this passage is that the presence of God requires discernment. Priests were expected to distinguish between the holy and the unholy, the clean and the unclean. Anything that interferes with spiritual clarity becomes a threat to acceptable worship.
Wine, in this context, represents anything that clouds judgement or reduces reverence for God. While wine itself is not condemned outright in Scripture, drunkenness is repeatedly warned against. God wants His priests to be alert, sober, and led by His Spirit.
In God’s presence, emotional excitement, fleshly confidence, or religious routine can never replace obedience and spiritual sensitivity.
We Are Now a Royal Priesthood
Under the New Covenant, the priesthood is no longer limited to Aaron’s lineage. The Bible declares that every believer is now a priest before God.
1 Peter 2:9 says:
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people…”
This means that every believer has access to God’s presence, but that access also comes with responsibility. We are both royal and priestly. Our lives are now the altar, and our daily conduct is part of our worship.
The New Testament does not remove God’s standards; it moves them from external rules to internal transformation.
What Priests Must Avoid in God’s Presence
As New Testament priests, there are certain things that are inconsistent with our calling.
Spiritual intoxication
Anything that dulls our spiritual senses, whether alcohol, substance abuse, or unhealthy habits, can interfere with our walk with God. A priest must be filled with the Spirit, not controlled by fleshly influences.
Sexual immorality
Adultery and fornication directly contradict God’s holiness. Scripture teaches that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We cannot live in compromise and expect spiritual authority or intimacy with God.
Casualness towards holiness
Grace does not give us permission to be careless. Approaching God without reverence, repentance, or obedience weakens our spiritual life and dishonours Him.
Holiness Is Still God’s Standard
God’s command, “Be holy, for I am holy,” did not expire with the Old Testament. Holiness is not about perfection, but about separation and alignment with God’s character.
Holiness involves:
- Choosing obedience over convenience
- Maintaining reverence in worship
- Guarding the heart, mind, and body
- Living intentionally before God
A holy life gives credibility to our prayers and power to our witness. God desires priests who reflect His nature, not just His name.
Another Lesson: God Values Obedience Over Creativity
One additional insight from this story is that God values obedience more than creativity in worship. Nadab and Abihu may have thought they were adding something new or impressive, but God had not authorised it.
In our time, it is possible to be active in ministry, singing, preaching, praying, and still be out of alignment with God’s will. Spiritual activities must never replace obedience.
True worship flows from submission, not innovation.
Examining Our Approach to God Today
This account invites believers to examine how they come into God’s presence. Do we approach Him distracted, compromised, or unrepentant? Or do we come with humility, reverence, and a desire to please Him?
God is merciful and patient, but He is also holy. Grace does not cancel reverence; it empowers us to live rightly before Him.
Conclusion
The death of Aaron’s sons serves as a timeless warning to all who draw near to God. God takes seriously how His priests approach Him. Today, as royal priests under the New Covenant, we are called to live holy lives, to be sober in spirit, and to honour God in both private and public conduct.
When we come into God’s presence, let it be with clean hands, pure hearts, and spiritual alertness. Holiness is not a burden; it is a privilege that allows us to stand confidently before a holy God and offer worship that truly pleases Him.
