STRANGE FIRE

Leviticus 10:1–3 KJV (WS)

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Strange - hebrew word is unauthorized, foreign or profane.

God not only rejected their sacrifice; He found it so offensive that He consumed the two men with fire.

Nadab and Abihu were burning the incense with fire of their own making rather than taking fire from the altar.

Leviticus 16:12 KJV (WS)

And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

The sacrifice animal blood would drip upon the coals which represented the blood of Christ.

Their fire came not from the coal from the altar with the blood.

People come to worship without Christ all the time, its illegal and unauthorized to do so.

2 Timothy 3:5–7 KJV (WS)

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Why Would They Have Done This?

Leviticus 10:8–9 KJV (WS)

And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

The senses was effected by the influence of alcohol.

It was a sign of their disregard for the utter holiness of God and the need to honor and obey Him in solemn and holy fear.

The carelessness was their downfall.

In judging Nadab and Abihu for their strange fire, God was making a point to all priest who serve in His tabernacle and later in His temple, us as well.

Ecclesiastes 5:1 KJV (WS)

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.