Daily Devotional

“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them” (Leviticus 10:1). 

Building a telescope is a little like building a cathedral,” said Roger Angel. “It takes time and patience.” He’s the professor of astronomy and optical sciences at the University of Arizona who engineered the complex system for creating the world’s largest telescope mirrors. It takes about four years to turn a raw chunk of glass into the perfect telescope mirror. 

While the Hubble Telescope mirror measures just over seven-and-a- half feet, Angel is creating twenty-seven-foot mirrors. Plans are underway to create the Giant Magellan Telescope, which will have seven 27-foot mirrors and be located on a mountain in Chile. Images are expected to be ten times sharper than the Hubble can produce. 

Moses patiently directed the work of building a temple. Then he consecrated Aaron and his sons for their priestly work in the sanctuary. They were to reflect God’s character in their conduct. 

Though all the priests were carefully taught the details of their ministry, two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, sometime later carelessly offered “profane” fire before the Lord. They used coals taken from a common fire instead of from the altar of burnt offering, the sacred fire God had kindled. 

The two priests disobeyed God’s instructions and were consumed by fire from the Lord. Apparently before entering the sanctuary, they had been drinking too much wine and could not “distinguish between holy and unholy” (Leviticus 10:10). Their unguarded behaviour distorted the pure image of God before the people. 

Like carefully constructed telescope mirrors, each of us is to reflect the character of God. When we live haphazardly, we distort His image. “If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3:17). 

O God, I consecrate my life to portraying Your perfect image to every person with whom I interact today.