The Fearful Wrath of God

The Harsh Lesson of Nabab & Abihuh

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
Leviticus 10:1-2

Solomon said, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10) Unfortunately, most Christians don’t live by this truth. We’ve grown up in a church and a society that often misunderstands God. We like to comfort ourselves thinking that because God is Love, that somehow he’s not the same God as in the Old Testament. We like to think of the Old Testament God as being angry, and the New Testament God is somehow kinder and gentler. We say things like, “in the Old Testament, God was judgment; but in the New Testament, God is grace and love, and a God of forgiveness.” There’s some truth in this statement, however taken as a whole, it’s incorrect.

First of all, God does not change. The Old Testament God is the same God as the New Testament God. Secondly, the method of salvation is the same under both covenants. I know you’re saying, “ wait a minute, John – you’re wrong.” Nope I’m not. Under both covenants the way of salvation is salvation by faith. The Bible testifies about Abraham, that, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) So in both covenants, repentance, obedience, and a changed heart are necessary for salvation. The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that they looked forward to a Savior, and in the New Testament Church, we look backward to the Savior.

We’ve completely misunderstood God and his grace. We think that somehow the cross and grace give us a license to sin. We forget that God is a holy God that cannot even look upon sin. We also forget that the Bible puts people into just 2 classes of people: the wicked and the righteous. You’re either one, or the other. Another way that the Bible classifies people is by calling them either friends of God, or enemies of God. There really is no other way you can classify people.
So how do you get to be a friend of God? You get to be a friend of God through obedience and humility. God rightly demands to be obeyed and respected. His happiness and Glory are infinitely the highest and greatest good in the universe.

The wicked thing that Nabab and Abihu did was that they mixed incense with a grain offering and then burned the offering before the Lord. Doesn’t seem like such a big deal, does it? It doesn’t until you realize that Nadab and Abihu willfully disobeyed the command of God. (Exodus 30:9) Now it’s a BIG deal. They dishonored and disobeyed the very one they should have been very careful to obey, the infinite and holy Lord God Almighty – he is high and lifted up and rightfully adored. When you disobey God, you set yourself in opposition of God, and he must show Himself to be the Righteous Judge.


Judgment in the New Testament

Ok. So you’re still thinking, but Nadab and Abihu were Old Testament Priests; that sort of thing doesn’t happen in the New Testament. Yes it does. What about Ananias and Sapphira? (Acts 5:11) They lied to The Holy Spirit and they died on the spot.
Or what about Herod? (Acts 12:20-25) The people praised Herod by saying, “this is the voice of a god, and not of a man.” In doing this, the people were dishonoring God by giving the praise that rightfully belonged to the Almighty to a mere man. When Herod did not correct the people, but instead accepted God’s praise for himself, an angel of the Lord struck Herod down and he died.
And what about Paul? When God had enough of him persecuting the church, Jesus himself confronted Paul and struck him with blindness. (Acts 9:1-19) Jesus was there to protect his church, and if Paul wouldn’t have repented on the spot, the story may have turned out differently.


Judgment and Wrath are worse for New Testament Believers

We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Hebrews 2:1-4

Judgment is always based upon light; therefore wrath will be much more fierce and terrible for New Testament believers than it was for Nabab and Abihu. Nadab and Abihu only had Moses. We have Moses, the Prophets, Jesus, the Apostles, and 2000 years of God’s dealing with the church. We know so much more than the Israelites did, therefore if we dishonor God, our punishment will be proportionately greater. The writer of Hebrews knew this fact, and eloquently pointed it out to his readers.


Conclusion

We’ve been wrong as a church. God does not accept those that willfully disobey him and openly dishonor him. God’s honor is much more important than the interests of any of us mere mortals. God will defend his honor against those that dishonor him, and he will come to those that need him.
So when you hear of priests who molest innocent children, take heart, because the wrath of God is about to be revealed against these evil men. God has sharpened his sword and bent his bow, and the demise of the disaster of these infidels will be swift and disastrous.
God has not forgotten justice, and he is not slow to act like men think. The disobedient and evil man will be called to account for all his misdeeds. The only reason that God puts up with evil men in his realm is they have been given time to repent; but God will not wait forever. One day he will lose his patience with rebels that refuse to obey, and then their eternal demise will come.

John Wheeler



Bible quotes from Pradis Bible Software, Version 5.17.0014 by Zondervan




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