“THE TRAGIC END OF THOSE WHO OFFER STRANGE FIRE” Numbers 3:1-4

Introduction:  What made their incense offensive to God? It lacked two essential and acceptable qualities-----

·         First, IT HAD NOT BEEN KINDLED BY GOD. Without this divine element the human offerings were not acceptable (Leviticus 9:24).   These priests, Nadab and Abihu took their censers and put fire in them; and thus the fire had nothing of divinity in it; the offering altogether was earthly, and human: STRANGE FIRE.

·         Next, IT HAD NOT BEEN MINGLED WITH BLOOD.  Sacrificial victims were being continuously offered on that altar; that fire never went out; the fire was never free, therefore, from the blood.  This rendered the fire sacred.  Consecrated by the blood.  Nothing came to God pleasing Him except mingled with blood.  But their fire had nothing of the savour of blood in it;  It was therefore, “STRANGE”, offensive to God.  What can cause our Incense to be displeasing to God and can cause us to suffer spiritual death, and could cost us our physical life?

I.                 MERE EMOTIONAL FERVOUR.

1-Someone once said, “The wild fire of of hot  sensationalism. 

2-The religion of boisterous emotion, and the raging vulgarity of noise; These are no acceptable substitute to offer before the Lord, in the place of calm devoutness, and holy earnestness.”

 Illustrate:  When you are burning some good hard wood, the fire will burn steady and quiet,  Throw on a few spindly limbs, or a bundle of thornbushes: You will hear a lot of crackling and noise.  However, these spindly limbs and thornbushes don’t add to the quality of the heat.  Emotional people are not the most devotional. Sensation is no test or measure of sincerity.

II.            MERE INTELLECTUAL EXCITEMENT.

A.     Praying long, poetic prayers, lacking thoughtful  reverence, is in direct discord with

the command given in Ecclesiastes 5:2.

B.      Preaching which abandons itself to the mere “fire of oratory,” Though rousing an  

audience, is more human than divine. Souls are never converted by Excellency of Speech as Paul declared in I Corinthians 2:1,4.5

III.       MERE SELF-GLORIFYING RELIGIOUS EFFORT

A-Bragging on how good they are, and trying to convince 

    people to follow in their steps rather than encouraging

    people to do as the Word of God teaches in Phillipians 2:12

B-Establishing a way that satisfies them, and becoming

    ignorant of God’s way, just as Paul said in Romans 10:3.

IN CONCLUSION:

·        God sent a fire that devoured Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1,2)

·        Jesus sent the rich young ruler away sorrowful because he offered Self-Righteousness (Matthew 19:16-22) Key Verse 20

·         READ MATTHEW 7:21-23.

·         DO NOT OFFER FEELINGS OF EMOTION, DO NOT OFFER YOUR INTELLECTUAL STATUS, DO NOT OFFER YOUR OWN GOODNESS AS THESE ARE ALL STRANGE FIRE. WHAT DO I DO? ACCEPT JESUS LIFE, BLOOD, DEATH AND RESURRECTION AS THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION.

·         I JOHN 5:20