"You shall make an altar on which to burn incense...You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD." Exodus 30:1, 9-10 (ESV)
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD has said, 'Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" And Aaron held his peace. Leviticus 10:1-3 (ESV)
When we read Leviticus 10 outside of Exodus 30, we might tend to think that the Lord is being extraordinarily harsh. But God is not being arbitrary or capricious, His very being demands a holiness (a set apart-ness) that Nadab and Abihu didn't think was very important. They can't stand before God willy-nilly, doing things just because they seem religious.
As people who are continually influenced by our culture, 'important' things and 'meaningful' things often change. We try to bring these things to God; we make them an important part of our worship. But just because it is current and fresh, doesn't make it appropriate.
As our High Priest, Christ is not affected by the cultural whims when it comes to approaching God. He didn't kneel before the local authorities; He didn't yield to contemporary society. What He did do is make it so broken people could be near the most Holy God. Exodus 30 reminds us that God doesn't lower His standards for His people, but Christ transforms us into the people God wants us to be.
NB - I have had these for awhile; but am just getting around to posting them. Sorry.
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