Leviticus 10

Leviticus 10:1

C. Nadab and Abihu’s Sacrilege (Chap. 10)10:1-3 Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each burned incense . . . before the LORD with profane fire, perhaps fire that was not taken off the brazen altar. Since the altar speaks of Calvary, it was as if they tried to approach God in some way other than through the atoning work of Christ. Fire went out from the Most Holy Place and devoured them as they stood by the golden altar in the holy place. Moses warned Aaron, in effect, that any complaint would be rebellion against God’s righteous dealings. 10:4-7 After Mishael and Elzaphan had carried the corpses from in front of the tabernacle to a place outside the camp, Moses told Aaron and his two remaining sons that they must not mourn but remain within the tabernacle while the the whole house of Israel mourned the flaring forth of God’s wrath. 10:8-11 Some have inferred from the injunction against drinking wine or intoxicating drink in the tabernacle that Nadab and Abihu may have been drunk when they offered the strange fire. 10:12-18 Moses commanded Aaron and Eleazar and Ithamar, his remaining sons, to eat . . . the grain offering (vv. 12, 13) and the breast of the wave offering (vv. 14, 15). When he looked for the goat that had been used as a sin offering for the people, he found that Eleazar and Ithamar, . . . sons of Aaron, had burned the sacrifice instead of eating it in a holy place. (Perhaps they feared God’s wrath which had just fallen on their brothers.) The rule was that if the blood of the sin offering was brought into the holy place, then the sacrifice was to be burned (Lev_6:30). But if not, it was to be eaten (Lev_6:26). Moses reminded them that, in this case, the blood had not been brought inside the holy place; therefore, they should have . . . eaten the meat (vv. 16-18). 10:19, 20 In reply to Moses’ reprimand, Aaron explained that they had carried out the sin and burnt offerings, as required, but, in view of the Lord’s severe chastisement on Nadab and Abihu, he wondered if his eating the sin offering would have been accepted by the LORD. Moses accepted the excuse. Chapter 10 concludes the section on the priesthood.