Shemini (Leviticus 9:1–11:47)

Until this point, Leviticus emphasizes that all the preparations and sacrifices had been performed just as the Lord commanded. However, the second the priests went off script, acting spontaneously on their own, disaster struck. Aaron’s oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu, “each took his censer, put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and they offered unholy fire before the Lord, such as he had not commanded them” (10:1). Just as fire had previously consumed the sacrifices as a sign of divine favor, “fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” (10:2).The reader is left imagining the horror of the scene. It was all going according to plan when God consumed the offerings laid on the altar, but then the same divine fire consumed the offerors. Aaron’s highest high, encountering the power of God so intimately, was followed by his lowest low: witnessing the tragic death of his sons and fellow priests. Leviticus 10:3 attests that after Moses offered a divine explanation that might seem jarringly blunt in the wake of such loss, “Aaron remained silent.”Support the showConsider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemConnection.us so we can continue to bring valuable content via podcasts free to the public. Help us increase our audience reach and improve production quality. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible to our non-profit organization. Bible Fiber and The Red Alert Report are available via YouTube and all major podcast platforms. The Jerusalem Connection also engages in additional educational and advocacy programs. Check our "Projects" tab for all the endeavors we invite YOU to be part of.