“Frenchy” dodged to the left, then to the right. The speeding balls rocketed past him with blinding speed. Even so, John, the jock was unable to pin the wiry, Cajun transfer student from Louisiana. Finally, the coach walked into the gym and blew his whistle to get our attention.

“Let go of that ball!” the coach commanded the jock. A wry smile crossed John’s face as he reared back and let loose a wicked throw at Frenchy.

SMACK! The blow took the young black man totally off guard, lifted him off his feet and slammed him to the gym floor. The coach’s whistle blew even as the other jocks gathered around their hero to offer him congratulations.

“We now have a new towel boy for the rest of the semester,” yelled the coach while pointing at John. The coach had instantly made an example of our school’s basketball champion. The rest of us stared in shock and disbelief...

Aaron lost two sons, Nadab and Abihu, in Leviticus chapter 10. Earlier, Aaron and the priests began their ministry after they had been consecrated for service. Aaron and Moses followed the Lord’s commands by offering the proper sacrifices and rituals. “Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all of the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown” (9:24). God was accepting their worship!

All appeared to be going well until Nadab and Abihu, “took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered ‘unauthorized fire’ before the Lord, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” (10:1-2). Now God rejected their worship!

Aaron stood speechless. Moses warned Aaron not to mourn for the loss of his two sons unless the Lord takes his life as well (10:6-7).

What went wrong? It is not enough to say that they offered “unauthorized fire.” Many have camped on that idea and have overlooked the fact that Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar immediately violated the Lord’s command following this incident (10:12-18). Why was Nadab and Abihu condemned and Eleazar and Ithamar saved? The difference was in their “hearts” (10:19-20).

Consider why the Lord spoke to Aaron following the judgement of his boys, “You and your sons are not to drink wine or other strong drink whenever you go to the Tent of Meeting, or you will die” (10:9). The sin appears to be threefold: (1) problems with their hearts (intentional sin), (2) drunkenness, and (3) incorrect ritual procedure. Are we following God’s commands with humble hearts, clear minds, and correct procedures today; or, are we in the middle of a booboo?

Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when He said, ‘Among those who approach Me I will show Myself holy; in the sight of all people I will be honored’” (Leviticus 10:3).