Elohim’s Fiery Judgment Upon Nadab and Abihu—A Lesson for the End Time Saints

Leviticus 10:1–7, Nadab and Abihu…profane fire. 

Nadab and Abihu were executed by the fire of YHVH for not following his commandments. This disobedience was induced by the consumption of alcohol, which impaired their ability to follow YHVH’s protocols for the tabernacle service (Lev 10:9). What can we learn from this tragic story of the disobedience of YHVH’s servants who should have known better, and how will this story repeat itself at the end of this present age upon some of YHVH’s unfaithful servants? We will now discuss the prophetic implications of this story and how history will repeat itself shortly. 

Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron the high priest, were unfaithful to Elohim in that they neglected to take his commandments seriously. Perhaps they thought that his instructions in righteousness did not apply to them but to someone else, or that his laws were done away with, or that YHVH Elohim simply did not really mean what he said. Whatever the case, while executing the ministerial role as Levitical priests in the tabernacle, they became lukewarm and careless in their duties and profaned the holy things of Elohim through their excessive use of alcohol and careless indifference to the Word of Elohim. Because they were in leadership positions as priests, their example of unrighteousness like a spiritual contagion could have infected the children of Israel and destroyed that new nation at its inception. Therefore, YHVH Elohim had to deal quickly and forcefully with these erring and rebellious sons of Aaron. In answer to their sin of not obeying YHVH’s laws, the holy fire of Elohim, like a bolt of lightning out of heaven, came out (presumably from the tabernacle—a picture of Elohim’s heavenly tabernacle and throne room) and fatally struck Nadab and Abihu then and there. 

What are the lessons that we can learn from this horrific story, and what are the end time prophetic implications of it? 

We learn from the book of Revelation that at end of the Messianic Age (or Millennium) that YHVH Elohim will execute unrepentant sinners fire by casting them into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15). This is because they have been made drunk by the false religious teachings of the whore system of religious spiritual Babylon and Satan (Rev 18:3–4). Even many of YHVH’s own people will fall prey to the Antichirst worldwide political-religious-economic system and fail to heed his warning to “come out of her my people” (Rev 18:4). Many will even take the mark of the beast thus forfeiting their possible salvation (Rev 14:9; 15:2; 20:4).

We are now living in an age where, thankfully, most of our sinful actions are not met with instant divine judgment (the case of Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts is a notable exception). Does knowing that YHVH will not instantly “zap” us with his proverbial lightning bolt from heaven when we sin cause us to become lax and even calloused toward sin in our lives? Do we truly walk in the fear of YHVH? Do we fear the consequences of sin even though the results may not be immediate? For many, the answer is yes. Therefore, the rest of us need to ask ourselves some serious questions lest we too slip into a state of careless indifference toward YHVH and his commandments as did Nadab and Abihu and, later, Annais and Sapphira. How loose is your spiritual walk? How many hidden sins that no one knows about do you have that you are failing to deal with that could lead down the proverbial slippery slope and away from Elohim? 

One thing is certain. As one progresses in their faith walk, the path of righteousness becomes narrower and ­narrower, and fewer people are on that straight and rigourous path. Moreover, there are levels of rewards in Yeshua’s kingdom. Not everyone will be “the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Some will be the least, and many will not even be there at all (Matt 5:19 cp. 1 Pet 4:18). Remember that the tares (i.e. those masquerading as saints of Yeshua) that were mixed in with the wheat (i.e. the true saints or converts of Yeshua) were culled out and burned (Matt 13:24–30). This is a picture of the true versus false converts coexisting in the spiritual body of Yeshua or the church to the very end! Let us not forget that the saints in Laodicean church were secure in their state of spiritual lassitude, yet YHVH had some harsh words for them. If they failed to repent and amend their ways, he promised to reject them.

It is time for the people of Elohim to wake up from their spiritual lethargic and drunken stupor, repent of their sin of taking a careless and even indifferent view of YHVH’s commandments.

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of Elohim: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Rev 3:14–20)

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.” (Rev 18:4)

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Cor 10:12)

 

3 thoughts on “Elohim’s Fiery Judgment Upon Nadab and Abihu—A Lesson for the End Time Saints

  1. Toda rabba Natan. Another good word that needs to be heard. I didn’t realize or recall that Nadab and Avinu had been drinking. I’ll have to go back and reread that chapter.

    • The Torah doesn’t specifically say that they were drunk. However, the very next passage in Torah after the N and A event (Lev 10:8ff) prohibits drinking while ministering. The Jewish sages infer, as do I from this, that N and A were impaired alcoholically when they offered up the strange fire. There are many other similar passages in Torah and in the Gospels where one story or teaching is juxtaposed against another, and they seem to be unrelated, yet when combined they flow well together. When I discovered this fact, many of Yeshua’s teachings made much more sense as I discovered how one mini-teaching related cleverly to the next. This is called Hebrew block logic. We westerners are accustomed to step logic where everything transitions from one thing to the next using neat transitions, logic and connecting verbiage. This is the use of syllogism and step logic where one argument leads conveniently and seamlessly into the next to easily lead the reader along. This is how our western educational system works. Not a bad system, but that’s not necessarily the biblical Hebraic approach, where the student has to think his way through things a little more like putting the pieces of the puzzle together to form the whole picture. It’s more a process of discovery. It’s a great approach for discovering biblical truth and about the Godhead, but not a good scientific approach for putting a man on the moon. Paul was versed in both forms of logic. His Epistle to the Romans, for example, to my way of thinking is more of an example of step logic or systematic theological compared to some of his other epistles. There he starts at a point and step by step takes you through a whole theological scenario to the end of the book.

      • That is the best explanation on this subject I have ever heard. Thank you.
        John

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