God - The Consuming Fire


God called Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons - Exo 24:1 - "Now He said to Moses, "Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu...", but in Lev 10:1-2 - "Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD", God killed them for offering strange and abominable fire before the LORD (Num 3:4).

As priest or servant of the Lord, Num 3:3-4 we are to be above aboard. Because God has used us for a miracle or because of past achievements, we should never be so familiar or too familiar to take Him or His instructions for granted.

Taking His instructions or His ordinance with levity or for granted is akin to offering strange fire before God, which is tantamount to offending or grieving the Holy Spirit. Jesus said sin against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, Matt 12:31-32; Mark 3:29; and Luke 12:10. This was what the two sons of Aaron and Ananias and Saphira, his wife, did and were instantly consumed. We therefore need to desist from lying and from lying to the Holy Spirit because of His wrath, His instant judgment.

At the same time, the Holy Spirit is very quick, if we confess, to forgive us our iniquity, transgression and sin - Exo 34:7.

How to avoid this is to be consumed by the love of God and love for God. When we love genuinely, we are eager to please, sacrifice, and inconvenience ourselves for the recipient without thinking of any reward. Therefore our offerings in terms of service, etc, to the Lord must always be with a willing heart and a joyful heart - Exo 25:2.

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