Bad Guys of the Bible: Nadab and Abihu, Enemies of God's Heart
- David and Marilynn Chadwick
- Jul 16, 2024
- 2 min read
by David Chadwick
Hidden heroes and blatant villains! The Bible is full of both. Over the next two weeks we are taking a look at some of my top biblical bad guys.
Nadab and Abihu. You’ll find their story in Leviticus 10. They were the sons of Aaron.
As you read their story, you’ll learn that Nadab and Abihu had consumed too much alcohol and it appeared they were drunk when they did something horrible. What was it?
They decided to bring “strange fire” to create incense in worship in the Tabernacle. The Bible describes it as “unauthorized” (Leviticus 10:1). This fire was not taken from the brazen altar that God had instructed to be used for the incense to be lit. Rather, it was taken illegitimately.
Because of their disobedience, they were immediately killed by God.
God’s plans for all the tabernacle worship were designated in Exodus 26. These two men were totally irresponsible in their actions. I see two major errors. First, they were drunk, and second, they were disobedient and used the wrong fire. The Bible clearly warns in passages like Romans 13:13 and Ephesians 5:18 that drunkenness is a sin. And disobedience is another way of living out blatant rebellion. So Nadab and Abihu failed in two significant areas.
Here’s the truth. God wants us to be a holy people who are under HIS influence. He does not want people under the influence of alcohol, drugs, entertainment, sex, or anything else other than him. This is especially true for ministers, priests, and spiritual leaders who oversee worship of the one true God (James 3:1). God’s teachers have a stricter wrath! A call to live above reproach (1 Timothy 3:1-3). It’s a sober awareness I have daily strived for since the moment I accepted God’s call to lead his people.
Nadab and Abihu failed miserably in some major areas and God held them accountable for their sin. They are no heroes of mine and in my humble opinion, were enemies of God’s heart for holiness and purity.
Therefore, use their negative actions -being irresponsible and disobedient- as an example of how not to make Jesus and his kingdom the master passion of your life.