Questions & Answers

     [EGW editor’s preface:  One of our readers sent in the following question: “What happened to Aaron’s first and second sons and why did it happen?”  As with any question concerning what we hope to learn from the Bible, we must always strive to apply good hermeneutics and to let the Bible interpret itself.
     (For more tips on good Bible-reading skills, click the subjects Hermeneutics and Bible study)]


“What happened to Aaron’s first two sons and why?”
by David Churchill

• Digging into the Scriptures:

     In Exodus 6:23 and Number 26:60, we learn that Nadab and Abihu were the first two sons of Aaron, the brother of Moses.  As such, they would follow in Aaron’s footsteps as priests.  From Exodus 24:1, we also learn that they both had roles in leading the tribes of Israel.
     In Exodus 27, after God has given a number of instructions concerning the tabernacle, He gives instruction concerning a lamp that is to be kept burning continually in front of the tabernacle.  “
And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light,” God tells the people through Moses, “to cause the lamp to burn continually. In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the LORD.  It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel.[dgc: my emphasis]   This same command is also in Leviticus 24:1-4.  However, here we learn in verses 5-8 that this holy fire seems to be for the purpose of igniting the fires for sacrificing offerings made by fire to the Lord.
     In Leviticus 6:8-13, God commands Moses about the fire on the altar.   “
Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering:  The burnt offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. … And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out.  And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.  A fire shall always be burning on the altar;  it shall never go out.’[dgc: my emphasis]  He then goes on with instructions concerning the several types of offerings that were to be burned on the altar with fire.
     In Exodus chaper 30, God gives special instructions for the making of an incense altar and in verses 7-10, we read “
Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning;  when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it.  And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.  You shall not offer strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a a grain offering;  nor shall you pour a drink offering on it.  And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations.  It is most holy to the LORD.[dgc: my emphasis]
     Notice how in these instructions about the different uses of equipment and fires that He set apart for a special purpose (i.e. sanctified, made holy), God spends more time describing what He wants done than what He doesn’t want done.  Notice also in these instructions, that when He does spell out some of the “do not”s, He’s simply elaborating on what “do this” has already eliminated for His approval.  For example, in Exodus 27 when God says “use pure oil of pressed olives,” does He really need to spell out corn oil, peanut oil, and all the other oils not to be used?  No, of course not.  If He wanted them to use olive oil in that particular light, why doesn’t He just say so?  He did … twice.  If one time God says both “keep something burning” and “don’t let the fire burn out,” will He approve of letting the fire burn out?  No, of course not … keep it burning means exactly that … keep it burning.  If another time God says to keep something burning, but doesn’t mention anything about letting the fire burn out, will He approve of letting the fire burn out?  Again, the answer is no, of course not … keep it burning means exactly that … keep it burning.
     God seems pretty clear in His instructions to the Israelites about holy things.  Doing what’s instructed results in approval.  Doing less, more, or different than instructed results in disapproval.
     
     In Leviticus chapter 9, Aaron and his sons are consecrated and dedicated as holy priests.  After Aaron offered several offerings, God demonstrated his approval.  “
Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people,” we read at the end of the chapter in verses 23 and 24, “and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offerings and the fat on the altar.  When all the peopl saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
     However, as we continue reading into chapter 10, what happened next was met with God’s disapproval … and the result was not a pretty sight.
     “
Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censor and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.
     You and I could probably debate all day about whether they used the wrong source of fire or the wrong incense or the wrong censor, or whether / why they wrongly pushed to enlarge their assigned roles that day.  The text here doesn't give us that specific information, but one thing is for certain.  Whatever the exact details of what they did that made their fire profane, the important point God expects us to learn here is this:  they did something less, more, or different than instructed and therefore their disobedience is what really made their fire profane.  Nadab and Abihu presented themselves to the people as though acting on God’s orders when really they were doing “
which He had not commanded them.”  What was the result?
     “
So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.  And Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the LORD spoke, saying: “By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.”’  So Aaron held his peace.
     
• Summary:
     
     “What happened to Aaron’s first and second sons and why did it happen?
     Perhaps Numbers 26:61 best sums up our discussion. “
And Nadab and Abihu died when they offered profane fire before the LORD.



      © David G. Churchill; used by permission. rev:050000-050329-151014
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      This article’s presentation in Exploring God's Word ©2005 David G. Churchill.
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