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Exodus 32 and Leviticus 10 – The Golden Calf and Strange Fire
Both the Golden Calf worship and the offering of strange fire by Nadab and Abihu have much in common, have too much in common.
Both take place at the foot of Sinai. Both take place with God’s special servants. Both take place in close proximity to something special. Both break God’s commands. And both narratives break the continuity of the context, suggesting that the context is needed to properly understand the narrative.
The Mountain of God has blazed fire frightening the Israelites. Yet while Moses goes to the Mountain at the request of both God and the people, the people quickly forget. They break the second commandment by worshipping God with graven images, that is, with idols. Aaron, soon to be the High Priest is weak and complacent. The Law is being given to Moses and the people are breaking it as it is being given. Consider the irony that Moses threw down the tablets breaking them in response to Israel breaking the Law.
The Tabernacle blazed with God’s glorious fire so that even Moses could not enter into the Tabernacle. Yet after this display of power, Nadab and Abihu offer “strange fire.” Consider the irony that God punished these two priests with fire. As the Tabernacle is approved by God, the young priests offer that which is not approved.
Both sins are closely associated with what they are sins against. The Golden Calf is an affront to the Law, and the “strange fire” is an affront to the Tabernacle. Both show improper ways of worshipping God. Neither treats God as holy. May we not commit the same sins.
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