Mini Series: Nadab and Abihu...Freedom's Folly, (pt 1)

Have you ever been to Chicago or New York City? There are some enormous skyscrapers there. In Chicago you have the John Hancock building and the Sears tower, (which was the tallest building in the world at one time). I have actually been to the top floor of the John Hancock building and it’s quite impressive. You can look all over downtown Chicago, Lake Michigan, and see for miles and miles all around you.

The structure of those buildings is incredible. Architects have to build those skyscrapers according to calculated formulas and codes in order that the buildings can withstand the wind, pressure, and weight of the materials. This way the buildings don’t fall down on top of people’s heads in downtown Chicago, (which is always a bummer). So what, (Yes! I included it again), would happen should the architects decide to disregard the science, math, and architectural guidelines for building a skyscraper for the sake of having the freedom to do it however they saw fit?

Great movie. 

I've never been to medical school, nor do I want to. Do you know why I don’t want to go to medical school? Reason number 1: because it costs like a GILLION dollars to become a doctor. Reason number 2: It takes about 800 years of schooling to become a doctor. I’m already 33, so I’d rather not make the attempt at my age. Why does it take so much time and money to become a doctor? Because doctor’s take people’s lives in their hands, (just like Colonel Nathan Jessup), and because people who do heart surgery really need to know what the heck they are doing. They have to learn all the ins and outs of why the body works the way it does, how to properly heal a person who is sick or needs surgery, and the right and wrong way to treat a person. How good would you feel if you were being wheeled into surgery, were slowing fading into sleep from the medication, and heard the doctor say, “I’m just going to wing it in there, I feel like I have the freedom as a doctor to do whatever I want. I’m sure it’ll work out in the end”? I believe the medical term for your response would be Ijustcrappedmypantsitis, but I’m not sure.

Admit it, you're laughing right now as you look at this.

What does this example and question have to do with one another? Why do I bring them up? I am trying to illustrate a problem in some Christian circles and churches. The problem is some have sacrificed the truth and guidelines given by God for the sake of what's comfortable, what feels good, for "freedom", and for open-mindedness. Thus begins the Nadab and Abihu miniseries. Who are Nadab and Abihu? Well I'm glad you asked!

There's a story in the Old Testament involving a couple of priests, Nadab and Abihu, who were working before the Lord's temple. God had given strict instructions to the Israelites on how they should approach him, what food should be offered, what sort of incense should be burned, how the people should cleanse themselves before coming to him, how the priests should dress, etc. The structure and rules given is pretty extensive, and you can read all about it in Exodus and Leviticus if you want. God went over the rules pretty exhaustively with Moses and the people so they would understand what he wanted and how he wanted them to come before him.

Well these two priests must have figured, "Aw, what the heck, we'll offer another kind of incense before God. It's not prescribed in God's instructions, but we're priests and we have the authority and freedom to interpret God's instructions as we see fit," (that's my translation anyways). Let's see what the Bible actually says:

"Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the Lord has said: 'Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified," (Leviticus 10:1-3).

How did this end? Not well...

Look, I don't actually know what was in Nadab and Abihu's heart at the time. The Bible doesn't say. What is clear is that God had spoken to the people, and specifically to the priests (leaders), about what was right, good, and appropriate. He had given specific instruction on how he should be approached. Nadab and Abihu had been given specific revelation, but they did things their own way regardless. The consequences were death by fire.

That may sound harsh, but it's also a reality. God takes disobedience from his revealed Word very seriously and so should we. More specifically, there is a warning here to leaders of God's people that God is serious about what he has said and will hold leaders of his people accountable for their actions. That doesn't mean you'll get eaten by your microwave, but it does mean church leaders should be reverently fearful about how they obey what God has said in his Word and how they lead the church of Jesus Christ.

A couple other observations:
- God is serious about obedience to His Word and His commands. Spitefully rejecting those commands does not lead to good things. This means I should be careful to follow what he has said. I'll be honest with you. I stink at being obedient. I struggle with giving and managing my money. I'm terrible about not worrying and trusting God. I am quite possibly the worst person in all human history at sharing my faith and the gospel with others. Sometimes I am selfish, angry, lustful, prideful, and just downright mean, (it's true). I am not even close to being a obedient follower to what God has said in the Bible.

Does this mean God is going to forsake me or burn me alive like Nadab and Abihu? Yes and No. Yes, in the sense that I deserve God's righteous judgment for not being obedient to Him. "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God", (Romans 3:23). In another sense, no, because God has poured out his wrath and righteous judgment on another so that I might have life and forgiveness, "and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," (Romans 3:24). Jesus Christ, the son of God, died on a cross and was risen from the grave three days later. By faith in his death and resurrection, I can have life and forgiveness from my sins in him.

- On the other hand, God will require an accounting for how Christians, and particularly leaders, were obedient to what God had revealed in his Word.
"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account," (Hebrews 13:17)
"Each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done," (1 Corinthians 3:13).
Christians have been given instruction and clear direction from God in the Bible on some matters. We cannot forsake those directions, like Nadab and Abihu, because we don't like them, because they're uncomfortable, or because they're culturally unpleasant. God is gracious in Christ, but that doesn't mean we can disregard his Word if we don't like what it says. This is especially true for Christian leaders and teachers within the church.

Stay tuned, the series is just getting started. I can tell already that you can barely stand the excitement.