THE DEATH OF NADAB AND ABIHU

Nadab and Abihu were punished for their disobedience in
offering STRANGE FIRE.  

"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."     Lev 10:1-2  (KJV)

This account of the punishment of Nadab and Abihu gives
us a frightening insight into the fiery punishment that God
has reserved for those who sin presumptuously.
       
Previously, God had given strict instructions to the priests
regarding the incense that was to be added to the fire from
the altar.  The holy incense was a unique formula composed
of sweet-smelling spices.  It was pleasing to the Lord and is
a symbol of the prayers of the saints.   *

God had also commanded the priests not to use strange
incense:

" ... Ye shall offer NO STRANGE INCENSE thereon, nor
burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour
drink offering thereon."  Exodus 30:8-9 (KJV)

STRANGE INCENSE was the burning of certain foul-
smelling noxious weeds and is associated with witchcraft
and the worship of Baal.   Therefore it becomes a fitting
symbol of the prayers of the wicked:  "He that turneth away
his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be
abomination."  Prov 28:9 (KJV)

Nadab and Abihu died because they did not put a difference
between the holy and unholy when they offered incense.
They either used common fire from some unknown source
--or  they offered  STRANGE INCENSE that God had
"commanded them not.".

God is no respecter of persons.  His judgment and fiery
indignation will devour all his adversaries, which include:
Nadab and Abihu, the fallen angels, and rebellious
churchmen who "sin wilfully." ...

"For if we *sin wilfully* after that we have received the
knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice
for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and
fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."
                     Heb 10:26-27 (KJV)

Donna Kupp

*  NOTES

"And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense
of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary."
   Exodus 37:29 (KJV)

"Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the
lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."  Psa 141:2  

"The black mass of the Sabbat varied slightly in form
according to circumstances, and in the modern liturgy of
the Satanists it would appear that a considerable feature is
made of the burning of certain heavy and noxious weeds,
the Devil's incense."
 "The History of Witchcraft" by Montague Summers
                   page 156.  University Books
       
"Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.  Will ye
steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and
BURN INCENSE UNTO BAAL, and walk after other gods
whom ye know not;  And come and stand before me in this
house, which is called by my name, and say, We are
delivered to do all these abominations?"  Jer 7:8-10 (KJV)

CLOSING COMMENT:  

One possibility is that the *strange incense* burnt unto
Baal was and is Marijuana.  (Hemp).   The Assyrians used
cannabis (hemp) as a hallucinogen by adding it to other
ingredients in incense burners.

The anthropologist Weston La Barre was of the opinion
that cannabis [hemp] use goes as far back as the Mesolithic
(Middle Stone Age) period as part of a religio-shamanic
complex.

dk