Sin of Nadab and Abihu
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honored, God will not be strict to punish their iniquity. This is a fatal
deception. The great light and privileges bestowed require returns of
virtue and holiness corresponding to the light given. Anything short
of this, God cannot accept. Great blessings or privileges should never
lull to security or carelessness. They should never give license to sin
or cause the recipients to feel that God will not be exact with them.
All the advantages which God has given are His means to throw ardor
into the spirit, zeal into effort, and vigor into the carrying out of His
holy will.
Nadab and Abihu had not in their youth been trained to habits of
self-control. The father’s yielding disposition, his lack of firmness for
right, had led him to neglect the discipline of his children. His sons had
been permitted to follow inclination. Habits of self-indulgence, long
cherished, obtained a hold upon them which even the responsibility
of the most sacred office had not power to break. They had not been
taught to respect the authority of their father, and they did not realize
the necessity of exact obedience to the requirements of God. Aaron’s
mistaken indulgence of his sons prepared them to become the subjects
of the divine judgments.
God designed to teach the people that they must approach Him
with reverence and awe, and in His own appointed manner. He cannot
accept partial obedience. It was not enough that in this solemn season
of worship nearly everything was done as He had directed. God has
pronounced a curse upon those who depart from His commandments,
and put no difference between common and holy things. He declares
by the prophet: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness! ... woe unto them
that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! ...
which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness
of the righteous from him! ... They have cast away the law of the
Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”
Isaiah
5:20-24
. Let no one deceive himself with the belief that a part of God’s
commandments are nonessential, or that He will accept a substitute
for that which He has required. Said the prophet Jeremiah, “Who is he
that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?”
Lamentations 3:37
. God has placed in His word no command which
men may obey or disobey at will and not suffer the consequences. If
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