Leviticus 10

Lev. 10:1, 2. This awful destruction of two of the priests, the sons of Aaron, happened on the eighth or last day of the consecration of Aaron and his sons, by which the Levitical priesthood was first introduced, or on the first day of Aaron and his sons officiating as priests. That it was on this day appears, because it was on this day they offered the goat (Leviticus 9:3; Leviticus 9:15) which was burnt, because on this day such things had befallen Aaron that he was not fit to eat thereof, as in the Leviticus 10:16-20 verses of this chapter. Thus the service of the Levitical priesthood was begun with the woeful death of two of the priests that were consumed by the Divine wrath, [and] thus it pleased God to show the insufficiency of the Levitical priesthood at the first setting of it up. He observed that they were so insufficient to make atonement for others that they were liable to the Divine wrath themselves for their own sins, [see Pool, Synop. on loc.;] and this was also so ordered to impress on the minds of the priests a sense of the sacredness of their work, and the infinite holiness and majesty of that Being with whom they had to do in their office, as verse 3…. There is no temptation visible that Nadab and Abihu should have to offer "strange fire" rather than the "holy fire" that had descended from heaven. But the case with them seems to have been this - that day being the first day that ever they had officiated in the priest's office, and a day of rejoicing and feasting, wherein they fed on their peace-offerings; and it seems that these two young men had in this Feast in a measure intoxicated themselves with strong drink, whereby they either became unable to keep exactly to the points of the Law in the execution of their office and to distinguish between holy and profane, or at least made less careful so to do; so that while they were elevated with drink they did not distinguish between holy fire and common fire, which seems to be the special reason of God's appointing that law, which he does in verses Leviticus 10:8-11; for that Law seems to be given on this occasion. It was given on the same day that Nadab and Abihu died, as appears on comparing the beginning of the 9th chapter with the latter end of this; and it was immediately upon it, for it was while the affair of their offering the sacrifices of the day were under consideration, as appears by verse Leviticus 10:12 seq. - Corol. By this it is manifest that persons are responsible before God for those crimes they commit when drunk.

Another thing observable concerning Nadab and Abihu's death is this. We have an account in the latter verse of a fire coming out from before the Lord and consuming the sacrifices on the altar. Here we have an account of fire in like manner coming out from the Lord and consuming not the sacrifices offered, but the persons that offered, because they had not respect to and did not trust in that fire from the Lord consuming the sacrifice, but offered strange fire, fire of man's kindling, whereby we seem to be taught that they that come to God and do not trust in the Atonement for sin, made by Christ's being consumed in the fire of God's wrath, shall be consumed by that fire of God's wrath themselves. They that come to God offering strange fire, and dare to appear before Him in their own righteousness, He will be a consuming fire to them. They will be exposed to all the fierceness of the flame of God's vindictive justice, having no benefit of the execution of it on Christ the great sacrifice for sin.