Clean Transcript

Strange Fire - Part 1 of 2

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

• Leviticus chapter 10. I'm going to start a message today that it will take me until next Sunday to finish. So I would encourage you to not only listen well today, but be here next Sunday, because the majority of the message will be next Sunday, because today we'll be dealing with the introduction and basically two simple points. So, look if you would please in Leviticus chapter 10, and we're going to read the first three verses. The title of the message is Strange Fire. Leviticus 10 verse 1, "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace." Now many have read these verses and have wondered concerning the sins as well as the deaths of Nadab and Abihu.

  #1 | 0:14 to 1:36 | cleaned

• So you would have to ask what exactly did their sins include and what are the implications of those sins? You could also ask why was the punishment death and especially death by fire? Why was Aaron told to hold his peace? What are the implications of the whole incident? Is it possible to offer strange fire today? In what areas did Nadab and Abihu fail? What was the essence of their failure? You could also ask, were they spurious priests? Were they pretenders?

  #2 | 1:37 to 2:26 | cleaned

• And the answer is absolutely not. Because they were real, genuine, true sons of Aaron. The vessels of their ministry and their priestly garments as well were holy and correct. Moreover, I'm going to show you momentarily, these two young men had just finished seven days of absolute purification. So what was their sin? Did they stain the veil and the holiest of all with human blood? Or did they do something that was what you and I would call extremely vile and wicked? Were they like the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, whom the Bible declares committed fornication even before the door of the tabernacle? And the answer is absolutely not, at least not as far as we're told. What we are told is their sin was just simply this.

  #3 | 2:27 to 3:28 | cleaned

• They offered strange fire before the Lord. We must undertake to see the significance and the greatness of this sin if we're to be able to comprehend the instantaneous and immediate deaths of Nadab and Abihu which God inflicted upon them supernaturally, miraculously by sending fire and consuming them. Now let me just tell you initially that there are several general explanations as to the essence of their sins, and I keep saying sins plural, because although the Bible says they offered strange fire before the Lord, we would count that as one sin, but I think you're going to see that there are other sins included in that.

  #4 | 3:29 to 4:24 | cleaned

• But you have to ask this, how do most people explain this? Let me give you several generally accepted explanations. The first generally accepted explanation is that some say that the sins of Nadab and Abihu were connected with drunkenness. And that is why they offered strange fire before the Lord. Since we're in Leviticus 10, look if you would at verse 9. Leviticus 10 in verse 9. Because God says, in fact we'll read verse 8.

  #5 | 4:26 to 5:01 | cleaned

• "And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou nor thy sons with thee, when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations."

  #6 | 5:01 to 5:16 | cleaned

• Now, simply because that prohibition was given in the same few short verses, including the sins of Nadab and Abihu, some would then assume that somehow drunkenness would be connected with this. I want you to understand that although wine and strong drink was being prohibited to the priests as they served, it was certainly not prohibited at any other time. And certainly you've got to understand this, that the priests always lived of the portions of the sacrifices that were given by the people. And whether you are aware of it or not, one of the things that God required in the sacrifices was wine. I want you to hold Leviticus 10, but look back in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 29. Exodus 29, and we'll look at verse 40. There's a multitude of these passages, but Exodus 29 and verse 40, God is talking about the sacrifices, what is to be included. And here in Exodus chapter 29 and verse 40, he says, "And with the one lamb, there must be a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering."

  #7 | 5:16 to 6:46 | cleaned

• Then if you will turn over to the book of Leviticus chapter 23 and look at verse 13, like I say, you'll find this all in Exodus, Leviticus, but in Leviticus 23 and verse 13, again God says, "And the meat offering, or the meal offering, thereof shall be two-tenths deals of fine flour mingled with oil, and an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savor, and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin." So in all of these sacrifices, God demanded that wine was to be given. And therefore all of these priests would have a portion of that wine just like they had a portion of the flour, just like they had a portion of the lamb or the ox or whatever was being sacrificed. Now, the point I'm trying to make is when you read verse 9 in Leviticus chapter 10, the appearance of that prohibition could have been a coincidence.

  #8 | 6:48 to 7:49 | cleaned

• It does not necessarily have to be related to the sins of Nadab and Abihu. It could have been, I do not know for sure. In fact, no one can say with absolute certainty because the Bible does not say one way or the other. But let me point something else out. If you look in verses 6 and 7 of Leviticus chapter 10, you're going to also see that there was a prohibition for Aaron and his family to mourn the deaths of Nadab and Abihu. Leviticus chapter 10 verse 6, "And Moses said unto Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, those were the two brothers that were left, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes, lest you die, and lest wrath come upon all the people. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled. And you shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die: for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses."

  #9 | 7:51 to 8:53 | cleaned

• So here is the prohibition for them to even mourn for the deaths of Nadab and Abihu. Second, some have stated that the reason that God struck Nadab and Abihu with fire was because that they used fire in offering the incense that had not been supernaturally lit by God. For instance, I'm going to show you this in just a moment. But the word strange here could also be referred to as common or unauthorized. In fact, the word for strange is a very interesting word. It is the Hebrew word zur, which is translated in our Bible as a stranger or a foreigner. The word is also used to describe a prostitute, who would be a stranger or a foreigner to the family relationship. So when God says that they offered strange fire, it could be that they were offering not just simply a common fire but an unauthorized fire. It is undeniable that God sent the original fire and consumed the sacrifice that was on the altar and lit the altar. For instance, look in Leviticus 9 and verse 24.

  #10 | 8:54 to 10:23 | cleaned

• In Leviticus 9, this is the first time the offerings are being presented to the Lord. And in Leviticus 9 verse 24, after all of the offerings were on the altar, "there came a fire out from before the Lord and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat, which when all the people saw, they shouted and fell on their faces." The supposition is that these boys then kindled a fire themselves or took the fire from a different source other than the altar. Thus their strange fire therefore would have been an unauthorized fire. Now obviously they did so because I want you to look in Leviticus 16 and verse 12 because God is forbidding here a strange incense. Notice if you would, Leviticus 16 in verse 12. The Bible says, "And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense, beaten small, and bring it within the veil." So God specifically says that that fire is to come from the altar.

  #11 | 10:23 to 11:45 | cleaned

• It was the fire that had been supernaturally kindled by God when God consumed that first sacrifice. And by the way, the fire and the sacrifice was to be a continual fire and a continual sacrifice because they had to sacrifice both morning and evening. So the third explanation is this. The second explanation I think is clear and is certainly scriptural. But I do think that there were other sins involved other than just simply offering an unauthorized fire.

  #12 | 11:46 to 12:22 | cleaned

• For instance, go back in your Bibles to look at Leviticus chapter 9 and verse 24. Look what happens when God sends that supernatural fire and ignites the altar fire and consumes the sacrifice. Leviticus chapter 9 verse 24, "And there came a fire from before the Lord and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat, which when all the people saw, they shouted and fell on their faces." So when all the people saw the fire fall, they gave a shout and they fell on their faces.

  #13 | 12:22 to 13:04 | cleaned

• Undoubtedly, this was a very exciting moment. It was a very awe-inspiring time. Would you not think that two young men, when they see the fire fall, and they see the reaction of the people, how they shout and fall on their faces, would you not think that in the excitement of the moment, Nadab and Abihu might want to exalt their persons and their positions?

  #14 | 13:05 to 13:41 | cleaned

• Now what I'm trying to tell you is this. Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Does not pride haunt all of us? And if the answer is yes, I never will forget one of my favorite cartoons. It showed two monks in monks robes walking side by side. They had their hands up there, the robe, and one of them looked at the other and said, "You know, it kind of makes you proud that we're so humble, doesn't it?" Well, here are these boys, and I keep calling them boys, they were young men, I'm sure, but they evidently got excited. They not only got excited, they forgot who they were and their positions.

  #15 | 13:42 to 14:41 | cleaned

• Do you realize that the duty of offering incense belonged to Aaron alone and not to them as yet? So here's the thing, without any instruction, without any direction, Nadab and Abihu grabbed fire from a strange source, grabbed incense, and ran into the holiest of all. Which no one was to do but Aaron. Only one priest could go in there. Only one priest at the time, then in his proper order, doing his proper role.

  #16 | 14:42 to 15:37 | cleaned

• You've got to remember, in regards to the tabernacle and in regards to the temple, God ordered everything in minute detail. There was absolutely nothing left out. Look in Leviticus chapter 16 at verses 1 and 2, what God says to Aaron. Leviticus 16 verses 1 and 2. Leviticus 16 verse 1, "And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord and died. And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark, that he die not. For I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat." Notice what he said. You can't come in whenever you want to come in. You only come in when I direct you to come in, when the cloud is upon the mercy seat. So not even Aaron, who was the high priest, could go in and out as he pleased. He was limited by God, because God spelled out everything in detail.

  #17 | 15:38 to 16:56 | cleaned

• Now, I want you to hold Leviticus 10, but turn over in your Bibles to Luke chapter 1. And I want you to note about Zacharias, who was the father of John the Baptist, I want you to note what the Bible says concerning his role as a priest. So look in Luke chapter 1 and let's read there verses 8 and 9. Luke chapter 1, verses 8 and 9. Here it is. Luke chapter 1, watch verse 8. Luke 1, verse 8. The Bible says, "And it came to pass while he," that is Zacharias, "executed the priest office before God. Now note this, in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest office, his lot was to burn incense when he went to the temple of the Lord." So there was one priest, out of his order, in his time, that could do this. No one else could do it.

  #18 | 16:56 to 18:01 | cleaned

• Now, let me give you a summary that was written by John Gill, where he tries to summarize the sins of Nadab and Abihu. I want you to listen carefully. It's just two paragraphs. John Gill writes, "These young men assumed an office which had been committed to Moses, or if it were sometime afterwards, it was encroachment on the duties which devolved on their father alone as the high priest."

  #19 | 18:02 to 18:31 | cleaned

• "But the offense was of a far more aggravated nature than such a mere informality would imply. It consisted not only in their venturing unauthorized to perform the incense service, the highest and most solemn of the priestly office, not only in their engaging together in a work which was the duty of only one, but in their presuming to intrude into the Holy of Holies, to which access was denied to all but the high priest alone."

  #20 | 18:31 to 19:02 | cleaned

• "In this respect, they offered strange fire before the Lord. They were guilty of a presumptuous and unwarranted intrusion into a sacred office which did not belong to them. But their offense was more aggravated still, for instead of taking the fire which was put into their censers from the brazen altar, they seem to have been content with common fire, and thus perpetrated an act which, considering the descent of the miraculous fire they had so recently witnessed, and the solemn obligation under"

  #21 | 19:03 to 19:37 | cleaned

• "which they were laid to make use of that which was specially appropriated to the service of the altars, they betrayed a carelessness and irreverence of one of faith most surprising and lamentable. A precedent of such evil tendency was dangerous. It was imperatively necessary, therefore, as well as for the priests themselves as for sacred things, that a marked expression of divine displeasure should be given for doing that which God commanded them not." And of course what God did was He sent fire down and consumed them.

  #22 | 19:37 to 20:14 | cleaned

• Now, if you will look in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 30. Exodus chapter 30 and verse 9. You're going to see that God forbade strange incense. If strange incense was forbidden, very obviously, strange fire was also forbidden. Exodus 30 and verse 9, God says, in fact, look in verse 8, "And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt offerings, nor meat offerings, neither shall you pour drink offering thereon." So no strange incense thereon. Well, if there's no strange incense, there should be no strange fire as well. So obviously, what these boys have done, they not only took common fire or strange fire, they intruded into that aspect of the priestly office, which they had absolutely no authority to go into. They performed an act which they had no authority to perform.

  #23 | 20:15 to 21:29 | cleaned

• And they did so irreverently. They did that which God commanded them not.

  #24 | 21:30 to 21:39 | cleaned

• Now let me just show you another passage. I want you to hold Leviticus 10. Please do that. But turn in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 26. I want you to understand, in 2 Chronicles 26, just because someone is holding a high office, does not mean that that individual can do whatever they want to do. Here's an excellent illustration of that. I'm going to cover this point just a little bit later. But look in 2 Chronicles chapter 26, and we're going to read about King Uzziah, who by the way, was one of the better kings. He reigned 52 years. So watch 2 Chronicles chapter 26, beginning there in verse 14. "And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones."

  #25 | 21:40 to 22:40 | cleaned

• "And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers, and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows, and great stones withal. His name was spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped till he was strong." Now watch this. Here was a man who was very inventive, very cunning, very considerate of his people. He wanted the best in defending his people. But notice his last phrase in verse 15. "For he was marvelously helped till he was strong." Watch verse 16. "But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction."

  #26 | 22:41 to 23:15 | cleaned

• "For he transgressed against the Lord his God. Now watch. And went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. Wow! And Azariah the priest went in after him. Thank God here was one man who had a little courage. And then with him fourscore eighty more priests of the Lord that were valiant men. And they withstood Uzziah the king and they said of him, It appertaineth not to Uzziah to burn incense in the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed, neither shall it be for thine honor from the Lord God. Then Uzziah was wroth. I'm the king, boy, don't you know who I am? And he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was wroth with the priest, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priest and the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked upon him and behold he was leprous in the forehead and they thrust him out from thence, yea himself hastened also to go out because the Lord had smitten him. Now watch. And Uzziah the king was a leper until"

  #27 | 23:16 to 24:36 | cleaned

• "the day of his death and dwelt in a several or separate house being a leper for he was cut off from the house of the Lord and Jotham his son was over the king's house judging the people of the land." So here's a man who was a king, who was basically a good king until his old age and then he got haughty, arrogant, high, lifted up and he intruded in the priest's office and God smote him with leprosy. We have to comprehend the fullness and the sufficiency of the Word of God when God gave direction to Moses and to Aaron and his sons in what should be done and what should not be done. I want you to understand there was absolutely no room left for man to determine what would be desirable or expedient.

  #28 | 24:36 to 25:37 | cleaned

• Nadab and Abihu thought it desirable and expedient, that they just grab common fire, and grab an incense, and run into the holy place, and do what they wanted to do. No. This, what the Lord commanded, is what they were obligated to do, and that was quite sufficient. So God made it exceedingly plain to Moses, to Aaron, and to the sons, exactly what was to be done. Nothing was required of man except explicit obedience to divine command.

  #29 | 25:41 to 26:22 | cleaned

• And by the way, the same is true today. I want you to understand there is a curse that is necessarily attached to anyone who adds to or takes from the Word of God. I want you to look, hold Leviticus 10, but turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 12. Deuteronomy 12, and look at verse 32. Deuteronomy 12, and verse 32. Then we'll go to the book of Revelation, which you are quite familiar with this passage. But Deuteronomy chapter 12, notice if you would please verse 32. Look what God says.

  #30 | 26:23 to 27:05 | cleaned

• "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it. Thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." Let me kind of paraphrase that. Here's what God said. Just do what I tell you. Just do what I tell you. You don't have to think. You just obey. It's just that simple. That's what He told the priests. That's what He tells us. I want you to turn to the book of Revelation chapter 22 and look at verses 18 and 19. Revelation 22 verses 18 and 19. In this passage, Revelation 22, verses 18 and 19, here's what God says. Last book in the New Testament. Very last book in the Bible. Revelation chapter 22, look if you would please at verses 18 and 19. Here's what He says. "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book."

  #31 | 27:06 to 28:32 | cleaned

• So God is telling us that he's given us everything that we need. We just simply need to obey. You have to understand this. We have the privilege of doing that which God commands. We do not have the privilege of adding to what He commands, or subtracting from what He commands, or changing what He commands. Do you realize, especially when it comes to worship, and that's what this was all about in Leviticus chapter 10, when it comes to worship, God knows what is pleasing and acceptable unto Him. We do not do in God's worship that which we think is pleasing and acceptable and beautiful and aesthetic and that which thrills us. Have you ever stopped to think about this? Worship is really not for us. It's for God. And God knows what pleases Him and what is acceptable unto Him. And therefore all we have to do when it comes to worship is just simply obey.

  #32 | 28:34 to 29:54 | cleaned

• Now let me try to summarize for you the sins of Nadab and Abihu. The sins of Nadab and Abihu consisted not only of offering a strange fire, that is one taken from the altar which God did not like, but also their sins included lifting themselves up in pride, rushing rashly into the holy place, and assuming a duty which only Aaron their father was obligated to perform. Thus what they were doing basically was adding to the worship of God and acting in plain disobedience to the commands of God. Now here's my question.

  #33 | 29:56 to 30:39 | cleaned

• What are we to learn from Leviticus chapter 10? How do the deaths of Nadab and Abihu apply to us? What are the principles from this entire situation that would be applicable to us today? And by the way, may I remind you Romans 15 in verse 4 tells us, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." And may I also remind you of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 when the Bible is talking about everything that happened in the Old Testament. He said what happened to them were written for our examples. So God is telling us we have to learn from everything in the Old Testament. So what in the world are we to learn from the deaths of Nadab and Abihu and this whole entire incident? Well, I want you to go back to Leviticus chapter 10. I want to show you something. I want us to begin reading there with verse 1. Here is the first thing that we're to learn.

  #34 | 30:43 to 31:54 | cleaned

• We have to see the failure of the Levitical priesthood at its inception. Let me say that again. We have to see the failure of the Levitical priesthood at its inception. Look in verse 1, "And Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before Moses."

  #35 | 31:55 to 32:27 | cleaned

• Now, I want you to turn back to Leviticus chapter 8, and let's begin reading there with verse 33, and let me show you what had happened prior to Leviticus chapter 10. Here it is. Leviticus chapter 8, look in verse 33. Here's what Moses tells Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Four sons of Aaron. He tells them all, watch. Verse 33, Leviticus 8. "And you shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end, for seven days he shall consecrate you."

  #36 | 32:28 to 33:17 | cleaned

• "As he hath done this day, so the Lord hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. Therefore shall you abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, day and night, seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord, that you die not, for so I am commanded. So Aaron and his sons did all things which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses."

  #37 | 33:19 to 33:43 | cleaned

• Now, I want you to watch this. Seven days previous to chapter 9, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar are consecrated. For seven days they obeyed. Look in chapter 9 verse 1. "And it came to pass on the eighth day." That's the very day that their consecration ended. Seven days, the next day, the eighth day, "that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering without blemish and offer them before the Lord." And when you read all of chapter 9, come down if you would, to verse 24, they do everything that they're supposed to do, laying all the sacrifices upon the altar, and then you get to verse 24, "and there came a fire from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering"

  #38 | 33:43 to 34:54 | cleaned

• "and the fat, which all the people saw. When they saw, they shouted and fell on their faces." So here's what happened. For 7 days, they've been purified and consecrated. The 8th day, they put all the offerings on the Lord, on the altar. On that same day, God sends fire and consumes the altar, or the burnt offering upon the altar, lights the fire on the altar. The same day! And the same day, Nadab and Abihu grabbed their censers, put strange fire in it, run into the holiest of all, and God kills them. So the very first day of their service, the very first day they serve the tabernacle, they sinned against God. Two of the original five priests were struck down supernaturally by the power of God. The very first day.

  #39 | 34:54 to 36:08 | cleaned

• Look in Leviticus chapter 10 in verse 6. Leviticus 10 verse 6, "And Moses said unto Aaron, and to Eleazar, and to Ithamar his two sons that are left, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes, lest you die, and lest wrath come upon all the people. You can't sympathize with your sons. They did wrong. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled."

  #40 | 36:10 to 36:39 | cleaned

• So as soon as the Levitical priesthood was established, we see its failure. The very first day. So what are we being taught? We're being taught that perfection is not by the Levitical priesthood. Perfection is not by the sacrifices of bulls and calves and sheep and oxen. No. What we're being shown here in the very beginning is the absolute need of another priesthood and of a greater priest.

  #41 | 36:40 to 37:26 | cleaned

• So I want you to hold Leviticus 10 and turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9. And look, if you would, please, beginning there with verse 6. Hebrews chapter 9, verse 6. Let's just stay right in Hebrews. We're going to look at several passages. Hebrews 9, verse 6.

  #42 | 37:27 to 37:54 | cleaned

• "Now, when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God." That is that first room there. They could always do that. Verse 7. "But into the second went the high priest alone, once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people." The Holy Ghost is signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing. Now watch, what was that first tabernacle?

  #43 | 37:54 to 38:28 | cleaned

• "Which was a figure" or which was a type "for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience. Note if you would, which stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation." Watch what he says. You have a failure of the priesthood at the outset.

  #44 | 38:29 to 39:01 | cleaned

• And all this signifies was that the way to God was not yet made manifest, it was not yet perfected, it was not yet available, if you'll look at verse 11. "But Christ, being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of bulls and goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered once in the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

  #45 | 39:02 to 39:35 | cleaned

• Notice if you would please, here he is saying, obviously there was a failure of the Levitical priesthood for a reason. Look in chapter 10, verse 1. Hebrews 10, verse 1. "For the law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered, because that the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins."

  #46 | 39:36 to 40:21 | cleaned

• "Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body thou hast prepared for me, and burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. For then I said, Lo, I come in the volume of this book, it is written of me to do thy will, O God." So I want you to see the picture that God is showing us in the Old Testament.

  #47 | 40:22 to 40:46 | cleaned

• When Nadab and Abihu are killed on the very first day, of the service of the tabernacle. We're to see the feebleness, the helplessness, and the uselessness of man in determining what is holy and what is not holy. What is acceptable to God and what is not acceptable to God. What is the correct way to approach God and what is not the correct way to approach God. That's not for man to say. It is God who determines all of that. So the very first day of the Levitical priesthood, the very first day, it comes short of the glory of God. In the very first day, Nadab and Abihu are consumed by fire.

  #48 | 40:48 to 41:46 | cleaned

• Look in Hebrews chapter 7. Hebrews chapter 7. And let's begin reading there with verse 11. Hebrews 7 verse 11. Remember now I told you we have to see the failure of the Levitical priesthood at its inception. Here it is. Hebrews 7 verse 11. "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident for that after the similitude of Melchizedek there arises another priest who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment but after the power of an endless life for he testified about our priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

  #49 | 41:46 to 43:02 | cleaned

• So what are we to see? We're to see the failure of the Levitical priesthood indicates there must be another priesthood and a greater high priest. One that did not spring from Levi, but one that sprang from Judah. Which of course Hebrews 4 teaches us that Jesus Christ is indeed our Great High Priest. Now listen carefully. Any longing, any desire to return to the types and shadows and emblems of the Old Covenant is a denial of the priesthood and the perfection and work of Jesus Christ. For all these Old Testament types, just picture Him. He is truth. He is reality. Okay?

  #50 | 43:03 to 44:03 | cleaned

• Here's the second lesson for today. Here's the second truth that we must learn. We must observe that those in positions of authority should not only know their places, but their responsibilities as well.

  #51 | 44:04 to 44:23 | cleaned

• Stop and think about what I just said. Those who are in positions of authority must not only know their places, but their responsibilities as well. Sinful, arrogant, and ignorant men assume that once they're in office, they may do whatever they please.

  #52 | 44:32 to 44:57 | cleaned

• Now if you don't believe that, just look at modern day politicians. Because most politicians believe that they are not bound by the law of the land. They believe that they pass laws and make laws for the peasants. But they themselves are above the law. That's why they steal with impunity. Sometimes murder with impunity. Do everything else with impunity. They're kind of like the Pharisees that our Lord described in Matthew 23 and verse 4. Where our Lord says, "For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born, and lay them upon men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." So they just want to make laws for the peasants while they do what they please. Let me make a statement. Like Nadab and Abihu, today's politicians do not know their place, their limitations, their responsibilities or their constituents. I will tell you quite frankly, today's politicians, and I'm not talking about our congressman, I'm talking about our judicial system, I'm talking about the executive offices, I'm even talking about that fourth arm of government, the administrative. The truth of the matter is they do not know their place and they do not know

  #53 | 44:59 to 46:45 | cleaned

• their responsibilities. They're completely and totally out of touch not only with reality but with their constituents as well. Do you realize in the beginning statesmen we did have? But statesmen understood that they were servants and not masters. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 17. I want you to see why God demanded that kings of Israel have their own personal copy of the law of God. And He required them to read in that law continually. Look in Deuteronomy 17, beginning there in verse 18. God says, "And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them. Watch, that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel."

  #54 | 46:45 to 48:24 | cleaned

• Now I want you to notice what God said. One of the reasons he has to read in the law of God, that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren. He had to read, he had to meditate, he had to consider, he had to apply. Why? That his heart not be lifted up. He had to realize that he himself is a servant. Not just a servant to God, but a servant to the people as well.

  #55 | 48:24 to 48:48 | cleaned

• This is true of the king. You remember what those elders told Rehoboam? When the people came to him and said, make our burdens lighter. The elders of Israel said, look, if you will serve this people, they'll serve you forever. And Lord, if you take the attitude of a servant and you serve them, they will serve you. But what did he do? He refused the advice and the counsel of the old man and went to the young man. And the young man said, you tell him that your little finger is going to be thicker than your father's loins. While he beats you with whips, you're going to beat him with scorpions. Let me tell you something, folks. Every ruler, civil or spiritual, is to be a servant.

  #56 | 48:48 to 49:50 | cleaned

• I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 5. I not only want to apply this to the civil realm, I also want to apply it to the spiritual realm. Because a tyrant in the pulpit is just as bad as a tyrant in the throne.

  #57 | 49:53 to 50:18 | cleaned

• Now it is true that God's preachers have authority. It is also true that civil rulers have authority, but they have authority that has been delegated to them by God and it is always limited and to be applied as God has directed. Look what happens in 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 1. Let's begin verse 1. Peter writes, "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock."

  #58 | 50:21 to 51:13 | cleaned

• "And when the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." So let me put it to you like this. I would have no authority as a pastor to look to Robert and say, Robert, you ought not to wear that color shirt. Now, I don't like that shirt. Robert, don't wear that shirt anymore. That upsets me. I have no right to tell him that. I do like the shirt, by the way.

  #59 | 51:14 to 51:39 | cleaned

• But now, wait a minute. If he's doing something unbiblical, unscriptural, ungodly, I have every bit of God's authority to come to him and say, my brother, you should not be doing this. Here is what God commands you to do. You follow me? There's a difference between a man demanding that you submit to what God says, or demanding that you submit to what he thinks. There's a big difference. There's a big difference. Now, I want to show you something. Scriptural authority is not given for the sheep's destruction, but for their edification. Now it just so happens in the Bible that confrontation, rebuke, admonishment, church discipline, those kind of things, as heavy as they are at times, they are given for the sheep's edification and benefit and not for their destruction. I want you to turn, if you would, to 2 Corinthians chapter 10. I want to show you just two verses. 2 Corinthians chapter 10. I don't suppose that you could get any more authority than that which the Apostles had. And the Apostles certainly had authority.

  #60 | 51:41 to 52:58 | cleaned

• And in 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 8, I want you to note what the Apostle Paul said. 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and notice verse 8, he says this. "For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed." Now Paul said, I've got authority. But that authority is given for your edification, not for your destruction. Look in 2 Corinthians 13 and verse 10. 2 Corinthians 13 and verse 10. He says, "Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present, I should use sharpness according to the power which the Lord had given me to edification and not for destruction."

  #61 | 53:00 to 53:49 | cleaned

• Let me tell you the problem that Nadab and Abihu had. They did not know their place and they did not know their responsibilities. They acted rashly, irresponsibly, arrogantly, and it cost them their lives. Now here's my question. How many civil rulers and spiritual rulers will have to die, judged by God, before we learn our places and our responsibilities? I don't care what position you are in the body of Jesus Christ. I don't care what authority you have in the church or in the civil government. You must know your place and your responsibilities.

  #62 | 53:51 to 55:09 | cleaned

• You're going to hear me say this again. But I want you to listen now. God will never use you in a position of authority until you learn to be in submission to His authority. God will never use you to rule over others until you learn to be ruled over by God. Very quickly, just some applications. The first one is this. Anytime we devote our lives in serving, living, worshiping types and shadows and emblems, instead of Christ and the reality we have in Christ, we're sinning against God. Anytime in our service, anytime in our worship, that our service and our worship terminates upon man, even one of the Levitical order, we're denying Christ and His superiority. Listen to me.

  #63 | 55:10 to 56:29 | cleaned

• As separated, and as purified, and as consecrated as Nadab and Abihu were, they were still just men. And they failed in their service. Let me tell you something. If you look to men, you will be disappointed. If you look to me, just as a man, you will be disappointed. And the reason being, because I'm a man, I'm a sinner, and I'm going to fail eventually. I'm not perfect. I never will be perfect. I never have been perfect. I fooled Alice once.

  #64 | 56:29 to 57:11 | cleaned

• I probably couldn't do it again. But you understand what I'm saying. I have my failings. I have my shortcomings. Everyone does. If you look to man, you're going to always be disappointed, which teaches us that we're to look to Christ, the God-man, who is most absolutely perfect, and who will never fail us. Even Aaron, the great high priest in the Old Testament, the first one, even Aaron, took a tool and formed that molten calf and got the people to sin in Exodus 32. You can't look to man. You must learn, if you follow man, to do what the Apostle Paul said. Listen carefully. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 16, "Wherefore I beseech you, brethren, be ye followers of me."

  #65 | 57:11 to 58:08 | cleaned

• Why do you sit there? Is Paul just telling people to follow him? Yes, he did. But you also have to understand, Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 11 in verse 1, "Be ye followers of me even as I am a follower of Christ." So it's alright to follow men as long as they follow Christ. But when they cease following Christ, you cease following them. You follow only Christ alone. Men will always disappoint us. Christ will never disappoint us.

  #66 | 58:09 to 58:43 | cleaned

• I want you to consider how much rebuke, admonishment, education, and reinforcement that not only should be, but must be administered to rulers, both civil and spiritual. Folks, I'm going to tell you something. We have erred so greatly. We've traveled so far in the wrong direction. We have violated so many trusts and sinned so much. It is almost impossible to find a civil or a spiritual ruler who really knows his place, his responsibilities, and his authority.

  #67 | 58:44 to 59:29 | cleaned

• May I remind you of the founding in this country? There was no civil ruler, not one, in any state, that could assume an office without sitting and hearing an election sermon preached to him from the Bible. For the preacher told the civil ruler his duties before God, and he also explained the duties of the people at the same time. Those preachers and the founding of this country made sure that both rulers and the people knew their positions.

  #68 | 59:30 to 1:00:06 | cleaned

• Thirdly, Nadab and Abihu should be examples of those authorities that they should not do that which they have no authority to do. And what do we have on every hand? We have men doing everything they have no authority to do. Look at how they're trying to destroy the 2nd Amendment, the 4th Amendment, the 1st Amendment, any of them. And the truth is this, God judged Nadab and Abihu, and I got news for you, He's still the judge of all the earth, and He will still judge the wicked today. Let's pray.

  #69 | 1:00:07 to 1:00:51 | cleaned

• Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your truth. Help us to learn. Lord, help us to make sure in our lives that we know our place in the body of Christ. We know our responsibilities. We know the authority that we possess, and we use it all according to Your Word for Your honor, Your glory, and the good of Thy people. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray. Amen.

  #70 | 1:00:52 to 1:01:18 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:11:34Z