Background: Everything at theTabernacle was finally in place. The Priests had been fully installed and instructed as to their responsibilities and all of God's directives on how things were to be done. Shortly after it all began, some of Aaron's sons became lax - even disobedient - in carrying out their responsibilities. God's response was quick and profound: those who had violated the holiness of worship were not only removed from their positions but from the congregation and life itself.
Key Verses: 1 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. 2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 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.
16 Now Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it was burned up! And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the surviving sons of Aaron, saying, 17 “Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is a thing most holy and has been given to you that you may bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord? 18 Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly ought to have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.”
The first case was one where these too sons "took lightly" the instructions of the Lord. Later verses indicate they may have been "drinking on the job." Whatever the unknown details, they did not regard their work or their God as Holy, and the House of the Lord and everyone in it was to reveal how Holy He is. The second case made it seem to Moses that this disregard for God's Person and will was more deeply ingrained, and further discipline was warranted. God, however, did not respond to it, and upon further investigation it appears that the misstep on the part of the younger priests was due to their grief over their brother's death and their going overboard in trying to NOT offend God. All in all, the two successive events made their point: don't take the worship of Holy God lightly.
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