How God Protects Us
“And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, ‘Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations'” Leviticus 10: 8, 9.
God here gives Aaron a command, a mandate not to drink wine or strong drink while in the tent of meeting. When we are immature in our faith, we might think that God’s rules are intended to keep us from having fun. To prevent from experiencing something that is enjoyable and pleasurable.
But the truth is, they are how God protects us from the consequences of the sin that the commandment forbids. They are designed to protect us from the destruction we reap when we sow to the sinful nature. And from the loss and pain that comes in the wake of destruction.
Unauthorized Fire
This command comes right on the heels of the death of Aaron’s sons for offering “unauthorized fire” as priests in the tent of meeting.
“Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” Leviticus 10: 1, 2.
To read the passage for context, click here.
This chapter reveals this truth. I think it’s likely that Nadab and Abihu were under the influence of “wine or strong drink” when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. They were probably drunk.
When Love Feels Like Restriction
And so far from wanting to withhold something good from Aaron and his sons, God wanted to protect them from further heartache. This command was actually a great expression of God’s kindness.
The passage doesn’t specifically say they were drunk. But the fact that God gives this mandate immediately after the incident is telling.
Mathew Henry a 17th century Bible scholar agrees with this conclusion:
“They had been feasting upon the peace-offerings, and the drink-offerings that attended them, and so their heads were light, or, at least, their hearts were merry with wine; they drank and forgot the law (Prov 31 5) and were guilty of this fatal miscarriage”.
Galatians 5: 19 tells us “the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality. . . drunkenness, orgies, and things like these”. And “the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption” Galatians 6: 8.
How God Protects Us from Pain
Nadab and Abihu sowed to the sinful nature by getting drunk and reaped corruption (destruction) as a consequence. The alcohol robbed them of good judgement in their service as priests. And of the ability “to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean” (V 10).
God didn’t want Aaron or his remaining sons to be guilty of the foolishness that robbed their brothers of their lives. He wanted them to act in wisdom. And enjoy a pleasant and peaceful life.
But alcohol can rob us of this. And when we don’t act in wisdom, we’re putting ourselves in danger. So, God gives us rules to protect us.
To read another post related to How God Protects Us, see Repentance in the Bible: Is It Required for Forgiveness?