Go and teach all nations
Numbers 3:1-4
Aaron’s sons
v1 The LORD spoke to Moses on Sinai mountain. This is the family of Aaron and Moses at that time.
v2 Aaron had four sons. Nadab was the oldest son. The other sons were Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
v3 Aaron anointed them. And he ordained them (gave them authority to work as priests). They served God in God’s Tent.
v4 But Nadab and Abihu fell down and died in front of the LORD. This happened when they offered unholy fire (see note below) to the LORD in the Sinai desert. They had no children. So only Eleazar and Ithamar worked as priests while their father Aaron was alive.
Comment:
Verses 1-4 - Aaron was the High Priest (Leviticus chapter 8). All his sons were priests. But Nadab and Abihu did something that was very wrong. God punished them. He sent fire to burn them until they were dead. We know this because this story is in Leviticus 10:1-3, too.
However, it is not certain what ‘unholy fire’ means. Priests sometimes burned incense in God’s Tent. Nadab and Abihu were burning incense when they died. The fire was ‘unholy’ because God had not ordered them to offer it (Leviticus 10:1). So they were opposing God on purpose.
Nadab and Abihu had not obeyed God. They were his priests. They had neglected to serve him properly. They had not shown honor to God. This teaches us something very important. God loves us. He is our friend. But also he is the maker of everything that exists. He is holy completely. We must remember this. We must show honor to God always.
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Text from the EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary - used with permission - © 2009, Wycliffe Associates (UK) - For more information about EasyEnglish Publications, visit their website: www.easyenglish.info.
Go and teach all nations