January 25

Leviticus 10:1‑2
 
“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”— Leviticus 10:1, 21And 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. 2And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. (Leviticus 10:1‑2).
THE priesthood in Israel failed from its very inception. In Leviticus 8 and 9 we have the induction of the family of Aaron into their sacred office, and in chapters 10 we learn that Nadab and Abihu sinned by offering strange fire before the Lord, thus ignoring the heaven-sent fire that burned upon the altar. It was but another evidence of the unreliability of man, no matter what his privileges. As the years went on, this was demonstrated over and over again. The house of Eli became a scandal to the whole nation, and in due time that branch of the priesthood had to give way to another, which in turn became utterly unworthy, until in Caiaphas that whole system came to an end before God, when he rent his garments (Matt. 26; 65), something the high priest was strictly forbidden to do (Lev. 21:1010And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes; (Leviticus 21:10)). Christ Himself is now our great High Priest ever living to make intercession for us.
“Great High Priest, whose prayers are music
In the Father’s ears,
I shall know their glorious answer
Through eternal years.
Even now, O Lord, I know it,
Made by love Divine,
One with Thee, henceforth, Forever,
Therefore one with Thine.”
—G. Ter Steegen.