“‘From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.'” (Luke 12:48 NASB)

The closer we are to God, the closer God looks at us. We may come to God as we are, but we shouldn’t stay as we were. A key lesson of the Torah reading שמיני Shemini (“eighth”; Leviticus 9–11) is the more understanding God gives us, the more God expects of us. This is also why the sacrifice of Yeshua (Jesus) was the only sacrifice that could take away our sins, transgressions and iniquities (Lev. 16:15, 18, 27; Heb. 9:13; 10:4).

It was the eighth day — not the Eighth Day festival aka Shemeni Atzeret — but the eighth day of the priestly ministry of Aaron and his four sons as priests to HaShem. That day ended on a very sour note.

Aaron’s oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu decided to bring fire pans with incense, inspired by the fire that came down from the Divine. This incense is symbolic of one’s prayers before God. What is so strange to us is that these two young men, after all, if you saw a divine miracle, wouldn’t you be inspired to pray to God? Of course. Yet God strikes these two men dead? What are we missing here? 

We are told they brought “strange fire,” literally, “alien fire.” That phrase comes up in a few other places in Scripture. It could also be translated “offensive fire.” 

When Moses comes to Aaron to explain what God did and why, he said:

“Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘It is what the LORD spoke, saying, “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.‘” So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.” (Leviticus 10:3 NASB)

Prayers in and of themselves aren’t disrespectful to bring to HaShem. Burning incense in and of itself is not a sign of disrespect to Him. It can be disrespectful if it is not done correctly. 

Heart of the matter

There’s another example of Levites approaching God with burning incense that God treated as offensive, we read about it in Numbers 16, in the story of Korach (Korah). 

We know this story and what happens when Korach and his followers bring their incense pans and fire. 

“Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company be present before the LORD tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. “Each of you take his firepan and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan.” So they each took his own censer and put fire on it, and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.” (Numbers 16:16–19 NASB)

Is the act of bring a firepan with incense in and of itself offensive? No, after all, Aaron, in this story, brings a firepan, too. The difference is that Korach’s act was inspired by insubordination and rebellion. HaShem killed Korach and his followers the same way He had struck down Nadab and Abihu. They were honoring HaShem but they were not respecting Him. 

The closer you want to be to HaShem, the more honor and respect you must show Him. The longer you walk with God, the closer you get, the more HaShem expects of you.

The priests who knew too much

Now let’s look a descendant of Aaron, Eli, who was also high priest and had two errant sons. 

“Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the LORD…. Thus the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for the men despised the offering of the LORD.” (1Samuel 2:12,17 NASB)

Notice how much more patient God was with Eli and his sons than with Aaron and his sons. God tolerated Eli’s son’s horrible behavior for many years. Why?