Strange Fire

It is our human nature to want our own way. Observing children reminds us of this. If we do not train them to be patient, and follow good examples, they increasingly become more impatient and set on having what they want. After all, from their perspective, what they want is what they also understand to be “good.” In like manner, man’s perception of good is based on his understanding of what he wants and perceives as good. And our performance of good stems from desiring either our way, or God’s way.

We find examples of people following their own understanding in the scriptures. Concerning watchmen, Isaiah prophesied that they had become “shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain.” (Is 56:10-11). These men had ceased caring for God’s flock and their concerns were about their own benefit. They lacked God’s understanding of what good was, and sought after what they thought was good. Spiritually, they were in darkness.

As Christians, though we walk in the light of God’s Spirit within us (and the light of His living Word), at times we find ourselves to also be struggling with a lack of understanding. This is through no fault of our own. God directs us, then steps back (to allow our growth in His Words as we follow that direction). At these times we naturally seek further understanding on how to follow Him when we have gone as far as we know how.

This period of time in which we lack understanding is called “darkness”. It is the in-between stage; in-between the light of understanding and the next light of understanding. Just as we have day, followed by night, and then followed by the next day again, so we have understanding, lack of understanding, and then understanding again. Peter describes this process in speaking about God’s word; “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your heart.” (2 Peter 1:19). The light is shining somewhere, but not until dawn will it shine on us. Likewise, an understanding of what puzzles us lies somewhere, but we won’t have that understanding until the Lord causes it to “dawn” on us, thus bringing His true understanding by His Spirit when the morning star rises in our hearts.

Being in darkness tests the best of us. We want to know what is a good way to follow, but find ourselves temporarily without the light of understanding. It is a test every true believer finds himself in. Isaiah writes about this test also. “Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.” (Is 50:10). So we see it is a test of trusting in God, and that He will cause the understanding to dawn on us.

Isaiah continues by writing about those who fail this test of reliance on the Lord for their understanding. “But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from My hand; you will lie down in torment.” (Is 50:11). Another translation uses the word “sorrow” for torment, and if we look at the Hebrew root of the word we find “anguish, grieve, worry, hurt”. Lighting the fires of our own understanding will not bring us to the true understanding from the Lord.

In having God’s understanding, we can proceed with wisdom. Wisdom proceeds from understanding. We can discern understanding by looking at the fruit of what follows our understanding. James writes that earthly wisdom harbors envy and “selfish ambition” within it (Jms 3:14). The fruit of God’s understanding manifests itself in wisdom that is “pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.” (Jms 3:17).

Ambition for oneself has caused God’s displeasure on many occasions. Substituting the fire of our own understanding for the fire of God’s understanding will give us light so that we can go in the way we think is good . . . but it is the wrong way, and we will be grieved in the end. It is as if we put “strange fire” on the altar of our hearts. This strange, or alien fire, has its consequences. Here, Dave will write about the consequences of lighting the fires of our own understanding;

In Leviticus 10:1-2, Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each offered the Lord inappropriate fire with incense on it which the Lord had not enjoined upon them. As a result, the Lord consumed their lives and they died. In Acts 5:1-11 a similar incident is repeated to show (that with the tabernacle of God residing in each person’s heart) each person is also held accountable as a priest offering spiritual incense within one’s own heart. Therefore, for the same reason that inappropriate action brought death to Nadab and Abihu, so inappropriate action in their hearts (out of their hearts came lies – see Matthew 15:18; Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45; Eph. 4:29; James 3:14; 1 Sam. 24:13; Is. 32:6) also brought death to Ananias and Sapphira. Paul, in 1st Corinthians 11:28-32, also warns about God’s judgment for inappropriate actions in following the directions of the Lord’s Supper.

In Leviticus 10:3, Moses explains God’s position regarding our obligations as priests. “By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people, I must be glorified.” As God’s priests, we are to follow what the Lord “has enjoined upon us”…nothing more or nothing less. Using our own understanding does not bring glory to God, but to oneself. In times of darkness, it is tempting to use our own understanding (especially if we lack patience or are unable to subdue our own ambition to humbly wait upon the Lord for His direction). His Holy Spirit will consume (Ex. 24:17; De 4:24; Heb.12:28-29) anything that does not bring glory to God. It is futile, then, to believe that acting in a manner that rewards our perspective of good will bring us into a good standing with God. Obedience is far more important to God than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22; Eccl. 5:1; Hosea 6:6; Matt. 5:24; 9:13; 12:7; Mark 12:33).

Thank you , Dave. Today, let us put self-ambition and impatience away from us and rely on and trust in the Lord for all that we do not understand. Then our lives will bear the fruit that glorifies Him as His light comes and understanding dawns on us. Amen.