SO FIRE CAME OUT FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD AND CONSUMED
THEM: "We have two men, Moses and Aaron, who make an offering to God which
is accepted and acknowledged by God by fire descending from heaven and consuming
their offering (Lev 9:24). Immediately afterward, we have two men who make an
offering to God which is not accepted, and this lack of acceptance is
acknowledged by fire descending from heaven and consuming the offerers. Perhaps
the lesson of the two groups of men is a lesson for us in approaching God with
reverence and awe. The writer to the Hebrews sums this up by saying, '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' (Heb 12:28,29). This can be taken in two ways. Our God
is a consuming fire who accepts our gratitude and acceptable service with
reverence and awe by consuming our offering, or He consumes us because we do not
show our gratitude with acceptable service. In either case, there is an
acknowledgment of the offerer -- a consuming fire -- one of Divine pleasure and
the other of Divine displeasure" (KT).
Lev 10:3
"The only acceptable way is the Lord's way. No self-appointed
means of worship can open the doorway to life. We cannot make ourselves holy:
holiness comes from Him when we follow His path to forgiveness and
sanctification. We can go further in understanding this matter. Nadab and Abihu
died in their holy garments. The garments and act of consecration in which they
had taken part did not afford safety. Safety lies in the Lord and not in any
external things. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth
into it and is safe. These two men followed the way of Cain and provided their
own mode of worship. The Lord was dishonoured by it. How can the sinner dictate
to God the terms of his acceptance? 'I will be sanctified...' said God, and
Moses knew exactly what He meant" (MMS 103,104).