ThThe Danger of Unauthorzed Fire
One of the best books I ever read is by the Old Puritan Pastor Jeremiah Burroughs called GOSPEL WORSHIP. I would encourage every Christian to read it. There seems to be a loss of reverence in our comtemporary worship services. Much of what is done focuses more on us than on God. The bible is clear God must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth. God tells us how to worship Him. We are not permitted to offer worship to God however and whatever we desire and think it is acceptable. Many say as long as you are sincere it doesn’t matter. This poses a problem because there is the danger of being sincerely wrong. Worship is for God, not for us. Sadly, that simple statement is foreign to our day. This is not to say we or not benefited in worship. God is to be glorified and we are edified in doing so.i believe we are enriched greatly by worshipping God, but it must be on His Terms.
Leviticus 10:1–3 (ESV)
1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace.
This passage gives evidence and validity to the fact that God is serious about how He is worshipped. People of God don’t take worshipping God as some casual thing. He is Holy and He must be reverenced.
Puritan pastor Jeremiah Burroughs masterfully gives guidelines to facilitate the reader to move closer to God in worship. Through 14 sermons, Burroughs carefully explains the right manner of worshipping God in the three great ordinances of hearing the Word, receiving the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. Burroughs shows that true worship is reverent, focused upon our Holy God.
In a sermon Burroughs wrote on this passage three things he highlighted that I think we should take heed to. He says;
1. That in worshipping God, there is a drawing nigh unto Him.
2. That when we do draw nigh to God, we should take heed to ourselves that we sanctify God’s name. (Treat His Name as HOLY)
3. If we do not sanctify God’s name in our drawing nigh to Him, then certainly God will sanctify His own name upon us.
On the first point Burrough says, “That in God’s worship, there must be nothing tendered up to God but what He has commanded. I call this, “No Use of Unauthorized Fire”.
All that we do in worship must be consistent with the Word of God which is the Will of God. I must ask myself am I acting upon what God has prescribed or am I acting upon what I desire?
Aaron’s sons offered fire that God had not commanded. This means we must have a warrant for the worship of God. If I do not have Scripture to warrant me, I am acting insubordinate. We must all be willing worshippers, not will-worshippers.
If you would worship God, you must have a commandment of God for the worship. If there is no command from God then you worship in vain (Matthew 15:39). We can’t use Unauthorized Fire!
I will pick up more tomorrow with Privilege and Positions Are No Protection.
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24e Danger of Unauthorzed Fire
One of the best books I ever read is by the Old Puritan Pastor Jeremiah Burroughs called GOSPEL WORSHIP. I would encourage every Christian to read it. There seems to be a loss of reverence in our comtemporary worship services. Much of what is done focuses more on us than on God. The bible is clear God must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth. God tells us how to worship Him. We are not permitted to offer worship to God however and whatever we desire and think it is acceptable. Many say as long as you are sincere it doesn’t matter. This poses a problem because there is the danger of being sincerely wrong. Worship is for God, not for us. Sadly, that simple statement is foreign to our day. This is not to say we or not benefited in worship. God is to be glorified and we are edified in doing so.i believe we are enriched greatly by worshipping God, but it must be on His Terms.
Leviticus 10:1–3 (ESV)
1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace.
This passage gives evidence and validity to the fact that God is serious about how He is worshipped. People of God don’t take worshipping God as some casual thing. He is Holy and He must be reverenced.
Puritan pastor Jeremiah Burroughs masterfully gives guidelines to facilitate the reader to move closer to God in worship. Through 14 sermons, Burroughs carefully explains the right manner of worshipping God in the three great ordinances of hearing the Word, receiving the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. Burroughs shows that true worship is reverent, focused upon our Holy God.
In a sermon Burroughs wrote on this passage three things he highlighted that I think we should take heed to. He says;
1. That in worshipping God, there is a drawing nigh unto Him.
2. That when we do draw nigh to God, we should take heed to ourselves that we sanctify God’s name. (Treat His Name as HOLY)
3. If we do not sanctify God’s name in our drawing nigh to Him, then certainly God will sanctify His own name upon us.
On the first point Burrough says, “That in God’s worship, there must be nothing tendered up to God but what He has commanded. I call this, “No Use of Unauthorized Fire”.
All that we do in worship must be consistent with the Word of God which is the Will of God. I must ask myself am I acting upon what God has prescribed or am I acting upon what I desire?
Aaron’s sons offered fire that God had not commanded. This means we must have a warrant for the worship of God. If I do not have Scripture to warrant me, I am acting insubordinate. We must all be willing worshippers, not will-worshippers.
If you would worship God, you must have a commandment of God for the worship. If there is no command from God then you worship in vain (Matthew 15:39). We can’t use Unauthorized Fire!
I will pick up more tomorrow with Privilege and Positions Are No Protection.
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24